tchitest,

Slow deep breaths buddy!

We all hate to miss runs, but you've got plenty of time until November. The only thing you can do by running before you're healthy is prolong your illness.

The focus shouldn't be on making up a run, but on getting healthy. Rest, drink lots of fluids, and browse coolrunning.com!

kestrou

First, a bit of advice about running and fever: don't combine them. I'm happy to run 15 miles as I'm coming down with a cold--I just slow way down and let the run gently boost my core temperature; LSD never hurt me--but I won't jog three with a fever.

Kestrou's right on. We're all addicts here, but part of the discipline is learning how to control the addiction. Recovery to good health ALWAYS takes first priority. The downside risk from not hewing to this principle is just too **** high. You might miss months, not weeks. It happened to me with a stress fracture; it happens many different ways. A goal race is NOT sacred, no matter how badly you may have ego-attached to it. Trust me: if you've got pneumonia or a bad stress fracture, you WILL cancel.

One week of missed training, by comparison, is no big deal. Having taken the involuntary Three-Month-Vacation plan once, I can assure you of that. In some cases, illness is a sign of overtrain, failed adaptation. In those case, you probably NEED a week off in order to recoup. Call it an extreme cutback week. Take it. You'll be up and at 'em soon, with renewed enthusiasm and a sound body. At that point, you can tinker with your training plan and figure out what optimization looks like under your slightly altered circumstances. That's so much better than missing three months I can't even tell you.

Here's a great lesson that I"m finally beginning to figure out: There's always another race. Always.

If you got sick take the time off you need. Move along with your training and don't try to make up anything. What happened happened. Who knows maybe it is the best thing for your progression anyway.