If you missed it, (catch up HERE) I was unable to run the Amsterdam marathon because I tested positive for Covid two days before the race, the day of my flight from London to Amsterdam.
I had trained (and recapped my training on this blog) for 15 weeks and was excited and ready to race. I was disappointed in the timing of catching Covid.
I avoided it for the whole pandemic, so it was bound to catch me eventually and it did. The timing wasn’t great, but I suppose it never is, is it?
I recognize that I was very fortunate in how mild it was for me and how quickly I was able to get back to running. I credit that to having been vaccinated (Pfizer x 2), and twice boosted (Pfizer + Moderna, with the 2nd booster just 3 weeks before I had Covid.) I have read about other runners’ experiences getting back to running; I know it isn’t always this easy.
Here’s a quick summary of the two weeks following my positive Covid test.
Friday, 10/14: 5 mile run, then took a Covid test. Positive. No Amsterdam marathon. Last minute change of plans; Dustin was healthy and tested negative (he never ended up getting sick), so he still went to Amsterdam solo and ran a 3:01. Considering his PR is 2:54, he was pretty happy overall with that time, especially since he did a lot of long runs with me as we settled into life in London! Maybe that slower long run pace really did work!
Saturday, 10/15 through Tuesday, 10/18: 4 days of no running, just walking the dogs and some light strength training. I slept a lot. A LOT. There were probably two days where I had a bad cough, but the worst symptoms were probably before I tested positive, when I was still testing negative.
Wednesday, 10/19: First run back; felt a little clunky and tired, but no coughing or chest issues. Ran 5 miles at a 9:45 min/mile average, so slower than normal but felt okay once I loosened up after being so inactive for 4 days.
Thursday, 10/20: 7 miles, felt more normal though still a bit slower than usual for the same effort, but pace didn’t matter, I was running again and feeling healthy.
Friday, 10/21: 5 trail miles with Ruth, felt pretty good.
Saturday, 10/22: 10.2 miles. Not bad! Happy to be back at it.
Sunday, 10/23: 5 miles with Dustin, first run with a pace back under 9 min/miles.
At this point, I had decided to do a back-up marathon, the Porto Marathon (in Porto, Portugal.) I had trained for 15 weeks for Amsterdam and didn’t want all that work to go to completely to waste and honestly I was excited to complete marathon #40 still this year.
I felt like I was recovered well enough to complete my 40th marathon. It wouldn’t be a PR, but I could do it and I didn’t think it would hurt my overall health.
Monday, 10/24: 7 morning miles, pretty much 100% normal.
Tuesday, 10/25: 5 miles easy.
Wednesday, 10/26: Run commute, 5.75 miles, then 3 miles with some colleagues. Running is my kind of networking!
Thursday, 10/27: Last “big” workout to see where my fitness was for Porto: 3 miles easy, 4 x (1 mile at marathon effort, 1/2 mile faster, 1/2 mile easy jog) for 11 miles total.
Based on this workout, my coach thought I could run a sub-3:50 at Porto. Sub-3:50 is a nice time goal as it gives me a “good-for-age” time to get into the London marathon as a resident here (only if you’re a resident though, otherwise you have to do the regular lottery.) I actually have a good-for-age for 2023 from the Baton Rouge marathon (I ran a 3:44), but Dustin and I are looking to do the Vienna marathon, which is the same day as London in 2023. Since I ran London in 2016, I don’t have a strong need to do it again right away, though I would eventually like to do it as a resident. It is hard not to be influenced by the locals’ love of the London marathon! It feels like their “Boston.” And I think it would be a different experience running it as a local vs. when I did it in 2016 (recap here.)
But for now, as much as I loved running London in 2016, I would rather experience a new city and marathon while we are living in Europe. If I never get a good-for-age while we’re here, I won’t be heartbroken.
Friday, 10/28: My sister Erin arrived the day before and we ran 10 miles together as a sight-seeing tour at her pace. Such a fun way to see London!
I hope to recap her visit to London; we had SO much fun! We did different activities than when my younger sister was here two weeks prior.
Saturday, 10/29: My first parkrun! Dustin, my sister, and Ruth all did their first parkrun too.
1 mile jog to the start, a 5k trail run, 1 mile walk/jog home.
Sunday, 10/30: 4 mile Heath trail run with Dustin and Ruth
Monday, 10/31: 6 solo trail miles in the Heath.
Tuesday, 11/1: 7.8 miles with some marathon pace in there, just 3×1 mile. 8:35-8:40 felt doable/ the right effort for Porto.
Wednesday, 11/2: 5 miles with Ruth before work
Thursday, 11/3: 5 miles solo with some strides
Friday, 11/4: Rest from running. Travel to Porto, Portugal.
Stopped by the expo after arrival!
Saturday, 11/5: Shakeout in Porto! 4.5 miles with strides.
