Running with a cold: yesterday I woke up with a... - Couch to 5K

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Running with a cold

Rignold profile image
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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.

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Rignold profile image
Rignold
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5 Replies
Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate

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 profile image
runner56Graduate

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 profile image
IrishprincessGraduate

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 profile image
tomlertoosGraduate

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

Rignold profile image
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.

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