I had started feeling a sore throat the Thursday before Boulder 70.3. Fortunately, I still able to participate in and complete Boulder 70.3. However, by Monday I definitely had a full on sore throat and cold. So, I decided that I would not begin to resume workouts until I had enough time to fully recover. I have not exercised since the race and the cold just hung on. Monday of this week, I got another cold on top of the one that hadn't gone away. By Monday night, I was feeling pretty sore and tired. Definitely on Tuesday night I was totally chilled and achy. My throat has been extremely sore on and off.

Today I decided to go to the doctor (PA) to have a test done for Strep throat. Good news / bad news: the rapid result came back negative and the doctor did not notice any ear infection either. Good news is that I don't have those illnesses. The bad news is that it's not as simple as getting on a round of antibiotics to knock it out. I guess I'll still have to wait for what the 48 hour test shows.

It's not that I'm looking to go on a round of antibiotics. I'm just tired of being sick all the time. I had been saying that it seems like I've been getting sick every month. Now I'm saying that it seems like I've gotten sick more times in the last eight or so months than I have been sick in the previous 46 years of my life. While that's probably not really accurate, I certainly have NEVER been through a period where I got sick so much.

The doctor (PA) suggested that I can't exercise like a maniac; I didn't ask her what her definition of exercising like a maniac is. I told her that I need to be able to exercise like a maniac. I'm not saying that I need to exercise like a maniac year round. But, I definitely need to be able to reach a peak period in which I'll be exercising 15 - 20 hours per week. Most likely, the 20 hours per week will be only one or two weeks. I don't think that I even approached exercising like a maniac in the program I was following.

Well, it seems like I'm going to have to hang in there and wait for all this to pass. Then, I may follow up with the Doctor in the office to consult about some type of herbal therapy to boost my immune system and whatnot.

The likely culprit here is the combination of me starting a new exercise regimen and my son attending school and bringing home all sorts of germs. It's awesome that I started exercising again and it's awesome that my son is in school. If part of adjusting to the factors in my life means that I have to deal with some illness for a period of time, so be it. I really am focusing on maintaining a good perspective on this, although right now I think I'm just doing my best to "fake it until I make it."

Anyway, I thought it was important to get another entry in the blog. The blog is supposed to be about my sum-total existence, not just about my exercise routine and / or what's going well in my life. I had started the blog when my life started to turn around from a low point so that I could make sure to always remember what that low point was like. It's important for me to remember what it was like to be sickly for a long period of time. I'll be a much better person for being able to have empathy and compassion for others who have to deal with the same thing.

Oh, and by the way. Happy 4th of July!

I give thanks to the Universe for the abundance it provides me. I surrender and am open and ready to receive.

Bhavatu sabba mangalam - May all beings be happy