I felt the signs of a cold coming on last week and was able to fight it off. I then had a race yesterday and almost right when I got back home I started feeling sick. Sneezing, congestion and minor body aches/tiredness. The race went ok and didn't feel sick going into it. Is it possible that an intense effort like a race can compromise the immune system and help bring about getting a cold or the like??
The race was difficult on your body and you are correct in assuming that your resistance was lowered. Your body has a finite amount of energy available to keep it operating, the race forced some of that energy to be used to repair your muscle damage and took energy away from fighting the cooties.
No but I've ended up on my hands and knees, coughing, after my last 2 races, due to allergies.
What have you done to combat that allergy reaction? I have the worst cough and restricted airways after my races and I know that I'm underperforming because I can't get as much air in due to the inflamed bronchi?