Flu Frustrations

I was doing so well with my marathon training, I had a cold a few weeks ago but managed to keep running through it. Then this week - disaster - I caught full blown flu. I'm frustrated because my training was going really well, I was covering the distances and really enjoying it, now it feels like I've gone back to the beginning.

Apart from being bored out of my mind and missing physical activity, I am really scared that my running fitness is going to take a massive backslide. I had to completely write off this week (until yesterday, I could only manage to have a shower, or make a cup of tea before I needed to lie down again) and although I would LOVE to be fully recovered next week, I just can't see myself doing the 25 miles on my training plan. I had swine flu a couple of years ago, and it took about 3 weeks until I was back to normal. 

How does everyone else cope when they are recovering from flu? Both in terms of tailoring your training plan and mentally coping with the boredom/frustration (and fear ) 

Thanks Emmy, I think I will try to do my usual recovery run on Tuesday next week, but I will keep it close to home in case I need to turn back sooner. Or call someone to come and collect me

I might be adventurous and try to go for a walk tomorrow. I managed 20 minutes today before I had to have a sit down. Slow progress!

it is really frustrating, I missed my long run last week because I wasn't feeling 100%, and I knew it was the right thing to do, but also felt so annoyed about it. You really do have to think long term to get you through it. You are not going to lose a massive amount of fitness - I took about a month off in the summer - had a long holiday then got a virus. I was a bit slower when I started again and needed to walk a bit, but if you just plod on, go back to where you should have been (or a week or so before that) in your training program and build up slowly again.

I am doing my first ever marathon in the spring too, and have started building up the miles. In September I struggled with 6 miles, now my longest run (2 weeks ago) was 13.7 miles - it wasn't easy and was very slow, but I am convinced that by building up slowly I will get round the marathon. I started early because I just knew that over the winter I was bound to catch colds/flu or something and have to take some time off. Sounds like you have started early too, so you have time to miss a few weeks and still be in shape for the marathon

Thanks so much everyone, I feel a lot better now, both physically and mentally 

I purposefully started my training early in case I had to take time off, but I still felt panicky when it actually came to taking the time off. I find it much easier to tell other people that they should be resting than I do to follow advice, I can't help but feel like I'm skiving off! But 

Went for a much longer walk today and felt loads better so hopefully I am on the mend.  I will see how I get on with just getting back to my normal work routine next week and if I still feel better towards the end of the week I'll try a very short run and then pick up training properly the week after

K9 - do you think 25 miles a week is too much at this stage? I was hoping to be able to do a 16 mile run before the end of 2011. This was more of a psychological goal, so that I know I've only got to add another 10 miles on to my longest run, and have 12+ weeks to do it 

I've been doing 4 runs a week, 1 short recovery run (3 miles), 1 medium (5-7 miles), one speed work session and one long run (last one was 9 miles).

Before that I was running 2 - 3 times a week, and doing lots of cross training (mainly boxing and circuits classes. I did a half marathon at the end of October, so I didn't want to take too much of a backward step and cut the long runs down too much.  

It was mainly a time constraint. The gym I used to go to only had boxing and circuits at times that I had earmarked for running - I have to fit training around full time work and part time study. 

But after looking around, I have found a gym close to work that does boxing and circuit classes at lunch times, so once I'm recovered from the flu I will be checking it out. I really miss punching things! 

I haven't tried running before a circuit class - perhaps after a few more weeks

I'm stuck in bed with flu too... Going into week 3 now!

I had the same thing a year ago too and it coincided with the first month of my marathon training plan. I ended up having 3 months to train instead of 4 after 4 weeks of no running whatsoever.

It was fine in the end and I found that once the flu virus had gone my body got back to normal pretty quickly. Don't try to run while ill though - your body has enough to cope with!

Good luck!

Thanks FRC, I will have to try it on a weekend circuit class. I think I'll ease back into circuits to make sure my legs know what to expect though  

Real Girl Running - 3 weeks with the flu is rotten luck! I hope that you feel much better soon. I improved quite a lot over the weekend and managed to get into work today although still feeling a bit tired. I won't push it and will only start training again when I feel 100%

I spent quite a bit of time yesterday going through my diary and training plan, I've got three 'extra' weeks to play with so I feel a lot less stressed about taking time off. Still slightly annoying that I've used some of my spare weeks on the flu, instead of Christmas excesses