Two low weeks and a DNF

My last long run resulted in some discomfort afterwards, a sort of exercise-induced asthma if that's possible.  I haven't bothered to see a doctor about it because we will be moving to an entirely different region and climate in several weeks and hopefully this problem will be left behind.  Anyway, I was tired and didn't do much the week after.  And then I got sick.  More gunk!  My present job turned out to be unsuitable for recovery: I took half of Tuesday off and all of Wednesday off, and after umpteen hours nestled between blankets and the couch, and a couple of work days wearing extra layers under PPE, I got better.  I still haven't completely recovered, but I feel like I'm pretty close to the low-level gunk constant.

The marathon was yesterday, and it was a beautiful early summer day.  About 20 C at the start, and sunny and somewhat humid.  Way too warm for a run, especially a hilly run.

The course was 2 times a 13.1 mile out-and-back along a bike/rec paved trail, and it was gorgeous.  I felt sluggish right from the start, but I tried to relax during the beginning, and I got to the first turnaround feeling not-quite warmed up, nor fresh, but without additional fatigue.  Shortly afterward, increasing congestion and some mild intestinal disruption convinced me that I would be better off not attempting the 2nd loop.  My legs were feeling more tired; I decided that if I ended up walking the last mile up the hills, that would be fine.  The last water stop was a mile and a half before the finish, and this seemed like an even better place to stop running.  Other people were walking at this point, and so I chatted a bit and strolled in the sunshine (it really is a gorgeous path and I hope to return before we leave), and fantasized about spending the afternoon on the deck back home.

Well, it seemed that once I crossed the finish line, or at least approached it whereupon I told a race official that I was dropping out, it started to drizzle.  An approaching cold and stormy front although it took a while to fully arrive and wouldn't have helped much during the 2nd loop.  It was just enough to quash deck dreams.  Today it is 1 C and drizzling.

Sometimes races just don't work out.  My training has been very poor this year: the air has been bad, the summer was scorching, my work hours haven't been entirely ideal (being at work less than 12 hours before a race start isn't the best), nor my work conditions though I've gotten really good at squatting and lifting but that hasn't translated as well to running as I'd hoped.  And I was sick.

Good think I'd stopped when I had...they were running out of water because both the temperature and the attendance was higher than anticipated.

So I had a nice half-marathon jog and walk!