The Mythical Ten

It's almost embarrassing the number of times I've tried to get in my 10-mile run since the beginning of August.

There was the weather. It would rain. Or it would be miserable. And while I'll suck it up and push through if either of those conditions crops up while I'm running, I'm not going to *start* a 10-mile run in the rain.

Or there was my body. I'd go out, and my blood sugar would drop. Or I'd not even get out because I couldn't get stable. Or, even more frustrating, was going out, and getting either dizzy, or more frighteningly, starting to grey out. For the former, I'll push myself another mile to see if a snack and water clears things up, but for the latter, it's an instant Go to Jail Do Not Collect $200 card. 

So I've been going out and getting all of these 5 mile runs in, and a nice number of 3-5 miles, but not actually hitting my 10 miles. 

All the while, getting more and more frustrated and angry with myself that OMG I'm a failure because I can't do this mileage that I've done all these times before. And OMG I have a 10K coming up in September and WTF is wrong with me.

And then I got hit with the Death Cold. 

First day of Death Cold, Labor Day, was the day I intended to go out for real and do that 10 miles. It was supposed to be perfect weather (which it was) and I was looking forward to it. 

I ate breakfast (see, I try!) and after my two hours were up, tried to motivate myself into moving from the couch. Except that every time I stood up, I felt like I was going to hit the floor. 

Crazy, but not stupid. Also: See previous rule of "If I am greying out, I do not run." 

I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't. So come 3:30 on Labor Day, when I still felt horrible, I called it done. And sat and sulked and cried and went to my sewing room.

And then woke up that Tuesday morning with a sore throat. Which progressed into full-fledged cold by Wednesday, and a sick day 

And as much as I hate not working out, I also recognize that when I have exercise and illness-induced asthma on a good day, trying to combine the two together with Death Cold was just going to be a bad idea. 

So. 10 miles. Still need to happen before Sept. 24, because I really don't want to do a 10K without covering the six miles recently first. And since I've done two half marathons, I know I *can* do 6.2 miles -- but more importantly, I want to do them well.