Winter cold, cold winter

I go to work and hear the lovely sounds of sniffling, coughing, sneezing. Not all of it originates from my office, I think most of my coworkers either have, or have had, a cold (or, will be getting one soon). I stayed home a couple of days ago because I was coughing so much I couldn't talk (and even managed to pull something in my back from coughing too hard) but I have too much work to call in sick all week. And c'mon, it's a cold, right? Not fatal, just annoying. Can't wear contacts because my eyes are too icky, my nose is itchy and runny and stuffed and my lungs are feeling full.

My rule for exercise is if the cold is above my neck, I keep on with my regularly scheduled workouts. If the symptoms are below my neck I rest. Heck, I'm used to exercising with my mouth open since my allergies usually stuff up my sinuses. But I discovered that walking up 2 flights of stairs at work winded me. And most exertion makes me cough. So that all means that just when our training intensifies I'm taking time off to whine get better.

And what's up with this cold weather anyway? It's not that I have a perfect memory or anything, but I can't remember any winter since I started running (which is 9 years now) that has consistently been so cold. Or dry. I got used to running in rainy 40-50 degrees, but dry 20-30 degrees is very unusual. I know it's a drought year (I just have to look at my brown lawn) but dry and cold don't need to go together. A hundred years ago when I moved to California it was a drought year and it was in the 60's and 70's all winter. In fact, that's why I moved here; it was snowing in Michigan and I never wanted another cold winter. Hmmph. Stupid global warming.

Now we see exactly why I haven't been posting as much lately. Wow, I sure am cranky! Sorry ...