T-Minus 40 Days and Counting. . .

It's been a crazy six days since I've posted. So, here is an Executive Summary for those with neither the time nor the energy to be bothered with the gory details. Herewith:

• Worked out at the Northeast Y on Thursday morning due to the rain. Did 30 minutes on the bike and 1 hard mile on the treadmill.

• Became seriously sick about four hours later with fever, chills, aches and great abdominal pain. Slept for nearly 16 hours straight, interrupted by bouts of GI distress.

• Friday was much of the same, laying in bed not able to do much, along with consistent fluid loss. Very depressed as I knew I would have to miss the Madison Mini Marathon (13.1) on Saturday.

• Illness finally broke mid-day on Saturday. Total weight loss was about 6 or 7 pounds.

• Ran 5 miles easy on Sunday, with the last in 8:20. Confidence somewhat restored.

• Tonight, did my 4 x 1600 intervals, all at sub 8-minute pace, with the last in a rip-stinging 7:35 at about 70 percent effort. Beginning to think that the whole fluid-loss, dehydration illness thing might have been a blessing in disguise. Confidence fully restored, as I haven't run so fast, so easily, all training season. What gives?

• Getting ready for our 8-mile tempo run on Wednesday.

• Cautiously optimistic about our 20-mile Tour of Rockford set for Saturday morning.