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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Duncan74] [ In reply to ]
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Duncan74 wrote:
monty wrote:
But reading through this forum regarding long term affects is depressing. //

Yes it is, but it is also enlightening, and someone in your position is in a perfect spot to take advantage of all the stories and information here. Should not even be a thing to decide on any silly short term gain, vs the long term horrible affects that could and are happening to many athletes...


As someone coming off 2 full years of injury and just getting back to consistent training (still with limited running) in the last month, the posts here have made me stay totally sedentary for the 7 days since I tested positive. OK, first 3 days covid made that a non question, but the posts here and the comments of my coach and colleagues all mean I'm doing nothing at all until late next week (day 14) at least.

Possibly too conservative? Maybe.
Possibly too aggressive, no.
So worse case I'm 1 week down on where I could have been, best case I'm 6 months + ahead. And at 47 then 1 week behind is laughably insignificant, but 2 more years off possibly/probably means I've run my last race.


That's my dilemma now. Tested positive on Sunday, feeling better now but have done zero activities since then. I did cancel my HIM for June so that I dont feel pressured to training and pushing too hard. But when to get back to exercising? Even though I feel that I can go out for an easy run or bike this weekend I think I will hold off and tri a group bike ride on Monday. It feels so weird for to think of no exercise for an entire weekend though. and in my case its all mental or from reading this, otherwise I wouldn't have thought twice about going for a run tomorrow.
Last edited by: avikoren1: May 26, 22 13:55
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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I tested positive on Tuesday, saw symptoms on Sunday. Rode fairly strong on the track on Thursday to Saturday. I've notified all the people I rode with and they've all tested negative.

All I've had is a moderate cough that I can control with cough drops. No fever over 99°

If the rain clears up today I'm going for an easy ride. (By myself)
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [monty] [ In reply to ]
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monty wrote:
Should I just give up on training until I am entirely symptom free? //

Short answer, Yes.. You just described the classic Type A athlete when they get sick or injured with anything. All you have to do is reread your story here as if it was someone else. Then you would see that a few more days, perhaps weeks in the beginning, would have shortened the total time sick in the end. Problem is that when it is us in the middle of this stuff, we just cannot seem to recognize our best path out of it. We just have to test it when we shouldn't, or just say fuck it and go for it when we get frustrated and tired of being sick.


I know this because I was this guy several times in my career, taking a 2 month sickness and turning it into 6 to 12 months. But I did eventually learn my lesson, so now I do nothing with a new runny nose or scratchy throat. I just assume everything that feels like a sickness is one, and any training(even sub 100HR stufff) just makes my expiration date that much longer....

hmm...well only thing I have now is a slight runny nose and a bit of post-nasal drip. I should probably still do no training I'm thinking.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [fulla] [ In reply to ]
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Yep, I was dead set I was going to be going for a walk at 5am during my isolation.

On day 5 I tried half a dozen leg extensions of a pilates set and an hour later of sitting at my desk my HR was 87 compared to normal sitting rest rate of 46bpm. I could feel my heart beating away.

And so I'm day 7 today, released from Iso in the morning but haven't had any inclination to leave this single hotel room in the last week. It's been the perfect situation to 'force' me to not feel guilty about letting my body recover.

Now I'm not going to lecture you or tell you how to live your life*, but the thread here has made me give enough thought to my choices, and when backed up by the discussion with my GP, my physio and my coach, I'll be doing nothing until day 14 aside from some walks to do daily tasks if I'm feeling up to that.

*I'll leave that to the 25 year old in your house/office that lectures you on the environment as they are the expert because they go to a eco-advocacy retreat in phuket each year. She also tells me I don't understand negative stereotyping as I'm a male boomer.
Last edited by: Duncan74: May 26, 22 17:42
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Duncan74] [ In reply to ]
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Military special operators have been instructed to not exceed Z2 for several months secondary to weakened heart post COVID
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Arcuser] [ In reply to ]
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What evidence is there of a weakened heart post covid ? Not being a smart ass, I’m aware of potential issues, but they aren’t the norm was my understanding?

Anyway - day 7 post negative tests, 2 weeks from infection beginning.
2 days ago a light jog almost felt normal. HR wasn’t exceeding 163bpm for 8km at previous covid easy pace of 4;50-5min kms.
Today an 8km run and hr worked harder for similar pace so had to back off. Didn’t like seeing race pace HR for 5min kms.

One step forward one back.

Still have that feeling of a weight on the chest. Night coughs that are dry. Like an asthmatic without being an asthmatic

Being winter and off-season I haven’t swim in a month since last race and I want to start again but it’s so damn cold and it does not entice my lungs at all.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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Day 7 9evening) I did a test tonight and still strong positive. Cough is better most of the time, then will get a cough that is bad for random 2 minutes and then be gone for a bit.

