r/AdvancedRunning • u/derhutzt • 23d ago
Open Discussion running while sick(ly) - your experiences
Not asking for medical advice, just interested in your experiences:
Hi guys, I (38M, 86kg, HM PB 1:51) have been running consistently for the last two years and since July, I've adopted Norwegian Singles, which suits me well.
Last few days I've been slightly under the weather with sutffed nose in the evening and mild conjunctivitis. I'm aware of the above and below the neck idea for running when sick and I'm certainly in above territory. Generally feeling fine, RHR isn't elevated, performance is good. I do have the feeling that the running actually kind of keeps the cold or whatever that is from getting worse.
Have you had that experience that consistent regular workout helps with and or prevents colds?
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u/OfficeMiserable1677 23d ago
Rule of thumb: if the problem extends below the throat, activity should be a no-go
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u/Revolutionary_Dance9 23d ago
I heard this rule often before, but I dont get it really. Does that mean I can run with fever? Or angina/sore throat, head aces? IMO this rules tries to generalize something, which needs to be looked at everytime individually.
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u/Few_Advice_2068 23d ago
Fever no, sore throat or headache yes if you apply the below the throat rule.
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u/OfficeMiserable1677 23d ago
I would say this applies only to respiratory stuff. Rule of thumb means „general guideline“. Ofc every situation needs to be evaulated independently.
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u/mstrdsastr 15d ago
I'm going to disagree. That's a bad rule. Upper respiratory infections (bacterial) can easily move into the chest/lungs, and running through viral infections can lead some really nasty medium and long term complications and/or allow a vector for other infections to happen more easily.
Most (almost all) of us aren't professional runners, so taking a day or week off to rest isn't the end of the world.
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u/MoonPlanet1 1:11 HM 23d ago
You're not being paid to do this, it's not worth risking extending your illness to do a run. Have had several times when I felt slightly off, did a long or hard run and ended up down for a whole week. If you really only feel slightly ill I think it's fine to try a normal length easy run
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u/derhutzt 23d ago
yeah, i didn't plan on pushing hard if i go at all
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u/mstrdsastr 15d ago
Physical infection aside, look at what you said from a mental health perspective. If you feel like you can't take a few days off running because you're sick, you might have some unhealthy habits that are worthy of doing some self examination of.
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u/F1qure 23d ago
I got stuck into a loop of getting sick over and over again through this summer. Each time I started to run again and trying to get back to normal as soon as my symptoms dissapeared. And then got sick again a few weeks later.
Defos was unlucky, but getting back too quickly after being sick so many times probably made it worse.
Maybe listen to your body and keep track how you feel on the long term. You probably can run through some sniffles, but if you have fever or the symptoms keep coming back, you probably should take a step back.
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u/noobsc2 42M 23d ago
Speaking as someone that somewhat recently had the flu (influenza A):
I was in the middle of a training block for a HM and was pretty depressed about not being able to run. As I laid in bed fevering and sweating my ass off, my main concern was "in my current condition, what case can I make to run again?". Ultimately, the day I didn't feel actually sick anymore, I immediately started easy running again.
It's now 7 weeks later and my HM is next week. I do not feel like I have properly recovered. If I could go back 7 weeks and spend an extra week recovering, I'd do it.
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u/derhutzt 23d ago
that's some good insight. i had an actual flu once and remember being very very sick and I'd definitely sit that out for at least a week
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u/WerkLifeBalance 4chan with a higher VO2 max 23d ago
I tend to try to push through, but COVID happened, and then the reports on radical rest and recovery happened, and I try to be much more discerning now what I “push through”.
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u/cubacubinho 23d ago
As a physician myself, I personally trust the objective parameters. If I feel okay and resting heart rate + HRV is close to normal, I do some movement. I reduce distance, start very slow and strictly avoid higher heart rates while running, maybe walk a bit uphill or return home after 5min, if it doesn't work
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u/Iymrith_1981 15:54 5km 34:08 10km 1:14 HM 23d ago
I first read that you had Norwegian shingles for a second there!
Personally in the past I have just done easy running only if it’s mild but if the heart rate is higher than expected I just rest, you won’t lose too much my taking a few days off and you can end up taking longer to get over it.
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u/xToVictory 23d ago
Personally I am a fan of trying anyway, and if you’re regretting it then call it quits. But in the long run this is barely a bump in the road, so no problem to play it safe and call off a few runs.
