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Stop training for Cold? Docs?
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I have been coughing for the last week. It has not effected my training until I tried to do mile repeats yesterday. I could only get through 3 repeats before coughing during rest became too bad. I went to the Doc, and he said all my training has not allowed my body to cure itself from a common cold. I expected him to say I have a respratory infection because I have to other signs of a cold. He told me to take 3 days off and take meds to allow my "cold" to go away...
Should I completely stop training or just decrease my workload?
I am in a medium intensity week of 4 week building cycle, (easy, medium, hard, recovery, race)
I was training 2-3 hours a day.

Thanks for any help.
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Re: Stop training for Cold? Docs? [Evomike1] [ In reply to ]
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So far this season I've caught three different colds. The word from my coach (not Doctor) is to keep the HR under 130 when fighting a cold that isn't accompanied by a fever. Its worked well, the cold last about 6-8 days but I'm able to train through it.

Note...even with a low HR, the training isn't very fun ;-)

Get better,

Travis
dumb blog
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Re: Stop training for Cold? Docs? [Evomike1] [ In reply to ]
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If my doctor told me to take 3 days off I would do exactly what he said.

jaretj
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Re: Stop training for Cold? Docs? [Evomike1] [ In reply to ]
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I had a pretty hard week 2 weeks ago, then got a cold at the end of it so last week had to back off quite a bit - 2 days completely off (not consecutively), reduced output on all the other days (only one double - short a.m. run, short lunch swim). Really went all-out on pounding fluids and Airborne vitamin supplements, made sure I got to bed at a reasonable time. Still a bit of residual congestion and gunk in the mornings, but overall cleared surprisingly fast. Feel 99% of normal now.
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Re: Stop training for Cold? Docs? [Evomike1] [ In reply to ]
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Just finished my fourth race in as many weeks, or four races in 21 days, if you will. Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, I slept with what felt like a tennis ball-sized clump of phlegm in the back of my throat. Would have damaged my vocal chords if I'd tried to force it up, and no amount of fluid would loosen it up. So I just dealt with it. Shorted a four-hour ride by half on Saturday, then showed up at the start line on Sunday for race No. 4. The phlegm was nowhere to be found so I raced hard and managed some AG hardware. Woke up Monday with the tennis ball in place again, but some movement.

Took the last two days off completely, and lo and behold, my throat is clear. The phlegm has become snot but at least it's moving now, more than I can say for late last week. No doubt two days of complete rest has made the difference. I'll celebrate the end of a mid-summer cold by swimming an easy 3,000 yards tonight. Rest is a hell of a drug.

Oh, no, I didn't take any drugs. At all. I just drank a LOT of fluids and drowned the virus monsters. Also ate my last two cans of soup on 80-degree days. And wore long sleeves to work on said days. Sweat and ingested liquids. Better than anything, at least for me.

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"The hero is someone in continual opposition to the status quo. The hero is always becoming himself." Jos� Ortega y Gasset.

"The enthusiasm (absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit) is needed before breaking the milestone and not after." Sergio Escutia, on Lukas Verzbicas' subdued reaction to breaking 4 minutes in the mile.
Last edited by: Kaka: Jul 1, 09 10:46
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Re: Stop training for Cold? Docs? [Evomike1] [ In reply to ]
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I've not done a thing in a week or so because of a sickness of some kind. I have found in the past that some colds are not a big deal--I just reduce volume, do no intensity and make sure I get plenty of sleep. However, anything that causes a reocurring cough or hurts my lungs means no training. Or if it gives me a really back headache. Sinus congestion is no big deal since I spend every spring that way dealing with allergies, but only good judgement will let you know. I love to train and if I wake up feeling really bad and don't want to train then usually that is a good indicator that I need a break. In june I had a bit of an issue and reduced training for a bit but then ramped up too quickly and now I'm back to zero.

Chad
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