You have spent in recent months with training, and one day during the taper you wake up with a stuffy nose and scratching throat. Yes, getting sick before a race is just about the worst nightmare of every runner.
Before you panic or a never -ending Dr. You take a deep breath of Google search. You may have done everything as you should, but get sick just before a race is surprisingly common.
It is so common that it actually has a name, “the flu of the runner”.
At least, that’s what Coach Amanda has held in recent decade to see it happen so often.
Let’s talk about why it happens, tips to feel better, and when it is actually smarter not to do the starting line.
Why do runners get sick for racing day?
The marathon taper Is supposed to be when you are easily and mentally on racing day. So why does your body decide that it is now a good time to feel your waste?
During your peak training weeks you log in many kilometers, press hard and manage higher levels of stress. Your body runs from adrenaline, which helps you by turning but also suppressing your immune system.
Then the taper comes into the chat. Your training goes back, adrenaline drops and suddenly your immune system comes back.
But your body realizes that there are germs, it should have been fighting in recent weeks. That is when the ‘flu of’ runner ‘starts. You may just feel blah with a stuffy nose, sore throat or just painful.
A study From more than 7,000 runners remotely found that 1 in 13 systemic symptoms, such as fatigue, fever or muscle pain, in the 8 to 12 days prior to a race. Those runners were less likely to complete the race.
Another study Discovered that runners experienced more infectious episodes (such as colds and respiratory diseases), both before and after a race. Your immune system may take hits on either side of the starting line.
The shift of a lot of adrenaline, plus racing nerves and a change in routine can activate the “flu of the runner”.
Do the only thing with which runners struggle- listen to your body. If it tells you to delay, do it. Taking a few days of rest is not all the hard training sabotage you have done! We promise !!
5 tips to feel better for racing day
There is no magic wand or special supplement that you can take to prevent the flu from the runner from happening. But here are a few things you can do to come back to feel for yourself for racing day.
A mental shift that we often share is that this can be exactly what you need to enforce the peace and to be realized to hit the starting line.
#1 Priority to rest
You don’t go Losing fitness If you take a few extra rest days for your race. Take the naps, sleep in, go to bed early, whatever it is needed!
Those runs that are on your schedule during the taper are indeed useful to prevent you from feeling flat. But they only work if you are in good health. By letting them happen when you should rest, you have the opposite impact.
Give your body the sleep it needs. You have to strive for at least 6 hours, and it is even better if you can get 8-9 hours!
Yes, you need it if you are sick, but you also need a lot if you try to keep your immune system strong to get sick. If you think you don’t have time for a full night’s sleep, then we get it.
But you said that this race is a big goal and that you have set work for months, why do it sabotage now?
If you have your heart rate variability (HRV) on your GPS watchThis is time to pay attention. HRV tends to fall when your body is under stress, whether it is illness, fatigue or bad sleep. A consistent low HRV is your sign to go into full recovery mode.
#2 Stay hydrated
Who remembers even more as a child and a glass of gorade or pedialyte got as if it were liquid gold? It turns out that they were on something.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you are sick, hydration is still important. A lot of. Especially if you are dealing with fever, congestion or just feel, your body loses liquids faster than normal. Water is great, but add electrolyte Or something with vitamin C will simply help to shorten the amount of time we are sick.
You may not want to, but keep taking sips all day to help your immune system get what it needs.
#3 Don’t talk about nutrition
If you feel messy, it’s easy to just eat toast and crackers. Maybe what Jello if you really live big. But unless you fight with stomach problems, this is not the time to become light on food, especially if you are preparing for a longer race.
Your immune system works overtime and it must be back -up. That means real food such as fruit, vegetables, proteins and yes, carbohydrates … all the carbohydrates! Even if your mileage is lower during the taps, your body still prepares for racing day. Skimpen on carbohydrates now means that you run the risk of touching that wall.
Foods such as pasta may not sound super attractive if you feel off. But your muscles still need glycogen to continue.
Fuel as if you are still planning to appear before racing day because it is likely that you will come across the flu of this runner.
#4 Use the “neck rule”
If you only experience symptoms above your neck, you probably have a main cold, along with a blocked or runny nose, a headache and sneezing.
It is unlikely that running will worsen these symptoms, as long as:
- you do it slowly
- Stay with simple training sessions
- View your HR and if it is higher than normal switch to a walk or rest day
- If you notice that your symptoms get worse to stop
- If you notice that your energy is really bad for the rest of the day, the time is to stop
Everything under the neck is an indication for a more serious illness, and the only way to treat it is to rest until the symptoms disappear. Especially since Gong Gong is to make it feel worse.
If you have symptoms under the neck, such as Breast congestion, coughing, body pain, fever, vomiting, diarrhea or severe muscle pain, then stop resolving your symptoms.
See how you feel when you go for your Shakeout -Run. If your body still feels empty, you might want to reconsider the plans of your racing day. Depending on the distance, it is not worthwhile to beat 13.1 or even 26.2 miles.
#5 Lower your stress
Being anxious or stressed over a race is completely normal and expected. If you are anxious or stressed, your cortisol levels will go up, and that can suppress your immune system just enough to make the flu of the runner sneak in.
This is the time to lower that stress (yes, easier said than done). But really, the hard work is done. Remind yourself that “the hay is in the shed”. Your only task is now to rest, repair and become enthusiastic for racing day.
Use that nervous energy in a way that helps you feel prepared, such as imposing your equipment, making your playlist or start packing when you are on your way on a racecate. Just don’t go overboard and decide that it is now time to clean your entire house.
If you still panic about it possible for you to have the racing day you have planned, here is a quick overview of how you deal with the flu of the runner of coach Amanda.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CCO-VRZTTO
When are you too sick to race
The big race that you have been working for months now is a few days away and your body still doesn’t feel 100%.
How do you know if you should push or take a DNS (has not started)?
If you just blow snot missiles and maybe cough a little, go for it. Run your race as fast as you want.
But if you have one of the next one, you may want to invoke a DNS:
- Bathroom problems that persist both discomfort and dehydration.
- Fever is more often a sign of an infection that develops. If you have not been fever -free for at least 48 hours, avoid intense sessions and racing.
- Dizziness can develop for various reasons, ranging from a dive in blood pressure to a middle ear infection. Regardless of the cause, running may not be safe if your balance is affected. Use your best judgment and consult a doctor if the symptoms do not improve.
- If congestion is serious enough, it hinders your ability to breathe considerably. You must stop exercises if you crave air or feel a light in the head.
- Your HRV is still low and has not improved at all, this is a sign that your body is still fighting something.
Remember that there are many breeds, but you only have 1 body. If you decide to still make a total effort, you can make yourself feel even worse, so that you are playing about what you like to do. That means that you can go for weeks or even months without running or training.
Ignore what you see on social media about sucking and racing while you’re sick. There will always be a starting line.
If you decide to skip the race, your training is not lost! Depending on your recovery, you may find a race within the next 4-6 weeks and only a small spin-up then taper will take you to the starting line in good condition.
We hope that this helps to answer your questions about what to do if you are sick for your race.
Looking for more training tips?
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