sniffles.

My body needs a rest.

.....THERE. I SAID IT. yeesh.
I'm getting sicker and sicker from trying to work through this illness.
I can barely function, let alone get to work, with this stinkin' cold!
I went three days without any working out (...and practically LOST MY MIND), and then yesterday eased back into it with just a half hour. I already feel a little better from sweating it out but definitely not 100%. Hopefully the three days of nothingness were enough for me to just start working out again, and the cold will run its way out (?).
BUT, I've told myself that in the past and then just ended up drawing out the sickness for longer because my immune system is never able to fully recover.
.......BUTTTTT, at the same time I can't help but question if I'm just a big fat baby and none of this is true and I should just suck it up and keep going.

Oh well. Maybe it's both.

I also had physical therapy today, one of my last sessions, and my physical therapist gave me a really helpful guide to easing back into running after an injury. If you have ever suffered a severe ankle/leg/knee/foot injury or even just think you strained/pulled a muscle, here's a good way to continue with training but also heal yourself at the same time:

All of these steps vary based on your severity of injury (you can start at wherever you feel you can), and the time required to complete each step depends on when you are able to do it without pain or complication:

1. Walk without a limp for 1 mile
2. Jog 100 yards then walk 100 yards. Begin with no more than 1/4 mile.
3. Add up to 1/4 mile every 2 or 3 days.
4. Work to jogging 1/4 mile, then 1/2 mile, 3/4 mile, etc.
• jog 1/4 (mile), walk 1/4, jog 1/4, walk 1/4
• jog 1/4, walk 1/4, jog 1/2, walk 1/4
• jog 1/2, walk 1/4, jog 1/2, walk 1/4
• jog 1/2, walk 1/4, jog 3/4, walk 1/4
• jog 3/4, walk 1/4, jog 3/4, walk 1/4
• jog 3/4, walk 1/4 jog 1 mile, walk 1/4
• jog 1 mile, walk 1/4, jog 1 mile, walk 1/4
5. Once you can jog a mile switch over to "running" running - first at 1/2 speed, then 3/4 speed, then full speed
• run 3 times per week
• run at the "talk test" pace
• ice after activity
6. Add 5 minutes a week for the next 5 weeks
7. Begin agility drills and functional training:
• figure 8's
• crossover running
• skipping rope

My physical therapist warned me, "This is probably going to be pretty boring for you........" but I feel like this is why so many times this same injury has reoccurred: because the healing process is BORING! Like step 6: add 5 minutes a week for the next 5 WEEKS?! TOO LONG! I'll try and adapt as much of this as I can for as long as I can.
........but not making any promises.