As a runner living in Poland, it is always such a challenge to avoid catching the flu. The
winter can get quite frigid and the early spring temperatures fluctuate on a day to day basis
between comfortable and frosty (as it was today.)
During these times, I work so diligently to dress properly, to hydrate
enough, and to get enough sleep. Alas, despite my best efforts, these past few weeks I must have been a little less
vigilant than before on one occasion in
looking out for potential flu hazards and then wham! Lo’ and behold, I caught a lengthy respiratory cold as a
consequence that simply lingered, and then lingered some more for a couple of frustrating
weeks. It’s hard to pinpoint any
illness to a specific reason (other than streaking in the snow); however, I
would speculate it was a long run I completed three days before I got sick. As colds can take a few days to incubate, and
the fact that the body needs longer to recover on longer runs (my case was 35
kilometers) I will assume it’s a safe bet.
I probably ran too far too early in the season and didn’t think about
how sucking in that cold air would affect me.
When I run, I can get a little absent minded and my brain
will switch into its ‘never give up’ mode and that was all it seemed to be
focusing on. Also, stubbornly I went out two days later and did a heavy
interval workout while the temperature was close to freezing. As I am preparing for my first marathon in
2015, I was probably a little too enthusiastic and over-ambitious in getting
ready. Call it a rookie mistake if you
will. Nevertheless, just two and a half weeks later; I am healthy and I even finished a 10k run yesterday and even managed 30k
today. However, I made sure on each day
to hydrate, put on dry clothes, and to have a rest after.
Running is a great activity, and I don’t know what I would
do in my life without it; however, the body can be a fickle organism and when
running long distances in the cold, we really need to be careful. For me, I like to think I am a conservative
runner and I normally tend to opt for the safer options, yet I paid the
consequences for pushing it a little too hard too early. Don't do what I do, but please check out this short article from
Runner’s World for some better tips that I should have read earlier. Stay healthy!
