So much for Manchester

What a depressing weekend for me. I ran an easy 7 miler Thursday, I was coughing afterwards but thought it felt better. Friday I went over to the track and did a pre race pace workout, 2xmile,2x800,2x400 all at marathon pace (7:30 was my guess). In reality I feel like my fitness before this cold was more like 7:20 shape if I had a good day. Anyhow Saturday morning I woke up congested w/ a sore throat, I headed up to Manchester to get my packet etc. hell I already paid for the race I was gonna do it. Saturday night I trick or treated with the kids and by around 8pm I had a bad feeling that I just wasn't getting better. Sunday morning I got up all congested and nasty, headed up to Manchester, laced up my sneakers, closepinned on my bib and walked around a bit. The day was perfect, partly sunny, 50's, couldn't ask for a better day.  About 45 minutes before the start I found the timing company, turned in my chip, went back to my car, changed and went home. I knew if I started the race I wouldn't drop out, I wouldn't get a race that was an accurate reflection of all the work I've done, but I would get myself seriously sick. Although I have only run one of these things I do respect the distance-I also don't want to plod through it-I want to go as fast as possible.  I had a cold last year that I kept pushing for a month, take a day off-run-day off run-until I was seriously sick with a bronchial infection. It is now Tuesday and I still feel like crap, I haven't run and I'm not gonna until this thing is 100% gone. This was the perfect nightmare as far getting sick the week before and there was nothing I could do. This was seriously depressing for me. I have thought about hammering this marathon out for the better part of 4 months, and my confidence was huge over the last month as I increased mileage and intensity. I completed a few key workouts I wouldn't even have considered 6 months ago. I think the best thing to do now is take some time off and regroup. I'll lay out some race targets over the next six months and pick a goal marathon for the spring.  Oh well. On an even more depressing note, my wife has this thing now and both my kids are struggling to get over it. So I got that going for me!