I have a marathon on Sunday and my training, for the most part, has gone really well. How much will a mild head cold (I am not plugged up and I don't have a really runny nose) affect my race?
I have a marathon on Sunday and my training, for the most part, has gone really well. How much will a mild head cold (I am not plugged up and I don't have a really runny nose) affect my race?
bump
A head cold should not physically affect your race significantly. You can go with the original game plan you had as long as no fever is included.
The only thing to that you might be concerned about is that sometimes sinus drainage can cause a side stitch. Usually you can work through these though and continue on to have a good race.
Best of luck.
Don't worry, man. I think that mild head colds have a tendency to make you tired while not running, but they don't seem to affect running performance very much. In fact, during runs is when I feel best when I have a cold.
I don't want to be a downer, but I had a head cold totally destroy what was to be my best marathon performance.
I was in shape to run sub 2:30 - should have waited a week and run a different race. If you are 100% over the cold, go for it, if not, why risk blowing all that training only to bag out with a side stitch at 18 like me. I felt fine for 11 miles or so, then the virus caught up to me...by 18 I was so totally cramped, tired, and stitched, that I ruined any chance at coming back in a week or so for a substitute.
Remember...this ain't no 5K...bad things are majorly magnified in the marathon.
Good Luck