summer cold, etc

Just when things couldn't get much better they took a turn for the worse.  Over the past few days I've developed a rather bad cold.  Over the past five or six days I've noticed my morning pulse getting progressively higher and higher and that's usually a sign of illness.

It hasn't been high enough to reduce my training in any way (until today) but yesterday afternoon the cold began in earnest.  Streaming nose, tiredness, lethargy, etc.  I immediately began taking lots of vitamin C as advocated by Frank Horwill and others.  Not as much as he suggested but I realise now that I should have started the 'medicine' a couple of days ago.

One thing I have noticed over the past six months or so is that I seem to have forgotten stuff like that.  I'm sure it will all come back once I get properly into training mode again - only another four weeks to go.

As mentioned above my morning pulse was exceptionally high - over 20 % higher than normal.  So, I've decided to ease back on the cycling and strength training for a few days.  The running, such that it is, is only at a very low level anyway at the moment.

One thing I have noticed ... England Athletics have put on their website details of an English 24 hr Championship - this year held in conjunction with the Tooting Bec race in London.  There appears to be some confusion though because there are slightly different details on the two pages it is mentioned - here and here - and no mention on the race website (or on the entry form).

If this is the beginning of an annual English Championship then that can only be a good thing as athletes in all other disciplines have a national championship to aim for.  For me it's just a shame I won't be fit enough to take part but hopefully it will be something the powers that be continue with - and maybe (hopefully) us it as a selection event for a home nations 24 hr championships.  Or is that a step too far ...

At this point I should mention that I suggested a championship to England Athletics back in 2009 when I also pointed out that the list of English records did not include ultra distance events.  Within a week or two some ultra records were included but, even now, the men's 100k is missing and the women's 24 hour (road) has not been updated to include Lizzy Hawker.