March 12, 2010, Newsletter Issue #134: 3 Days of Head Cold: When to Run, When to Rest

Tip of the Week

I'm on day 3 of a spring cold (yuck). I hardly ever get sick, fortunately. But this cold was a good reminder of how to handle marathon training, or running in general, when you are sick.


Day 1: I woke up on Monday with a stuffy head, but didn't feel too bad, so I went for my usual weekday run of 5-6 miles and felt a bit better afterwards. The rule of thumb that works for me is if you are congested from the neck up (no chest or lung problems) easy running is OK, but this isn't the time for a speed workout or a really long run.


Day 2: I woke up and felt even more congested, and just plain tired, with a bad headache. Listen to your body. Mine said that running would not help today. I probably should have stayed home from work, but I toughed it out. I went to bed early, though.


Day 3: I woke up this morning and felt much less congested, with just a slight headache, so I went for a run and felt a bit better. I think I'm on the mend now, and I will try to get a good night's sleep again.


Bottom line:  if you feel like running, it will probably help your cold, but if you don't, it probably won't. Training plans were meant to be modified, so don't push yourself if you don't feel like running. It probably means you need more energy to fight the cold.


Happy Running!

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