The Triathlon Rx

Several weeks ago, my friend Frayed Laces talked about being in a “health limbo.” She pretty much summed up the way I feel bout getting sick, and in very eloquently stated:

If I’m gonna be sick, I want to be so sick that it completely knocks me on my butt. Not just “kind of” sick so I miss my workouts but can still function.  Hanging out in health limbo is really irritating to me.  Consider me irritated.

From Thursday through Sunday (yesterday), I was essentially hanging out in that health limbo. It started out feeling just like a cold – the whole mucus, coughing, runny/stuffy nose, etc. thing. Very attractive I’m sure. I still put in a solid workout on Thursday morning, but by that evening, started to feel a bit off. Friday morning the alarm went off at 5 as usual and I seemed to be feeling OK so I headed off to the gym to put in the scheduled workout. I try not to give myself a chance to stop and think or be conscious at 5am though…  I just get up and go. So it wasn’t until about 3/4 of the way through the workout that I realized I should probably take it down a notch. Down a notch I went, and I cut out about a quarter of what was scheduled. On Saturday I felt absolutely miserable – couldn’t swallow anything (no TWSS jokes please), head was pounding, stomach was churning (?), and I topped it off with a low fever. So I did absolutely nothing other than lay on the couch, nap, eat popsicles, and watch HGTV. Waking up on Sunday felt much better, and I think the accumulated 24+ hours of sleep I got over the course of Friday and Saturday really helped. I got the Sunday’s workout in, but took the intensity way down. So the question I’m finally getting to here is…

When are you too sick to train?

My personal answer to that question has varied over the years, depending on how seriously I’m training and the importance of the impending race. There was definitely a period of time (high school) when I was so stupid stubborn that I wouldn’t let anything get in my way of the scheduled training session. Now days, I’d like to think I’ve grown to be a bit wiser, and am pretty confident that there’s a middle ground.

The Neck Rule…

Probably the most common “theory”, and one I’m sure many of you have heard before: if your symptoms are above your neck (scratchy throat, congested nose, headache) then you’re OK to workout. If your symptoms are below your neck (chest congestion, fever, throwing up, diarrhea) then you should bail on the planned training session. Good rule of thumb, but not 100% fool proof.

The [current] DR.TR Rule…

Try to use a little common sense: If you are already feeling miserable, and just the thought of jostling up and down while running makes your head pound even harder, then take a day off. If you feel like a short workout to get blood flowing will help you feel better, than do a quick half an hour. Maybe keep it close to home in case you need to bail.

( <- staphylococcus aureus. If you want to actually be grossed out, stick that into google images and check out some of the infections. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

If common sense fails you, try to look at it physiologically: If you have a fever, exercising will only cause your core temperature to further increase (Stay home). If you got the flu, your immune system is compromised. Gym equipment is notoriously germy (staphylococcus, streptococci, fungi causing athletes foot and jock itch, etc.), so reduce your risk of picking up anything else. And for our sake, please reduce the risk of contaminating the rest of us. (Stay home.) If you haven’t been able to eat anything or have been losing a lot of body fluids (vomiting/diarrhea) you are going to be dehydrated. Which leads to a higher heart rate, higher perceived rate of exertion, and a higher core temperature during exercise. Double whammy if you have a fever. (Stay home.) If you are just short on sleep, a short workout might be just what you need to boost your energy. (Go for it.) If you have the common cold, no one is going to judge you for taking it easy, but a short workout shouldn’t make you worse. (Go for it.) If you’re in that female half of the population and blessed enough to get a period (insert sarcasm here) a short workout can also boost your mood, reduce cramps, and reduce crabbiness. (Go for it.)

Long story short…

Exercise does the body good – that’s for sure. But there is a definite line between feeling sick and being able to push through it, and actually making your condition worse. IMHO, being outside with fresh air flowing through your lungs will always be better than indoors with recirculated gym air and germy gym equipment. Numerous studies have shown that those who exercise take fewer sick leave days from work and report fewer work related accidents, so we already have the upper hand there. On the few days of the year that you do actually get sick, your body might be ready for a rest day anyways. If your risking infecting a bunch of other people (teammates, colleagues, innocent gym members who may pick up your free weights), do them a favor and stay home. And bust out that Clorox! If you’re just feeling “slightly under the weather”, make sure you hydrate properly, cover your cough, and you’ll likely be fine.

Reader Qs:

When are you too sick to train? What is your cutoff point when you say it’s not worth it?

Given the topic, I hope all of you are healthy, and sick-free!! I’m pretty sure I’m done with this little bug (knock on wood) and happy to be able to sweat it out again! Doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, so will be back with a medical update and possibly some footage of a gait analysis. Until next time mis amigos…

-E