Staying on course...

I was back at it today, but only lightly. Put in 3000 yards in the pool, with about 800 of it fast. I rode my bike to the pool, (no, not the new one yet), and then rode to meet my new trainer, John Swain in La Jolla.

John really impressed me. He's got all sorts of certifications, ART, Massage Therapy, BS, and a bunch of others I probably can't remember. But the big thing was his ability to really connect the dots, and show me my weakness and how to improve them. I learned so much today, as he nearly did a full assessment of my strengths and weaknesses, and really showed them to me.
I really believe he will be a great addition to my training and support group!

One of my clients emailed me, asking about my training while being sick. It was a good question, on how to handle training with sickness. First I would say that you need to honestly assess your level of sickness. If you are slightly confused or doubtful about your state of health, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN!

For me, I paid attention to the main symptoms, and what was missing. I had a sinus problem, but not a chest issue, a small throat irritation but no fever. The main clue for me was I did not have any yellow flem, or snot, (sorry for the gross details), indicating an infection.

Even though mine was more of an irritation, than a virus or infection, I still needed a few days of nothing. I worked back slowly when I started to see my condition improve, but not right back into it full-bore! I was lucky that it coincided with my recovery week.

If you're sick, you have to accept a few truths:
1. You're sick.
2. You're sick, and if you even tried to do any working out, it would be crappy, and pretty much worthless.
3. You're sick, and working out seriously will depress your immune system further, possibly prolonging your sickness.
4. You're sick, and your fitness may decline slightly, but you're going to get it back quicker than you think.
5. You're sick, and sometimes there are advantages to that! You may lose the lbs you've been wanting to lose, or give your body time to heal over the injuries you've been fighting. Sometimes injuries and sickness can be blessings in disguise!
6. You're sick, so focus on your diet, hydration and sleep! Forget about training for awhile.
7. You're sick, just in case you forgot.

Hope this helps anyone who might be dealing with sickness. Got to get to bed now, riding mtb in the morning with some friends. Conquering Black Mountain!

Vance - 2007 NFA