The flu shot thread made me think about something I used to do religiously before I got into endurance sports, but I have failed to maintain since my training has spiked. I have type O negative blood, so the red cross is on me like vampires to donate as often as I can. I used to donate every time they came to my office, which meant that I gave blood as frequently as you are allowed to do. And I always took the advice of taking it easy after donations. I had gotten into the habit of donating plasma (double donation) because the local need for that was greater & I didn't have to donate as often.

However, since I have been training, and there always seems to be a race coming up, I haven't given nearly as frequently for fear of the negative impact of missing a workout or that donating may have if I do it too close to a race. I know it's a silly & selfish excuse given the good that donating can do, but it's where my head goes when the blood drive is here.

So what do you do? Who donates blood regularly? Do you just take a day or two off when donating? Do you avoid donating too close to a race, but still donate in the middle of a big training block? Do you wait for a recovery week to donate?