A "do not start" for Capital City :'-(

I hate to feel like a quitter, but I need to keep my eyes on the prize and maintain (what's left of) my sanity.

I will not be racing the Capital City Half Marathon Saturday.

I've looked at it from every angle, and given the following circumstances there is no way running 13.1 miles in two days can be considered a not-horrible decision:

• I came down with a cold after my half marathon Sunday. Ok, that's a lie, I came down with a cold before my half marathon Sunday. Woke up at 1 a.m. and couldn't breathe. I just pumped myself full of DayQuil and Ibuprofin and miraculously survived, then slept for 36 hours. Oh, and I also ate my magic coconut peanut butter. (It's magic because it's peanut butter and I actually like it.)
• Many many many sources tell you not to take cold medicine and Ibuprofin before a run. I've already not listened once.
• Said cold has overstayed its welcome by about four days. Either it decided to get worse again this morning, or someone hit me with a bag of bricks overnight. 
• Against my better judgement I went to spin this morning, using the logic that "maybe if I get up and get moving I'll feel better." I did not feel better.
• I refilled my big water bottle at least six times yesterday, and still woke up dehydrated.
• It's going to be almost 80 in Columbus Saturday. I don't do well in the heat even when I'm used to it. I have not run in the heat this year. 
• Cold meds make my tummy hurt. 

The odd thing is, I feel tired but otherwise fine. No fever. I'm functioning surviving at work and had the energy to play with laugh at chicken butt Lizzie dog this morning (and clean up the half glass of orange juice she knocked over with her tail). Tonight I'll probably venture out to the store to buy more tissues and return my overdue Redboxes (to plow through Lincoln, or accept the fact that I will fall asleep during it?) Sooooo.... you get the picture. 

Even after all this, and multiple people telling me to listen to my body, I was tempted to go and try to run. "You jumped into a dumpster full of ice in November a year and a half ago and were fine the next day," I tried to tell myself. "That means racing doesn't make me sick!"

This was the deciding factor: I've already lost a week and a half of half ironman training from tapering and this cold. On Sunday, I will be 11 weeks out from Musselman. I am really far off my training plan.

If I run this, it could mean being out for another week, for a race I've already put a lot into.

That won't do.

I deferred my entry, so I'll look forward to the Capital City Half Marathon 2014.

I'll take my day off tomorrow, teach my class, then rest. Maybe take the dogs for a walk. Maybe introduce Flower to the Canal trail. Maybe get in the way of the Hollywood crews downtown like the rest of the city.

(And maybe go fight that parking ticket.)