Yep, you read right. After one and a half years without a sniffle (I got some weird fever in January that lasted 2 days but that doesn’t count), I came down with a sore throat and runny nose just 10 days before the marathon. It started last night when I had a terrible group run. It was an easy 6 miles but it felt like eternity. Had I not been running with my friends, it would have been torture, and I definitely wouldn’t have lasted 6 miles. After the run, a couple of friends were talking about how scared they are to get injured or hurt. I thought to myself, ‘we’re so close, that’s not going to happen now!’ Besides, it’s been so long since I was sick that I was starting to think all this exercise had made my immune system impenetrable. Wrong.
So, here I am with a 8 mile run scheduled tomorrow morning (and I had scheduled P90X Chest Shoulders and Tris for myself today but decided to sleep in after I felt the tickle last night) and I’m sick. This topic has come up during the announcements at some of our group runs, and our coach has expressed this simple rule: if you’re sick from the neck up, you’re ok to run. If you’re sick from the neck down, rest. Well, at this point I’m only sick from the neck up. I have a slight sore throat and a slight runny nose. Luckily I’ve been sleeping quite a bit lately so I think that is helping, but I usually wake up at 5 a.m for my mid-week runs, so I think at this point the extra rest tonight is worth it. I decided if I’m feeling ok, I’ll go for a short run tomorrow night. Or, I’ll take the whole day off again. I don’t want to push it!
I seriously can’t even believe this is happening. I’m trying to think positive thoughts and tell myself that if I sleep, drink a ton of water, drink Emergen-C (who knows if it really works but it tastes good) and eat healthy food, I’ll fight this bad boy off within a few days. That’s my hope. I’d really like to make it to our last long run this Saturday. Luckily we only have 12 miles scheduled. If I’m feeling better, I’ll go for it. IT also happens to be Memorial Day weekend coming up and I have a jam packed schedule. This cold couldn’t have come at a worse time! My only blessing is that it’s not very busy at work this week so sleeping in is a viable option.
Anyone out there have any tips for training with the sniffles?
No training tips, but I really hope you start to feel better ASAP!
Sounds like you are doing everything you can!
Well they say colds are 3 days coming, 3 days here and 3 days leaving. Anything less than that is a bonus. Personally, I believe you’ll be pretty much fine after 4.5 days, because you’re body is in a much healthier state, pre-cold, than most folk. Hope you get better soon, but I’d bet a dollar you’ll fight it off quickly.
Although I am not in the crunch time with the marathoning, I am relieved that I read your post today! I felt so guilty about skipping my workout last night and this morning because of a HORRIBLE tummy sickness that kept me in the rest room all night! I needed to read your coaches advice “sick from the next down, rest” to confirm that I made the right choice! I knew if I set out to run it wouldn’t be pretty!!! Feel better and I know your run will be great!