Did have a massive dizzy fit when I was cooking tea - lasted 3 mins or so, so not my normal 30s. Hope that's not something that's going to stay. I suspect my sense of smell is coming back to full function. The worry is if the smell I can now pick up is me, my clothes or the bin in the hotel room that's not been emptied since last Thursday with all my cooking waste. I suspect a bit of all 3.......

I escape tomorrow, and get to fly home. So was overjoyed by the text from Air New Zealand telling me my flight tomorrow may be cancelled as there may be fog. I may have sworn, and that raising of blood pressure the cause of the dizzy spell.

Tomorrow I'm planning nothing at all other than getting home - reckon that will be enough after not having left the room at all since testing positive last week. Sunday I may try a walk if things go well tomorrow. Or not.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Duncan74] [ In reply to ]
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Shit isn’t it lol
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [avikoren1] [ In reply to ]
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avikoren1 wrote:
This topic is depressing me. I just tested positive and feeling better a couple of days after initial symptoms and positive test. But reading through this forum regarding long term affects is depressing. Trying to also err on the side of caution I cancelled a planned Half Ironman in June so that I do not over do it. Now the question will be how/when to start my routine up again and once started how to ramp it up. I think I will half all my typical day to day distances and relax the pace for those shorter distances and see how I react.

I mean... be flexible. Yeah, cancelling the race makes sense. But get back into it and you'll struggle or you won't, just don't push too hard.
I was pretty out of it for 5-6 days but, with zero races on the horizon and only wanting to get out to get out, it only felt like it took a week or so to recover. (3x vaxxed). Other people, obviously, are down longer. That said, I assumed that having covid would magically heal my arthritic hip and that turns out not to be the case.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Bob Loblaw] [ In reply to ]
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Day 9. Still got the covid cough, but went for a 45 min walk this morning. HR was a bit high for the first 15mins, but then settled for second half and once home. Breathing seemed ok whilst walking too, did loosen a bit of the cough I think.

Will see how I go this afternoon, as yesterday after flying home in the AM I was falling asleep by mid afternoon, then slept 11 hours straight which is 4 hours longer than normal for me - I very very rarely manage more than 8 even in a hard training block.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [dcpinsonn] [ In reply to ]
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So, it would be safe to say that one could just come back and do easy Z1/2 workouts...that's the space I'm in anyway. Coming off a long layoff, needing to drop weight, reduce cholesterol, and generally change my life at this point! Most of my workouts were planned to be low aerobic anyway, so I will probably just cut out all the higher-intensity work for a few weeks and then ease back into that.

Today is day 7 for me, and I am finishing a 5-day course of Paxlovid tomorrow morning as well. I can't say it did or didn't make a difference but at this point I have ver-to-pretty mild chest congestion, no nasal drip, very infrequent cough, no headache, just a bit brain-foggy and generally tired feeling. i also have a gross metallic taste in the back of my mouth that won't really go away.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Feehliks] [ In reply to ]
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Entering the ninth day (seventh since my first positive result). Still tested positive this morning (Sunday), bummer.

The last days I had a running nose and congestions in my nose, forehead, ear. Was generally tired. No running nose today, still feel some congestions, but I clearly feel improvements.

Resting heart rate has resumed to pre-sickness levels in the last days. No respiratory symptoms of any kind, seems to be limited to the head.

Will patiently continue waiting for a negative result to finally get out a little bit and even if only for a walk.



Feehliks wrote:
3x vaxxed, 3rd one mid December, flu vaxxed last November.

Went for the last two weeks to the Nordics and adjusted to local habits of not wearing masks, no precautions etc.

  • Last Saturday evening very minor cold-like symptoms in the throat.
  • Last Sunday my last activity (12 km run, had been running on daily basis in my vacations and was actually starting to notice some fatigue). Symptoms on and off, a bit worse in the afternoon. End of vacation, travelled home.
  • Monday stronger symptoms, like a heavy cold. Very tired in the evening. Took home test with positive result.
  • Now, Tuesday, feeling much better after a 10hr sleep. Climbing stairs no problem. RHR (Garmin) has been 10 bpm higher than usual the last two days.
  • Let‘s see how this continues.

