Running with a cold

[Rignold]

yesterday I woke up with a tickly throat and slightly swollen glands. Gradually through the morning it progressed into a proper coldy symptoms. I was not at death's door though, so decided to push through it and do my W5R2 anyway.

Was my worst run since W1R1. after about a minute I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. The first 8 min run felt like the dreaded 20 min of R3, and towards the end of the second run I came as close as I ever have to stopping and walking. By comparison W5R3 a couple of days before was my best run ever. At the end of each 5 mins I thought "What? It can't be up already" and at the end could happily have run 5 mins more. It was the first run I actively enjoyed while doing it.

When I got home yesterday I felt like I had been beaten up, was shivery and aching and went to bed as soon as I had tucked the kids in at 8. Woke up this morning feeling like I had been run over by a truck.

Before you roll your eyes and say "Manflu", I usually don't do colds. When my family get colds, I get a couple of symptoms lightly for a day or two and then it goes away again. Was it the run that exacerbated the condition? Most of the advice I have read online suggests that, unless one has a fever, running should not make a cold any worse.

I am seriously doubting the wisdom of tackling W5R3 tomorrow, though. I have been really looking forward to conquering this hurdle, but don't want to knock my confidence by failing.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Sounds like it would be sensible to rest up a bit more. I don't think the running makes a cold worse, but a cold certainly makes the running worse!

Hope you feel better soon.

[runner56 Graduate]

Think the advice is if the cold is above the throat its ok to run but below you should abstain.

A few days rest may well be in order

[Irishprincess Graduate]

I've read that doing any exercise when you're ill also weakens your heart muscles, so I wouldn't risk it. Take your time off and relax. This is your body's way of asking for a rest! You'll come back even stronger and fitter.

[tomlertoos Graduate]

Hope you feel better soon! Be sure to remember how great WKR3 felt....focus on getting that feeling back when you're recovered....

[Rignold]

Just noticed I put that my W5R3 was by best run ever a couple of days before - I meant R1, obviously. See how cold has turned my brain to mush.

AM taking your advice and staying home today.