Colds

[robertf]

What bummer! I finally get into a decent training pattern and then I get hit for six by a bad cold/cough. I got it last Tuesday. Not - saturday - I am strating to feel a lot better but still have a chesty cough. The dillema is that in 1 week I am due to run the rainforest 10k in Hackney. I am not sure what to do now in terms of training. If I keep feeling better I think I would be ok to run on Monday but will still likely have a slight wheezy cough.

Any tips re: this? Are you running out there with coughs right now?

thanks
Robert

[El Gordo]

I did the Goring 10K in mid-February when I was just coming out of a chesty cold or mild flu. I'd felt terrible for a few days, and it was touch and go whether I'd make it. On the day I was better, but still well below par, but I decided to do it anyway. Once the race got under way I was OK. In fact I ran a PB that day.

It really depends on just how unwell you are. If you're recovering now, I'd say you'd definitely be OK to run next weekend, but you also want to be in a position to run at least a couple of times during the week just to top up your fitness a bit.

The advice is a bit bland, but it just depends how you feel during your midweek runs. If you find you're fighting for breath it's probably not a good idea to run at all, never mind do a race. But you should be OK.

[robertf]

Andy

Thanks for that. Now I feel pretty sure I will be ok to run next Sunday. My concern is to get a couple of runs in before then, as you say. Especially since I do not want to run just before the 'big day'. Perhaps I should try for one proper run on Wednesday.

thanks
Robert

[El Gordo]

If time permits, I'd try to do more than one. I'd aim for at least 2 and preferably 3. Why not do 3 or 4 miles on Tuesday, Wed and Thursday? That should get you feeling fitter, and will be a good test for how your cold is going to hamper you. Failing that, try running Tuesday and Thursday.

[robertf]

Andy

Thanks for your advice on this. I did the training Thursday (2 miles) and Saturday (v short run) before running the 10k yesterday / Sunday in Hackney. Unbelievably I ran a PB of 60 minutes and 21 seconds....that compares to 68mins for the Nike 10k in September and 70mins for the British 10k in August. So I am extremely pleased!

And to think I nearly did not run it due to my lingering cold. It was a great race and atmosphere, very enjoyable. The only low points were at around 7k when I felt like giving up. And then at 9k when I forced myself through agonies to sprint to the finish line to try and make the 60mins time..which I did and then promptly crumpled into a heap witha coughing fit.

What was different for this race for me was paying attention to my split times. For the other two races I didn't have my Timex watch ...this time I found it really forced me to race each 1k to try and achieve a decent time per 1k.

thanks
Robert

[El Gordo]

Well done Robert, that's great news. We seem to have discovered a link between the cold-recovery phase and 10K PBs.

You're right about taking note of your splits. It makes a big difference. For a 10K you (obviously) have to aim for 6 mins per K to get round in less than an hour. Unfortunately this target has so far just eluded me. In fact, your time is now 12 seconds faster than mine, so I'll be aiming to restore my, er, superiority, at an early opportunity.

Hope the cold is on its way out.

Cheers

Andy

[robertf]

Andy

Yes, maybe there is some kind of dubious link between colds and PBs! I was aiming for around 6.15mins per km but totally surprised myself by doing a number of them in under 6mins. Spooky that the 1km and the 2km both came in at 5.44mins and the 3km at 5.45mins. The worst km was at 8km...6.34mins. I never would have dreamt I could care less about split times but the Timex SDM has really brought out the nerd in me and now I even log all the miles and split times in a spreadsheet.

What I really need to do now though with my running is up the weekly mileage...I am still in the mode of one big run a week and one smaller one. With - on a good week - a third smaller run still (eg: 2miles).

The other problem is...after a run like yesterday's 10km I have been starving and stuffed my face with food for 24hours!

thanks
Robert