Should you run with a cold?

[Lolacapola]

Hey, i’ve got a cold (confirmed it’s not covid) should I wait until i’m back to full health before doing another run??

I should be doing W4R3 today, loathed to miss doing it because it’ll set me back, but not sure i’d make progress if I tried it🥺

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Personally I wouldn't run with a cold as I get really bad sinus issues and at the end of the day I want to enjoy my runs so prefer to wait untill I feel better again .A few days off will not set you back but when you are ok you will enjoy the run more !

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum.

The general advice is that it is unwise to run with a chest cold.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

If it’s affecting you above the neck (it’s a cold so I guess it is) you’re 99.99% guaranteed a really horrible hard run. I don’t run when I know it will suck. Best thing to do is save that energy and let your immune system use it to have you fully recovered sooner.

You won’t lose any fitness or conditioning for about two weeks… so colds are an annoyance but don’t cause any loss of momentum in the vast majority of cases.

Get well soon… do some reading about running, that’s training too!

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

That last bit. Spot on 👍

[Lolacapola]

Thanks v much for advice, i’ll hold off going out until i’m better, and do some reading.Really appreciate your support

[Ian5K Graduate in reply to Lolacapola]

I can recommend “What I talk about when I talk about running” by Haruki Murakami.

Or, if it’s a shorter cold, “The loneliness of the long distance runner” by Alan Sillitoe.

Take care, take lemsip, and I hope you’re back on track soon. 🙂

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

I've run with colds, they generally dry up while you're actually running. I don't think it's bad for you, you just might not feel so good as you normally would.

[nowster Graduate]

A little sniffle shouldn't be a problem. A full blown streaming cold or a cough is not going to make for a fun experience.

[RunDone Graduate]

I have just finished wk3 and took a 5 day break after run 1 due to a cold. I simply started back with the next scheduled run and it was OK - didn't seem to have lost any condition.