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Should I race???

Dilema time - should I race?

I've been training for my main race of the year the Vitruvian, but I caught a cold/flu about 10 days ago. Since then I haven't been able to train until today - I've just got back from a 6 mile run. Run felt slow, heart rate about 15% higher than normal, nose still running and slight dissiness at the end.

I obviously still have the cold/flu but I think it will have gone bny Wednesday/Thursday. I'm worried that I will be still weak from the cold and will have lost fitness due to lack of training and so will have to pull out during the race. Does anyone know when the cut off date should be for me to say Race or No Race - Any advice??

Comments

  • no.

    could damage your heart dude.
  • ironkavironkav Posts: 259
    Nope. My mate ended up in the emergency room with similar story to you.

    Race safe.

    IK
  • Don't race.
  • There seems to be a bit of a theme in the answers. I'm going to make the call tomorrow morning but at the moment it looks highly likely that I won't be on the start line - head is still not feeling great after the run. It's a shame as I see that Hotchkiss has already backed out at the thought of racing me.

    Thanks for the replies.
  • If you've had flu waituntil later to make your call if it's just a cold you'll be fine.

    You will have lost very very little fitness in two weeks so that is not an issue whatsoever.

    Turn up, have a go, listen to ur body!! At worst, DNF, bet you ull be fine though!

    Do it!!!!
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    First of all stop training now.

    Have a look here:
    http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/ ... dorflu.php

    In the absence of any reports of fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, loose bowel movements etc. the chances are you have a cold which has not been allowed to settle because of your training, so stop. If you have flu stop training, you could develop complications. You are not going to get any fitter and instead you are not allowing your weakend body to fight the infection and recover.

    Dose up on paracetemol and Zinc supplements and get as much sleep as possible, your body needs to recover and fast. Chances are come the day you will feel fine so I echo Firestarter put off any decision until the day. You are not going to get your money back in any case I imagine so why call it of now when in 3 days time after a good rest you may be fighting fit.

    Good luck.
  • I just logged on to post a similar question. Also booked to do Vitruvian this weekend. Got a sore throat on Sunday and a cough has developed. Looking touch and go for Saturday. Am still keeping positive, but starting to look doubtful.

    It'll be so disappointing as I rarely get colds, and I've not had a cough for longer than I can remember. Probably not since I was a teenager.
  • its wierd, everyones getting one just now, picked one up myself after the scottish swim on saturday now my nose is producing ungodly amounts of snot....
  • Last 2 days I have had a sore throat, green mucas and a cough..... now productive green cough.

    Stopped everything ( not that I was doing much :roll: ) - not even cycling to work. Driving. loads of rest, slept 18 hours in last 30!!!!! Loads of Vit C, plenty of fluids and paracetamol.

    I know that even if I have a slow ride to work I'll just make myself worse.

    Getting frustrated already though.
  • hey guys, I HAVE NEVER USED THIS

    But

    http://www.highernature.co.uk/ShowProductFamily.aspx?ProductFamilyID=80
    “Grapefruit seed extract is also called Citricidal in this country and Agrisept in the USA.



    It is an incredibly bitter substance that is:



    1. anti-fungal

    2. anti-viral

    3. anti-bacterial.



    It cuts the recovery time for a cold to just a few hours. It will also clear out pathogens from your gut. The best way to take it I have found is to take a Lemsip with a few drops added (10, in my case).



    Your body temperature will rise, and you may feel a bit weak or something similar. The is due to the Hexiemer reaction (pathogen die-off). To get round this I take it just before bed. By the next morning you will feel a whole lot better!!”





    Use this protocol for a few days and see what difference it makes. It just might be the cure you are looking for.
    I have never used this stuff, cannot endorse these statements and cannot tell you how it works or what it does. But it might be worth a shot.

    P.S. Meant to add the guy im quoting is a no BS kinda guy - he knows his stuff
  • +1 Firestarter

    What I would do... [not neccesarily what you should do!!]

    [*]Stop training now. Only start again if back up to 100%, it won't slow you down much.
    [*]Eat and Sleep well, lots ov vit C, Zink and a hot toddy every night.
    [*]Make the call on raceday... but if its my A race and there is any possibility that I'm going to make it to the finish line I'm going to do it no matter how slow I go.
    [*]Race.
    [*]Be proud that no matter how much I wanted to quit NOTHING was going to stop me from finishing.

    Seiously, play it by ear and listen to your body... if it really is that bad then stop, but give yourself every chance to race.
  • huwdhuwd Posts: 228
    I had the dreaded pig sniffles (some would call it swine flu but it wasnt really bad enough to warrant such a name in my books) the week before london tri.

    I did the following and finished the race 6 days after first symptoms:
    -stopped all activity - stayed in bed for 2 days without moving from my home, worked from home with a lot of breaks during the day for the other 2 that week
    -had a short walk on day 4 to gauge my recovery
    -a light gym workout (i figured it was better to exercise around other people incase of incident)

    I think that dropping all strenuous training was the key to finishing for me - OK you might lose a few percent naturally plus some strength as you recover but you know yourself better than anyone, if its not right then its just not right.

    Hope you get well soon!
  • Well I'm definitely out of the race tomorrow. No better. Gutted but now to looking to the future
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Oh no Jonhinio

    Feel for you

    But the important thing is that to carry on when not 100% could be detrimental not only to training but alos to your general health so wise decision made. There will be other races.
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