running tip

words of advice -- you probably shouldn't go for a run after a) having not gone in about two weeks because 2) you had a weird chest sickness that had you almost coughing your lungs out. especially if C) that was followed by maybe the horrid end to that chest illness or a attack of allergies or a different illness that prevented nose breathing the majority of the time, left your upper lip red raw and peeling, and/or forced you to keep little spitoon kleenexes everywhere just in case. even if you think this might be the last day of this illness, you've thought that for the last three days. wait a few more before hitting the old runnin' path again.

it was a beautiful day today. there's no sign of the arctic freeze of last weekend . i could actually breathe through my nose. sure, there was still need for a tissue every now and again, but not often. (if you're squeamish about boogs, you should skip ahead. i'm not gonna be graphic, i'm just sayin.) also, i felt like i could cough something out eventually, but whatever was residing back there just wasn't ready to come out. so i felt like it would be okay to try and start running again. i felt awesome on my first few steps. it was sunny but cool. my breath wasn't labored. my body wasn't sore from coughing. and then i hit the first hill. and breathing became eh...hard. and my lungs were all 'hey, we're just kind of getting back to not seizing at consistent periods throughout the day. chill.' but i pushed on at a slightly slower pace. then that little residual stuff that was hanging out decided to start a revolution. still not big enough for me to force out, but enough to make me emit noises with every breath. to refrain from sounding like an old fat man breathing, i would forcefully cough, which seemed to force it out of the way enough to not affect my breath intake.

i finally get to the last half mile of my run, which happens to contain the biggest hill on my run. this is so close to where i started, i just try to push myself. i'm breathing heavily and i feel that damn little spot of saliva acting up again. except this time, i feel it reaching gag zone. so i'm all, 'okay sara, just don't cough or sharply inhale through your noise and you'll be fine.' and then i cleared my throat. so here i am at the top of the hill, gagging, but i think i'm covering it well since my hands are over my mouth. i have briefly stopped running at this point because usually if i just stick it out, whatever is causing the problem gets cleared and i eventually can breathe again. except, the problem causer is still that same little whatever that isn't large enough to force out. so now it's making me emit horrid donkey noises. oh and i can't really catch a breath because of this, so as i'm gagging/making donkey noises/trying to get a breath of air, i'm thinking about how this is how i die.

i didn't die. i don't think anyone noticed. and i was able to finish the run. but i learned my lesson.