I have not run in nearly a week - not since last Wednesday morning. Friday I started to get sick. Saturday I only made it half a mile before realizing I was being an idiot trying to run with a chest cold. Truthfully it's making me a little nervous that I have no burning desire to get out and run again, although I haven't wanted to do any kind of cardio since getting this cold. I did do some quick intense cardio at the gym tonight and that felt fine so maybe I'm ready to run again. I would hope after 6 months of running 3x a week I won't completely fall off the rails after a week.

Hello everybody.

There has been too much to catch up on for me to comment on it all, but I do have to say I was laughing out loud at the bedraggled cat circling the house like a vulture and slipping off the toilet seat. I have no words for how sweaty I get running. I DRIP a few minutes after I stop. My hair is wet through, face blotchy red and and the less said about my breathing the better. I am not an attractive exerciser.

I had to look up your temperatures as my brain only works in centigrade. It was 2 degrees when I was out this morning which I think is about 36f. It would have been below freezing had I made it out yesterday but The Blerch plus the IBS after effects of a weekend away at a wedding where I ate and drank everything in sight (whether it was mine to consume or not) conspired to keep me on the couch under a blanket. It was peculiar being that hot and cold at the same time while I was out. My internal furnace making me too hot and sweaty while my thighs and upper arms felt the cold. I felt like the cold thighs were a problem - stiffening me up.

Anyway, I managed my first run since Thursday, at about 9km in 1 hour 2 mins, with 4 x 1 minute walks/ traffic light stops. I am finding that Runtastic on my phone likes to zigzag all over the place and I can't trust its distances (and with that pace etc). Mapping my route when I get home gives me a more accurate and believable distance. I went into work really early, when there would be nobody else about, got my work done fast then ran home. I couldn't go through the big city park I intended to as it was all closed for the big annual fireworks display that is on in an hour - Guy Faulks night.

We don't have cool holidays like Guy Faulks

I have that "cold thighs" problem - I wear cotton shorts over running tights even though it's supposed to be dorky. It offers just enough more warmth to keep me comfy.

Nice run yamsteroo! I have the same problem with traffic. I decided the headlights mess up my night vision.

Thanks for all your comments about getting back into it. I appreciated them! Nice to know I'm not the only one that feels that way sometimes. I did intervals on the treadmill tonight prior to my trainer session to ease myself back into running. It went fine. I did 2 minute intervals (brisk walk & a jog/run), with the running intervals being at varying speeds, then 5 minutes walking fast at a higher incline. With the warm-up & cool-down walks it was 40 minutes total. Legs were a little tired afterward, and then my trainer told me we were working legs & abs today, so now my legs are REALLY tired, but it felt good to move again. Breaking the run into smaller intervals definitely made it more interesting.

Sounds like you're giving yourself good advice, Tim.

Stupid question from a Brit - when's Thanksgiving?