Do Elites protect themselves from flu or cold before races?

Flu or cold wrote:

I just had a cold for a couple of days, and I thought to myself, what happened if an elite runner who’s been preparing 6 months for a major marathon just go a flu or a cold at the same time of the race? Do they take any precautions that such misfortune would not happen? Like not going to public places or god knows what?

There are successful cross-country skiers who have told that before the world championships or olympics they have avoided handshaking, going to grocery stores etc. for 4-6 weeks. Some have taken kids from daycare etc. I think that it's very normal to be careful. I am not an elite athlete but I have stopped using public transportation and been riding my bicycle the whole winter. An year ago I was three times sick during the winter and this year haven't had anything at all. I think I have been healthy because of biking.

Flu or cold wrote:

I just had a cold for a couple of days, and I thought to myself, what happened if an elite runner who’s been preparing 6 months for a major marathon just go a flu or a cold at the same time of the race? Do they take any precautions that such misfortune would not happen? Like not going to public places or god knows what?

Nick Willis had the flu a few weeks ago that essentially ended his indoor season. His kid got it and then he got it because he had to take care of him as his wife was taking care of their infant. I'm sure if it was close to an outdoor worlds or olympics, there may have been a different game plan

Flu or cold wrote:

I just had a cold for a couple of days, and I thought to myself, what happened if an elite runner who’s been preparing 6 months for a major marathon just go a flu or a cold at the same time of the race? Do they take any precautions that such misfortune would not happen? Like not going to public places or god knows what?

Great question. Dathan Ritzenhein actually talked about this while commentating for the 2014(?) Chicago marathon. He said in the lead up for races he is ultra careful and paranoid about touching doorknobs, etc. I mean it's their livelihoods. They can't afford to throw it all away just for sheer carelessness.

I'm also really careful with doorknobs. I don't like touching them in pubic places. I always feel dirty after this. It is the same with taps. If you have to turn the tap off with your hand, you just get your hand infected again, after washing it. These taps are ironic as fuk. I prefer one that turns off automatically after a few seconds. Another thing is the menu in a restaurant. After I look at the menu and choose what I want, I need to wash my hands before I literally eat. A menu can be so dirty.

If it’d just a cold run through it.. if it’s a full blown flu then that would obviously be a stupid idea.

Flu or cold wrote:

I just had a cold for a couple of days, and I thought to myself, what happened if an elite runner who’s been preparing 6 months for a major marathon just go a flu or a cold at the same time of the race? Do they take any precautions that such misfortune would not happen? Like not going to public places or god knows what?

Runners are notoriously neurotic, so it wouldn't shock me if some live in a bubble for a period of time before a big race. But honestly, doing so is not only pointless, it's unnecessarily stressful. The only way you can control not getting sick is by having a strong immune system, which is built up over years. Anyone can get unlucky though and be exposed to something their immune system isn't ready for. Even staying in a hotel room 24/7 isn't a sure bet, because the cleaning lady could have brought a virus into the room right before you checked in.

While I wouldn't exactly eat moldy cheese while sitting on a bathroom floor, I don't think there's a need to do anything extra careful before a race. Running has so many variables as it is that you're better off focusing on the things you CAN control -- like fitness, diet, and going to bed early -- than the things you can't. The worst-case scenario is that you draw a rotten hand of cards and end up sick on race day. But even then, you could still run a great race, or, if you DNF or DNS, you take the fitness into another race. There's always something new to train for in this sport.

It is well known fact that when you are tapering and approaching your peak fitness form your immunity is going down and you can catch viruses very easily. There is also some research done in this area and it is described in physiology books.

I remember an Olympic athlete from my country that went to a grocery shop few days before her heats in Beijing Olympics and cached a some virus/cold that ultimately ended her start.

So let's see if I have this right: Ritz won't touch a doorknob, but he will get on a plane and fly to the race. Which one seems like it's more likely to expose him to something?

Elite athletes surely try to avoid colds etc. but there is only so much you can do. Surely you've heard of multiple athletes missing big races or bombing due to illness.

Joaquim Cruz was supposed to double in LA but he got sick.

Seb Coe was sick at the Commonwealth Games in both '86 and '90.

Good question. I had the flu just after a key race, which I bombed at, and it has been over three weeks now since I got sick and this morning was probably the first time that I felt reasonably good on my run, though I still had some crap in my lungs or throat. The flu is bad enough for a few days, but after it's gone, you have so much congestion typically that you can't run well for close to a month. That wrecks a season and you're almost back to the beginning when you get out of it.

runharwell wrote:

The only way you can control not getting sick is by having a strong immune system, which is built up over years. .

It doesn't really work like that.

Of course they do. Especially marathoners who are building everything around 1 day every 6 months.

5/10. I am 50/50 on whether you were trolling with this question or not so that's the grade

How is this even close to a troll? It's pretty obviously an honest question

That's not the point. Lowered immune system or not, athletes still aren't in complete control when it comes to catching something. What if the chef who makes their dinner sneezes on the food? Are they supposed to avoid eating? What if a bag they're carrying rubs against a germ-filled surface while they're out walking somewhere? There are too many variables involved, so stressing over it is pointless.

Depends on the athlete and often times what their obligations are to their sponsors or to the race. Some are required to do meet & greets in the days leading up to the marathon. I remember Meb spending over an hour shaking hands and taking photos after his press conference the day before the 2016 Olympic Trials.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that it's possible to eliminate all ways that you can get sick before a race... but rather if you've trained 6mos (or really, years...) for a single race day that impacts your livelihood, then you'd be foolish to not make some effort to limit that risk to some extent. Small behavior changes in the 10 days before a race could cut your risk of catching something like the flu drastically.

Airports/airplanes are the only reasonable means for most elites to get to a major race like the olympics or WCs and those are probably the most high-risk places for catching something - kinda surprising there aren't more issues from this. Although don't most illnesses like the flu take a few days before they hit after you're exposed?

Keeping your blood stinky like a Mumbai market solves this discussion if you know what I mean.

yes, indeedie.

I'm no elite - but I even take sensible precautions all the time, and especially one or two weeks prior to a goal race. The worst is being on a plane traveling to a race, and of course the person next to you is obviously ill. I break out the Purell and pray.