Round two of Covid was certainly a lot easier (and a lot less scary) than round one. We obviously know so much more about it now than we did in March 2020 and being vaccinated and thus having some immunity has made a massive difference. I’m grateful to the scientists and medics who’ve got us to that position.
The symptoms this time round were a little different – no incapacitating headache, brain fog or sweats; instead there was a cough, fatigue, congestion and generally feeling crappy. Once again my taste and smell disappeared, which really is the oddest sensation.
COVID-19, are you going to be naughty or nice to me?
Steven Magee
Ten days after testing positive, and having done no exercise in that time, yesterday I took myself out for a long walk to test the legs and the lungs. Thankfully everything appears to be working as it should, so I’m hoping that next week I can start slowly building my mileage back up again.
The temptation with illness and injury is to simply pick up where you left off, to come back too hard too soon. I’ve done that so many times before and on occasion I’ve ended up paying the price; for example, with long Covid and a slipped disc. As a coach I should really know better but but of course we don’t always practice what we preach.
Marathon training is rarely linear. Life is guaranteed to happen during a 16-week training block and you may be required to adjust your plans, goals or expectations as a result. That’s sometimes hard to accept but I think that once you’ve got a few marathons under your belt it becomes an easier mindset to adopt. For someone like me, who tends to rigidly follow a plan, it makes a huge difference.
