Racing while sick?

[lovetorun]

After reading about Galen Rupp racing while sick (report was he had "stomach flu" during the week and then woke up with a sore throat and headache on race day morning) I wonder what board members think. Obviously this shows Rupp's toughness, but is it wise?

I wonder how he is doing in his recovery from the illness when he was stressing his body with a race instead of resting. Anyway, what are your thoughts? BTW, I was amazed at how well he did run considering how ill he (apparently) was.

[HiddenDepths]

Re: Racing while sick?

When I was younger (10-15 years), I thought that it is not damaging. But my opinion changed drastically last year. Rene Herms, Germanys former 800m runner Rene Herms (1:44,14) died of a myocarditis.
It is said, that he trained with a cold. It is commonly known that a cold with fever can cause a myocarditis.
But to train with a cold increaes the risk of an myocarditis heavily.
As I read about him, I was shocked. I didnt know that a cold can cause a myocarditis. From that day on I am careful. Very careful.
I am extremely careful in this regard. I don´t train with a cold. I start training when I am fully recovered.
Dont train with fever, pain in the limbs, etc.
You can train with a sore throat, cough and so on. But I wouldnt do it. I am extremely careful since the death of Rene Herms !!!

[Double R Bar]

Re: Racing while sick?

Best to listen to your body. If you don't feel like running because you are ill, then rest.

[GeorgiaFan1]

Re: Racing while sick?

I think racing with a fever (or with an aspririn or whatever reduced fever) is always dangerous. However, almost anyone who had been around runners for a while can tell you about a run (not a sprint) that made a cold vanish. In the vanish cases, I suspect the increase in body temperature burned the cold up.

[yung4evr]

Re: Racing while sick?

After reading about Galen Rupp racing while sick (report was he had "stomach flu" during the week and then woke up with a sore throat and headache on race day morning) I wonder what board members think. Obviously this shows Rupp's toughness, but is it wise?

I wonder how he is doing in his recovery from the illness when he was stressing his body with a race instead of resting. Anyway, what are your thoughts? BTW, I was amazed at how well he did run considering how ill he (apparently) was.

Speaking from experience, typically not a good idea. It only further weakens the body and delays recovery. So, instead of being fully recovered in 10 days, you end up down for 3 weeks+.

[lovetorun]

Re: Racing while sick?

That's my experience also...in January I tried to keep doing my running with a sinus infection...which ended getting worse and lasting 2+ weeks...