I read that rest is paramount. Like no activities for at least 7 days after symptoms are gone. Hard to accept.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Feehliks] [ In reply to ]
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I’d kill for hr to return to normal during training. I am perfectly fine not tired, mild cough at cold nights at worst. 16 days post first positive test now, and still zone 2 riding or running puts me 10-15 beats higher. Today as an example I’m
Sitting on 5:10km pace and my hr is 165 when it should be about 150.
Encouragingly though I’m not tired after or feel like I need extra recovery for it.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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How long since your symptoms are gone?
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Feehliks] [ In reply to ]
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Day 7 was still testing very slightly positive - prob the next 5 days or so was more fatigue and malaise. Tired. Only last few days have I felt that the brick on my chest has been lifted. That was a thing for a while as well. Cough lingers infrequently but nothing drastic. If it wasn’t for training HR trending high, I’d say I’m near 100% day to day. A bit of motivation has returned last couple of days, a bit of vigour.
It’s hard when u have tri buddies who are shit for 5 days with covid but basically pick up where they left off on weekend group rides without ill effects. While some of us are still stuck in second gear
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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Everyone's case is different, but this thread seems to have become pretty well-established. Thought I'd share my experience -

35 yo male triathlete.
Moderna immunized in 2020 and booster 12/2021.
Caught COVID in late April early into my training season.
Mild URI symptoms, no fever. Sick with cold symptoms for a couple days, ~10 days total of lingering runny nose which was mostly just an annoyance.

No interruption in training by power or heart rate in cycling or min/mi and perceived exertion running.

Be safe out there all. Take it easy in recovery and chat with your physician if you get sick and are an athlete (I'm a physician - pediatric cardiologist - but this post is non-medical just to share my personal experience).

Would recommend everyone get vaccinated and boosted or if you have questions talk with a health care professional that's well trained that you trust (In my admittedly somewhat biased opinion, with a physician, given all of the information and misinformation out there).
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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I’m triple vaxed and also had covid in December.

For the last 2 weeks I’ve been completely floored by some other respiratory infection though. Tested negative for covid twice and it was far worse than when I had covid. It was like flu but with horrendous coughing which triggered migraines.

Hope I’m better soon as in just over a week I’m supposed to be off on a swim camp for a week 😱
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [xeon] [ In reply to ]
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Day 10: First day back in office and woke up feeling really dizzy. Was pissing with rain outside so didn't do my planned 30min walk, just sat for an hour had had breakfast. 3 hours later and I'm in the office but still feeling slightly dizzy and feel a pressure on the top of my skull. Today is not going to be a good day I fear.

On the plus side, my RHR is still dropping towards baseline, down to 51 now so about +5 from couple of weeks back. Cough it mostly gone, although still had a few bouts to scare colleagues.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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Just be patient. I was two weeks out of training in February. After that it took me another three weeks to get back to serious training. Now I am back doing 70.3s and am really happy to report I am close to peak shape again. But it took almost three months to get there.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [Sebi76] [ In reply to ]
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Well, I am most definitely sick again. Seem to have caught something from my 3 year old, who is also sick. But it is cold and flu season here in NZ. Just hope my flu vaccine starts providing me protection soon...

Still no exercise. It's now just over 4 months with little to no training, and since the beginning of March since I had covid. My goal now is to try and get back into some form of exercise by July, but will be listening to my body.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [fulla] [ In reply to ]
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I feel your pain. Today was planing on an easy zone 1/2 ride but didn’t feel up to it. Helped my wife in the garden and hit 192 bbm while weeding the garden and planting some new plants. Unbelievable really. Trying really hard to be positive but the elevated heart rate is very troubling. Taking it easy till things improve but am desperate to go for a run.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [jhsandchs] [ In reply to ]
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jhsandchs wrote:
hit 192 bbm while weeding the garden and planting some new plants


How far out from the acute infection are you? Is this tachycardia a persistent high heart rate that you get with any degree of exertion (or even while resting), or is it more postural, happening more when you stand or straighten after crouching, sitting or bending down? If the latter, have you investigated POTS at all?
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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Reading all of this is depressing.

I tested positive a week ago, and was able to get a prescription for Paxlovid right away. The initial illness was nothing more than 2 days of mild cold symptoms. No fever or aches or anything. That went away quickly but I am left with a level of fatigue I have never felt before. I took the dog for a walk just now, 10 days from my positive test, and had to lay down for a while. As much as I want to be training, the thought of even an easy bike ride on the trainer is just too much.

I have Eagleman coming up in a couple of weeks, and IMLP after that. And I am in absolutely no shape whatsoever to be able to train. I have no idea if I'll be capable of even completing either of those events.
Last edited by: g_lev: Jun 1, 22 5:18
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [g_lev] [ In reply to ]
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I was similar - but it passes and my hr is returning to normal finally. Maybe 5-10 beats higher during exercises but I have had time off so could be fitness too.
I was worried myself but this does pass. As strange as it is to feel such fatigue. I would cancel your first ironman though tbh.
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Re: Covid is kicking my ass [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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Day 15. Urgh, so recovery was going well until midweek when I went down with a different chest infection. RHR now back up 10BPM and feeling totally wiped out. Nasty cough that alternates between chesty cough and dry one. Either way, I'm back to feeling drained, body aches and generally a bit run over.

Done a bit of walking, but nothing else. Was planning on a 30min ride but that's going to be tomorrow as after 15mins of walking I was 'done' today, sadly had 15mins of walking to get back to home....

Hope others are doing better.
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