Confessions Of A New Runner: Coping With Illness

Caitlin McColl
Run With Intention
Published in
4 min readApr 4, 2024

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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I’m an active person, and I don’t like to sit around on the couch and do nothing very often. I mean, I do sit on the couch. But that’s after I’ve been active. After I go for my morning run, or after walking my dog, or after my daily morning yoga session (that I do first thing as soon as I get up). After that, then I can sit down and relax.

For the past few months I’ve been running 4 days a week — upping it from 3 days and seeing how it works for me — i.e. if it’s too much. Turns out, it does work for me. Granted, I don’t run many miles a week (or kilometers for me, being Canadian). Normally just about 34 kilometers (21 miles).

But this week, I’ve run none. Zero. Zilch! Since last Sunday’s long run of 15km (9.5 miles). And I so want to run. But…I know I shouldn’t because I’m sick. I woke up on Sunday with what I call a ‘coldy’ throat — when my throat feels a bit congested and slightly…weird. But I felt fine otherwise. So I went for my run, and I felt totally fine during it (it was a beautiful day! I couldn’t pass it up!). But later that day, in the late afternoon/evening, I came down with chills/body aches/sweats. And I thought: uh oh, I have the flu! The sweating…

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Caitlin McColl
Run With Intention

Writer on mental health, grief & loss, mindfulness, running, life musings (+ fiction and poetry!). ❤️coffee & dogs. Vancouver 🇨🇦