My first official setback

This past weekend I started to notice that while I was laying down to bed at night, I would cough a little.  Nothing major, just irksome.  Then, the cough got progressively worse and occurred throughout the day.  I didn't have any other symptoms, just a cough.  I took a couple of days off of running and thought it would eventually go away...

Oh, how wrong I was...

It's now Monday evening and I haven't run since Thursday.  I can barely walk outside.  It hurts to breathe the cold air in and out.  I was very fortunate and was able to get a doctor's appointment at Columbia's student health services (gotta love still being a student sometimes!  Free doctor visits!) and discovered that I have a viral upper respiratory infection.  Nothing can be done to make it better.  Just time.  My doctor told me I could get better anytime between 3 and 21 days!  I'm sorry, but that's a LARGE span of time there... Couldn't you perhaps narrow that down just a tad??

So, here I sit.  Waiting to get better.  He told me to just get rest, drink fluids and take vitamin C.  I could have learned that from watching Sesame Street...  This is the longest I've gone without doing any sort of physical activity since I started this back on Labor Day Weekend.  I'm a little nervous what this long break will do for my motivation.  I'm scared that once I stop, I won't start back!

I'm setting forth a challenge to everyone.  Please, please, PLEASE keep on me.  Ask me about my running.  Make sure I get back out there once I'm back to 100%.  I know I shouldn't do anything before I'm completely better because it will most likely cause me to have a setback and end up worse off than before...  Have no fear I will take care of myself.  But, please help take care of me too and make sure I get back out there!  I had a goal of 40 pounds lost by New Year's Eve and I'm still hoping to hit it!

Well, I'm back off to Kentucky tomorrow morning early.  Wish my safe and happy driving!  To each of you (few) readers, Merry Christmas (or whatever it is you celebrate)!  Hopefully the next time you'll hear from me, it will be from a non-hacking, fully healthy Maia.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!