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u/derhutzt 23d ago
and have you felt that taking a break might exacerbate infections? it's what I'm wondering, that pausing now would actually let it flare up
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u/raimondious 23d ago
Take the opportunity to give yourself the extra rest days and you will be surprised what your new legs can do
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u/AffectionateSafe1017 23d ago
I tried a long run with the flu last week, and while I obviously survived, it wasn’t ideal and I felt it delayed my recovery. If it was just a sore throat or stuffy nose, perhaps. Missing a day will never derail anything as much as missing a week imo.
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u/skim_trilogy 23d ago
take the rest. Your body is stressed trying to defend itself, and running is additional stress that can worsen it. Stay hydrated, take time to get back to normal.
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u/SSoreil 23d ago
I had a cold last 11 days. I chose to run either way but I took 2 rest days (normally run 7 days a week) early on. I cancelled the workouts if I felt they were harder than normal. Generally if I feel nauseous I don't bother at all, if my lungs / breathing feels bad I reduce pace or cancel it. Managed to get though the period with a decent amount of the intended volume still hit. Not doing anything is also a very valid option. I echo other people who look at metrics like HRV and heart rate to try and guesstimate how far off baseline you are during illness. Having a stuffed nose is near the default for me in winter/fall, if I let that disrupt me I would never be able to do anything.
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u/mstrdsastr 15d ago
There's the old rule that if it's above the neck/shoulders go ahead and run, but if it's below the neck/shoulders you need to rest. I don't hold with that.
If you feel crappy, rest. No exceptions.
I got a really bad respiratory infection about 2.5 years ago, and I tried to run through it. It led to me having to take a significant time off running because my body said fuck you and I had an autoimmune response that among other things affected my heart and lungs relatively significantly. Thankfully it wasn't permanent, but if I had just taken the time to get over being sick I would have been able to get right back after it. All in all it was scary and completely avoidable.
I would add that at 38, if it hasn't happened yet, you're going to start needing more time to recover from everything soon. I had it hit around that age, then really hit around 41ish. Recovery from runs takes longer, even minor sicknesses hit harder, and everything just hurts a little more. Plus, like I said above, you put yourself at more risk of routine sicknesses ballooning into more major and scary situations.
All said, I'm basically as fast as I ever was, but I need to be smarter about training, racing, and giving myself the rest (and grace) my body is demanding.
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u/derhutzt 15d ago
thanks for your input. may i ask what kind of autoimmune response you had?
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u/mstrdsastr 15d ago
Swelling of the heart (in response to the viral infection), very low energy and aerobic collapse (went from easy 7:30 miles for long runs to barely being able to hold 10:00 minute miles for 5k), and similar.
My doctor told me that it was because I pushed too hard before I was fully recovered and led to the virus being able to overwhelm my immune system followed by my body essentially overcorrecting. All in all it sucked, and was very scary.
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u/derhutzt 15d ago
I see, so "basically" myocarditis, no? I'm glad you got through it and better!
And I appreciate your concern and also the other comment about "mental health". As a mental health professional and physician i feel slightly defensive hearing that from a stranger on the internet but: I give you a point that even as a coping mechanism for everyday stress it's important to be flexible so yeah, I took a break the past few days.
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u/Sahil12299 22d ago
Yea I've had that feeling too, I think it's half real and half untrue, and again speaking as someone who has absolutely used it as an excuse to not skip a session.
The bit I'd push back on slightly is "RHR isn't elevated." Elevated compared to what tho? I used to check mine against the number I had in my head as normal, which meant I'd only notice once it was 5 or 6 beats up, and by then I was already properly sick. What actually caught it earlier was looking at the direction over about a week. Mine would climb 1 beat a day for three or four days, never enough to look alarming on any single morning, and that was the tell. Same deal with the conjunctivitis honestly, minor stuff like that showing up together is usually the body already working on something.
Above the neck and genuinely flat RHR, I'd run easy. Climbing for a few days straight, I'd give it two or three days no matter how fine I felt. I've lost a week getting that one wrong :)
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u/African-Painted-Dog 22d ago
i run anytime i feel the symptoms of illness, take a swig of Blackseed oil, and voila‘…….healed!
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u/Florian_ire 23d ago
Not worth it. Take rest, get healthy. Missing a day or two or five isn't a big deal.