You come to somewhere hot and you get a cold, doesn't really make sense does it?

I eventually recovered from my 1st hard session in the heat last week and enjoyed a rest day with some lion cubes. The actually brought the cub out to us, so we could pea it and take some close up pictures!

All was good over the weekend, training well on Saturday on the grass in a very picturesque setting, had a bit of a cough, slight sore throat, but me being me, thought I was fine. Training very well, and felt good during the session so didn't feel I was coming down with anything.

Sunday was a rest day off training so we all jumped into the rented yaris with out cameras and went on the tourist trail. We went to see some cheetahs; I had a race with one and beat it...I wish! There unreal looking animals, they just look fast...very fit and lean. It was the first time I'd ever seen a cheetah. After that we headed into Cape Town and went up Table Mountain, another unreal sight. You could just sit up there for hours, looking down on the world below! Amazing stuff.

Back to work on Monday, up early to beat the heat for a drills session, nothing to strenuous, more of a technique session, working on leg speed, high hips and form. We were back in the afternoon for a circuit session, short and sweet as there is only 5 of us out here. Felt a bit heavy on Monday night, was coughing and feeling under the weather. I had a big session on Tuesday, and really didn't want to miss it. These big sessions are what you need and I hate missing them.

I got up on Tuesday and didn't feel great. I went down to the track, as I knew there was a Doctor out with the UK athletics camp and hopefully as my training partner is British, he might help me out. He did, and put me on antibiotics.

I was annoyed at myself. I felt I had something over the weekend, and I should have made sure I recovered, but I didn't and as a result I now have to take a day or tow easy. That's the hard part of being an athlete. We sometimes don't train smart; we don't listen to our bodies. Especially taking into account how hard we push ourselves in training, this can lower your immune system and leave you susceptible to illness and infections. That is why recovery is so important, both nutrition and rest!

We sometimes feel if we miss a session we are falling behind, especially when you watch your training group train and you can join in.

The annoying thing is that on this trip my coach had put in some session to see if I am in shape to go and compete in the World Indoor Championships in Doha in March, so missing out Tuesday session is a pain in the backside.

But you have got to remain positive and turn the lemons into lemonade! I am in good shape, I have being training very well and hard over the last few months and indeed out her in South Africa, so I am confident. It's only a cold and things could be much worse, a few easy days and I will be back fit as a fiddle.

"When everything seems to be going against you, remember the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it"