Running with a cold or not?

gebbel

I've had a dose since Tuesday, not a flu or anything but probably just a head-cold with minor coughing and runny nose.....few lemsips a day kinda thing. Frustratingly I have missed 2 training runs because of this, just felt the symptoms would go away faster if I kept warm inside. Was I right or wrong to miss the training?

spurscormac

gebbel wrote: »

I've had a dose since Tuesday, not a flu or anything but probably just a head-cold with minor coughing and runny nose.....few lemsips a day kinda thing. Frustratingly I have missed 2 training runs because of this, just felt the symptoms would go away faster if I kept warm inside. Was I right or wrong to miss the training?

Rule #1
Listen to your body. If you didn't feel up to it and thought you'd be better off not training, then accept it. Missing 2 sessions won't be the end of the world, you won't have lost anything, but if you'd trained you might have used up already depleted energy stores and be out for longer.

Rule #2
Trust your decision. Forget the whatifs. If you decide not to train, just accept it and move on to the next day. However, in a nod back to Rule 1 and a slight bending of Rule 2, if you decide to train in such circumstances, don't be afraid to pack it in early if you realise you're just not up to it.

seanmacc

As was said, listen to your body and don't push it.

Although I've found personally that a good run (not pushing too hard) is a fantastic way to sweat a mild cold out of you.

Outside

For a cold or flu I generally follow the rule: If the symptoms are all above the neck then your ok to run. If there's any symptoms below the neck then best of resting (fever, chesty cough etc...)

Seems to work ok for me.

ThisRegard

I've posted this before but I ran a race last November with what felt like a head cold, runny nose, rough throat, thinking I would be grand. I ended up dragging whatever it was into my lungs. Took forever to shake off, eventually given anti biotics Christmas week. Never felt normal for ages afterwards, back to the doctor again and I had chronic sinusitis so steroids, more antibiotics and copius amounts of sudafed were prescribed with the advice not to exercise for about 2 weeks.

I woke up with a sore throat yesterday and I was bloody afraid to go for a run last night, it's turned me into a wuss.

Puck

I follow the same rule as Outside and I find that there is not much better than a run to clear my head if I have a head cold. Much better than sitting around feeling miserable anyway.

jimmykeno

seanmacc wrote: »

As was said, listen to your body and don't push it.

Although I've found personally that a good run (not pushing too hard) is a fantastic way to sweat a mild cold out of you.

gotta agree with this, had a cold most of last week and a handy shortish run (7k on wed 5k on thurs) seemed to help a lot. fresh air cleared out the sinuses etc. too. was grand for d marathon then on monday. keep taking the lemsips though!

huskerdu

I agree that you have to listen to your body and that a chesty cough should be taken more seriously than a head cold but if you are still on the fence, then get dressed, put on a hat and get running. Run slowly for 10 minutes and your body will definitely tell you what to do, If you feel ok, keep running. If you feel worse, head for home and at least you got a 20 minute run in.

digger2d2

Well, I just paced DCM suffering from a week old head cold (hadn't turned into man flu) and I'm still grand!

blockic

digger2d2 wrote: »

Well, I just paced DCM suffering from a week old head cold (hadn't turned into man flu) and I'm still grand!

That you Digger? :pac:

career_move

^^^^ hahaha....brilliant

menoscemo

blockic wrote: »

That you Digger? :pac:

No, he's way older than Chuck.

Muppet Man

Well, I ran DCM 2012 with a head cold and had lost the last weeks training (taper) also as a result. I'd say I lost 15 minutes over the course of the marathon due to generally feeling crap all over and loss of fitness from the head cold. It was above the neck so to speak, but I really didn't have it in the lungs and legs on the day.