Sunday, 11/6: My 40th marathon! Woo-hoo! Full recap to come. Just as I had sort of predicted, I was able to complete the marathon. It wasn’t a PR, but I kept it under 4 hours and had a blast.
I was so glad that my experience with Covid didn’t hold me back from doing what I love. And since Dustin had just raced Amsterdam, he was a rockstar spectator, scootering around on a Lime scooter to see me every couple of miles. What a treat!
So, based on that summary, you can see that I was fortunate in that I didn’t have many lasting issues with Covid. I was able to bounce back into running and a back-up marathon quite quickly. I did wait to run again until I was symptom-free. For me, that meant 4 days completely off, full of rest and recovery.
I believe that being fully vaccinated and boosted (just 3 weeks prior) helped keep my experience with Covid mild. I will continue to get boosted as it becomes available.
Stop by this week for a recap of the Porto Marathon and more on our long weekend visiting this beautiful city in Portugal!
I’m linking up with Running on the Fly and Confessions of a Mother Runner; check out their blogs to connect with other fitness bloggers for workout ideas and inspiration!
I’m so glad you bounced back quickly after Covid and crushed that marathon! It took me about 2 weeks to fully bounce back from my bout with Covid in August. I too was fully boosted but I still didn’t feel great. Time to get my bivalent booster!!!
Looking forward to your marathon recap!
I should have noted that my booster here in London was the bivalent booster from Moderna. Assuming that it helped!
So great that covid was mild for you and you did not have lingering symptoms. One of my running partners had trouble running for 2 months post covid. Yay for making it to Porto can’t wait to read all about it!
Sorry to hear that about your running partner.
So glad you felt so good so soon and were able to do the Porto marathon. It looks like such a beautiful place! Can’t wait for the recap!
Thanks Coco!
Congratulations!!! I’m glad you were able to get back to running quickly and do that marathon! Yes, I’ve heard lots of stories about people having lingering effects from Covid (like unusually high heart rates during their runs) but it sounds like you’re fine. I’m looking forward to the race recap!
Thanks Jenny!
Wow thank heavens your bout with Covid was a mild one. How great you were able to bounce back and run a marathon so soon after. Porto is one of my favorite “sleeper” European cities. It’s so beautiful there, the food is amazing and I don’t know if this is still true, but everything there was a great value! Congrats on #40!
I think its becoming a bit more popular- there’s the whole Golden Visa thing in Portugal. But probably less touristy than Lisbon and I thought it was pretty affordable!
That’s so great that you were able to get back to running so quickly. Now I have to visit Portugal, it just keeps showing up for me!
COVID really is a very individual thing, so I’m glad that everything worked out ok for you in the end.
Very much an individual thing! And my experience could be different if I get it again.
You definitely bounced back in stride (see what I did there, LOL). I’m glad to hear Covid didn’t prevent you from getting that sub-4. Great job, Jessie!
Hah, thanks Kim!
I’m glad you bounced back so well after having Covid. Luckily, I did as well.
Congrats on running a great marathon! Can’t wait to read your recap!
Glad to hear you recovered quickly as well Debbie!
So happy you got your 40th Marathon done even if it wasn’t Amsterdam. I like your thought process around running London – it would be great to do it as a resident as I think there’d be more of an attachment to the city now. But at the same time, if you don’t it won’t be a train smash and it will be great to take advantage of other marathons in Europe while you guys are there. So, it’s a win-win, I say!
Thank you Shathiso 🙂 A win-win!
Glad you didn’t have lingering issues with COVID. I think it’s going to get us all eventually! Your pictures from Portugal looked amazing. You’ve been to some really pretty places!
Definitely recommend Porto and want to go back to explore more of the country!
It’s so great to hear that you were able to get back to running rather quickly after having Covid. I feel like I hear so many different stories from runners and their experience coming back to running after Covid.
Can’t wait t hear your marathon recap!
Everyone’s experience is so different, that’s for sure!
I am so glad it was mild for you with an easier recovery. Not everyone is so lucky, even when vaxed and boosted. It’s frustrating because we still don’t know what we don’t know. Even with that, I’m glad your experience wasn’t the worst and you were able to get that 40th marathon!
I agree. But this was my experience and I will document it honestly, which was a very mild experience that allowed me to run a marathon two weeks later. I understand that it is not everyone else’s experience. I also credit the vaccines and booster and bivalent booster and will continue to get the shots as they are available and I feel that they worked for me. I also went into my experience without any other underlying risk factors.
That’s so great that your symptoms were mild and you were able to get back at it so quickly! Congrats on running Porto!
Thank you Michelle!
[…] On Sunday, November 6, I ran the Porto Marathon in Porto, Portugal. This was a back-up marathon after testing positive for Covid two weeks prior, when I was meant to run the Amsterdam marathon. (Here’s a recap of my return to running after Covid.) […]