Running sick

escap · October 2006

For the runners out there, what is your take on running while you have a cold? I was really getting into a great groove, running 4x a week and reaching the best pace of my life, when last week I got sick and was bed-ridden for several days. Since then, I haven't run for over a week because I've been trying to recover, but I'm wondering if next time around this is the best approach to take. Is it okay to run while you have a chest or a head cold? I assume you shouldn't run with a fever, but what's the rule?

rose · October 2006

I think if you try to work out when you're sick, you're just going to make yourself sicker or at least prolong your recovery time. I would skip a run if I had a sore throat or a chest cough. Definitely don't run if you have a fever. Sometimes when I'm feeling kind of run-down, a good workout actually makes me feel better, but if you're really sick, and you know you're sick, you should take it easy. Same as running with an injury -- better to take the time off to recover than to try to push through it and end up making things worse.

bklynborn · October 2006

General rule = above the neck, ok to exercise, but still take it easy. Below the neck, no exercise.

steve · October 2006

Flexichick wrote: General rule = above the neck, ok to exercise, but still take it easy. Below the neck, no exercise.

ditto

escap · October 2006

Flexichick wrote: General rule = above the neck, ok to exercise, but still take it easy. Below the neck, no exercise.

Thanks, I figured it was something like that. It's very frustrating just sitting around getting increasingly out of shape. At least it gives me some time to rest my ankles and knees, I guess.

quijibo · October 2006

woke up this morning with a sore throat and slight fever
so i went for a jog around the park.

whatever the bug is it's slight enough that the aerobic activity
and sweating will help flush it out of my system quickly.

if this was a bug that had been with me for a little while
then i would have skipped the run. and instead guzzled
vitamin c. zinc. echinacea. chicken soup and all that

carnivore · October 2006

quijibo wrote: woke up this morning with a sore throat and slight fever
so i went for a jog around the park.

whatever the bug is it's slight enough that the aerobic activity
and sweating will help flush it out of my system quickly.

if this was a bug that had been with me for a little while
then i would have skipped the run. and instead guzzled
vitamin c. zinc. echinacea. chicken soup and all that

Don't waste your money on the echinacea. There have been multiple studies that failed to show any benefit, but here's the best one (from the New England Journal of Medicine):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16049208&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

linusvanpelt · October 2006

If I'm a little sick, like a head cold, going for a run often leaves me feeling better. If I have a fever I don't, or if the exertion makes me go into coughing fits. I would definitely not wait until I was totally cold-free before running. If I did, I wouldn't run all winter.

The first few years I was running, I got almost no colds, and I thought the exercise has improved my immune system. That would appear to have worn out.

rose · October 2006

quijibo wrote: woke up this morning with a sore throat and slight fever
so i went for a jog around the park.

whatever the bug is it's slight enough that the aerobic activity
and sweating will help flush it out of my system quickly.

this is like the theory of all yoga teachers. "You're sick? That's great! We'll have a really hard class and you'll sweat out the toxins! yay!" I don't really believe in this theory -- I think sleeping out the toxins works better and is more enjoyable.

quijibo · October 2006

Rose wrote: this is like the theory of all yoga teachers. "You're sick? That's great! We'll have a really hard class and you'll sweat out the toxins! yay!" I don't really believe in this theory -- I think sleeping out the toxins works better and is more enjoyable.

well. i didn't say "yay!"

getting sick is inevitable. i do whatever i can do speed that sucker
outta my system. water, supplements and exercise.

i'd rather be miserable for 24 hours than 72 O:)

kosherdave · October 2006

I've tried running hard when sick, to flush all the crap out. It seems to be hit or miss. Sometimes I feel better, on a couple of occasions I actually got a lot worse, and this is coming from someone who is sick about once, maybe twice a year.
Maybe a light jog, but probably best to take in a lot of fluids and get some rest. If you're running 4x a week, you should be able to take of a little time and bounce back to it when your body is ready without much loss. As a general rule, they say whatever exercise you can do now (at least where running is concerned), you should be able to do in 2 weeks if you were to not work out. So take it easy, rest up, get better and hit the ground running when your body says it's time!

anonymous · October 2006

If I have a cold (stuffy nose, coughing, etc.), I feel as if I can breathe easier after a sweaty run. But I'm not sure if this prolongs the cold.

anonymous · October 2006

Rose wrote: [quote=quijibo]woke up this morning with a sore throat and slight fever
so i went for a jog around the park.

whatever the bug is it's slight enough that the aerobic activity
and sweating will help flush it out of my system quickly.

this is like the theory of all yoga teachers. "You're sick? That's great! We'll have a really hard class and you'll sweat out the toxins! yay!" I don't really believe in this theory -- I think sleeping out the toxins works better and is more enjoyable.

I'm not sure if I believe in all the sweating out the toxin talk, but I definitely can breath easier for a few hours after a sweaty aerobic workout. The only times I don't run when sick is if I have an injury or a severe headache or feel dizzy or nauseous when standing.

Running sick

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