It’s been YEARS since I’ve been sick – the kind of sick where you can’t get out of bed without it feeling like you’re running a marathon. I’ve had small colds here and there, but nothing to complain about. This past week threw a wrench in my healthy streak – the day I got home from Florida, I knew something was up. I had that dry, scratchy throat and pretty bad body aches. I still chalked it up to just being drained from running hard on vacation.
Full sickness ahead…
Fast forward 24 hours to a fever, aches, fatigue, sore throat and congestion. I spent most of the day (and night) in bed, sleeping more than I have in years. I’m the type of person who is always up early and ready to go. I don’t like to sleep in, it makes me feel like I’ve missed out on something or could have accomplished so many other things. My body clearly needed the rest in order to heal (I’m still not 100%, as I write this I’m covered in blankets on my couch). It’s not easy for me to ever truly rest – taking the gym off, sleeping, etc. Not training is probably the hardest thing for me to do. I feel guilty and that in turn makes me feel that I’m falling behind in the progress I could be making.
Recovery is crucial
Understanding that taking time off from the gym when I’m sick is not only necessary but crucial to my healing is a concept that isn’t easy for me to digest. As much as I preach the importance of putting your health first, it’s easy to look past that thought with myself. What this mega-cold has taught me has been to slow down when I need to, NOT to feel guilty about it and instead see this as a sign that not all progress comes from hustling and forcing things to work.
So take this as your sign to remember to be grateful for your health, to slow down when you need to and that you’ll come back stronger in the end! I’m looking forward to another night of rest and feeling even better tomorrow. Here’s to a weekend of relaxing and resetting!
