Marginal Gains.

Nope, not some British asshole's idea of a good way to cover up systematic abuses of the TUE system. I mean marginal improvements in performance from a more or less legit source- getting over an ass-kicking illness.
  
I've been sick a bunch of times. Hell, my appendix went all jihadist and blew itself up all over my insides. I've broken, shredded, or dented myself a couple times, and my patient zero children have kept my immune system on its toes over the years. All that said, this has to be one of the top-five debilitating illnesses I've ever experienced. Usually I just go turtle for a couple days and bounce back. This time I wasn't so lucky. This time I pretty much wrecked myself.
  
Unlike the collar bone, where I was pretty much structurally unsound and resigned to healing, the body was still in shape after the initial hit. I just had nothing to give it. I still don't, and every day I get a little more worried about the fitness that might have drained out with the phlegm.
  
On an average day, I have about an hour of depressingly low power and a short sprint or two. The sprints go fairly well, as it appears I didn't lose much anaerobic power. I did lose a bunch of aerobic fitness, though. I just can't sustain it. My heart rate climbs, the sweat pours off of me, and the power meter asks me if I want it to go into sleep mode.
  
Still, I see small improvements here or there. Maybe I can push that burst of moderate power out a couple more minutes. Maybe my heart rate is a tick or two lower. Maybe I don't hack, wheeze, snot, and/or puke so much. You know, little indications that all might not be lost. Maybe my body is just wiped out from fighting this bug, and doesn't have time to support my compulsions.
  
Little by little I'm getting there. I want to get out on the pavement, but I'm holding back for a week or two. I want that first day back to happen only when I'm ready for it. I'm not there yet, but the needle is slowly tipping that direction. I need to be patient. I need to wait.
  
I'm only marginally recovered.

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