I recently did a marathon while still a little sick.
the race was on a Sunday. Wednesday and Thursday I had light sniffles and fatigue. Friday night I had a short lived fever/sweats. Saturday afternoon I was feeling a bit better, still sniffles.
I decided to race and drop out if I wasn’t feeling good. I felt okay-ish during the race…just some extra nose blowing. I ended up fading hard, a combination of several nights poor sleep and bad pacing. My sniffles turned into a sinus infection that I’m still not completely over 2 weeks later
This could have been written by me. I caught a bad cold 3 days before my last marathon. Decided to run, hoping I would feel better by race morning. I didn't. It wasn't in my chest but I was very congested. And what really did me in was the lack of sleep the couple days leading up to the race. I faded in the last 10k.
But a distance race wrecks your immune system even when healthy. And I was sick for quite some time after the race. Be prepared for that to happen.
I recently did a marathon while still a little sick.
the race was on a Sunday. Wednesday and Thursday I had light sniffles and fatigue. Friday night I had a short lived fever/sweats. Saturday afternoon I was feeling a bit better, still sniffles.
I decided to race and drop out if I wasn’t feeling good. I felt okay-ish during the race…just some extra nose blowing. I ended up fading hard, a combination of several nights poor sleep and bad pacing. My sniffles turned into a sinus infection that I’m still not completely over 2 weeks later
This could have been written by me. I caught a bad cold 3 days before my last marathon. Decided to run, hoping I would feel better by race morning. I didn't. It wasn't in my chest but I was very congested. And what really did me in was the lack of sleep the couple days leading up to the race. I faded in the last 10k.
But a distance race wrecks your immune system even when healthy. And I was sick for quite some time after the race. Be prepared for that to happen.
Yeah, if you're sick, the only events you'd even have a chance of doing reasonably well in would be the short stuff - 1 mile and under. And even then, I'd only do it if everything else was on point. 9+ hours of sleep, no high fevers, and only one event.
Racing a marathon when sick could result in serious long-term damage.
well I missed the race. There is another one (54km) in two weeks' time. I am feeling better now (no nausea). I just wonder how much fitness I've lost from this illness, if I can get it back. And my appetite is rubbish. Any advice?
well I missed the race. There is another one (54km) in two weeks' time. I am feeling better now (no nausea). I just wonder how much fitness I've lost from this illness, if I can get it back. And my appetite is rubbish. Any advice?
You won't be healthy till you feel perfectly normal. That will take as long as it takes. In the meantime you will have lost fitness. No one can say how much - and nor can you. You will have to see.
I think if you've only taken <=2 weeks off this close to the race, and can get back to feeling good and adding some easy running, you will not have lost much, if any, fitness.
You might just be a little rusty. I don't know how much total time you took off. But even if I take only 3-4 days off - in which I know I've lost no fitness - it takes a run or so to get me feeling smooth again. A lot of times, I think it's all too easy to convince yourself you've lost fitness after a break. It takes a while to lose a lot of fitness... 2 weeks + . Yeah. You probably lost some fitness. Otherwise, I think a few runs and you'll be pretty close to normal again.
I had a long run today in the hills, took it slow and easy but was actually feeling good again. My race was cancelled, I'm now planning to do a sooner one on the 2nd of March (42km trail). I am not feeling sick so I am hoping this is not a stupid idea.