Yesterday I ran the Jingle All the Way 5K with a bunch of the girls from my book club.



Since our book club, affectionally know as the Yoga Pants Book Club, is largely made up of a bunch of runners with a reading problem, we decided it would be fun for us to celebrate the holidays with a 5K followed by brunch.

I've done the Jingle All the Way race a bunch of other years, but I think this year was definitely the year that graced me with the best weather. It was brisk, but not freezing, and I actually started to get a little too warm in my Under Armour around mile 2.5.



I wasn't sure what to expect time-wise going into the race. After being sick for two weeks and then having my lungs burn on every run since, I knew my cardio endurance wasn't at its highest level ever. I had no plans to PR and really just wanted to go out and have fun.

And that's pretty much exactly what I did.

I really like this course because it takes you right past the Capitol Building and we got a nice view of the Capitol Christmas tree. Some people stopped to take pictures in front of it, but I had a feeling if I stopped, I wouldn't be all that motivated to start running again.

I crossed the finish line in 27:51 (better than anticipated!) and quickly found Katie (who PR'd!) and Megan (who also ran wicked fast) and we waited for the rest of our group to finish.



I also got a nice surprise from my friend's parents who showed up to watch the race!



Thanks for coming out Tina and Fred!

After everyone finished, we made a coffee stop for some warm beverages, and then proceeded to Erin's place for brunch. Definitely not a bad way to start a Sunday morning.

I was doing so good on the blogging front a few weeks ago. Three posts in one week! Then I got sick and did nothing but sit on my sofa and blow my nose a bunch. That doesn't make for very exciting blog material.



But I'm back, and I think I'm maybe finally over my sinus infection/head cold/plague.

I've been hanging out in PA all week for Thanksgiving, and it's been lovely. In addition to being nice and relaxing, I've also finally felt OK enough to do some workouts.

Let me tell you, after doing nothing but yoga for two weeks, your cardiovascular endurance will go to crap.

I went to swim with my mom on Wednesday morning and was fairly certain I was going to drown by the time we finished our workout. And we only did a 1,500 yards work set.

Then on Thanksgiving I did my own version of a turkey trot because apparently Allentown doesn't believe in holding an actual 5K on Thanksgiving morning (this irks me every year). It's perhaps for the best I wasn't racing though because OMG my lungs were on fire during my run.

I went slooooow, and I got a nice reminder of what happens when you don't run for two straight weeks. But the weather here has been amazing this year, so I almost didn't mind how slow I was going and how pathetic my endurance was.

I went for another run today, that largely turned into a healthy mix of walking and running just for an excuse to be outside and soak up the sunshine. I will take 63 degree weather at the end of November any day.

Especially when you compare it to the weather we had in PA last year at Thanksgiving:



Snow in November is never cool.

So I think I'm finally healthy enough to get back on the workout wagon. I'm planning to swim with my mom again tomorrow morning, and maybe squeeze in another run on Sunday (though it's supposed to be a lot colder then). Here's hoping this was my one major sickness for the season, and I can power through the rest of cold and flu season unharmed.

This is a question I've been pondering a lot this week since I have been sick and have had zero desire to do anything but curl up on the sofa and blow my nose a million times.



Yet all over the Internet, in running magazines, blogs, etc, when people ask if you can work out while sick, the answer is always as long as your symptoms are above the chest/neck you're good to go and can work out if you want.

But I don't understand how someone can work out when their throat is on fire or their head is pounding. Running would just make that hurt more. So I've been doing zero workouts this week.

I got sick Tuesday night and after taking an exam Wednesday morning, I spent the rest of my day off curled up on the sofa with Netflix. (Side note: Why do I always get sick on government holidays?)

Since it was Veterans Day, it seemed only appropriate that I indulge in military movies. So I watched We Were Soldiers (for the first time) and Top Gun (for about the 500th). Netflix has started to recognize my love of Top Gun.



At this point I could probably recite the entire movie. I should be embarrassed by this, but I'm totally not. I got my love of Top Gun from my dad, who was in the Navy, and used to watch it all the time because it was always on TV. Check out these sweet old school photos of him my mom sent me.



Anyway, back to my sickness. I struggled into the office on Thursday, but threw in the towel and went to the doc this morning. Unfortunately I do not have strep throat, which means no antibiotics for me. Just good ol' rest and liquids and OTC decongestants.

Which I guess brings me back to my main question, how do people work out when they feel like this? All my symptoms are above the neck, but the thought of going for a run or even doing some easy yoga seems awful right now.

So I guess until I feel better, you will find me planted on the sofa.