should i train tomorrow?

Buggi

bit of background. last year had a cold for 3 weeks (one of them you just can't shift). anyway, know you shouldn't train with a cold but mixture of impatience and butt already getting bigger... so i commuted to work (17 miles). Got to work, and collapsed (didn't faint, just couldn't stand up). ended up getting sent home (almost in an ambulance but i talked them out of it so got carried to a waiting taxi instead) and being laid up in bed for 3 days, off work for 7 days. Doc said i had a severe chest infection (i thought it was cold) and that i was STUPIDO for cycling to work because, get this, my lungs were only taking in around 3rd amount of oxygen i needed to live on, therefore by exercising i had depleted all oxygen stores in my body, and my body had re-routed oxygen to my major organs leaving nothing in my muscle hence why i couldn't stand up. took 3 days to replenish the oxygen in the muscle because lungs weren't at full capacity, which was why i felt so ill and couldn't get out of bed. he said he was surprised i even made it half way, let alone all the way to work, without having a heart attack. oops [:0].

so my question is this. i'm doing London to Paris in 7 weeks. starting to panic that i haven't got enough time left to train. gale force winds last weekend stopped me going out, work commitments (and a small matter of a birthday) stopped me going out in the week and yesterday and today have got sore throat and chesty cough, so already been out of training for a week.

bit worried if i go out tomorrow i might end up in same state, but knowing what i'm like, if i've got a chest infection, it could be a couple of weeks before i shift it and can't afford to be out for that long.

so should i go out tomorrow? if so, how far? o yea, supposed to be doing my first century on 10th June too [:0]

help [:(]

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia

binlinus

Hi

Sorry to hear you're ill again. I'd say go out for no more than 30mins on a flat course and ride very, very easy. No more than that(or ride a turbo if you have one). Get back home and have a snack, shower and go to bed for an hour. If you feel worse, you wouldn't have done too much harm. If you feel ok for the rest of the day and the following morning, then you could do the same again, just as slowly and go back to bed again. Don't be tempted to go out for more than 30 mins on this second ride. If you feel worse later then you know you should not doing any riding.

You just have to judge it. But two 30 min rides at a very easy pace is better than no riding. Gentle to moderate exercise will actually stimulate you immune system as well as make you feel psychologically better.

I'd forget about the 100 miler on 10 June. But you could be ok for London Paris if you take it easy and get shot of whatever you've got.

I can't do any riding at the moment as I've had a chest virus for nearly five weeks and can only go out for a gentle walk. If I overdo it I make myself worse. I have to take it one day at a time and use my judgement.

Take it easy, eat well and get well soon.

HTH

Bin

Buggi

ok, short one it is then. thanx for that x

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia

ut_o_cykla

Just seconding Binlinus' wise words. Well rested and fully fit but perhaps short of a bit of training in 7 weeks time would be my choice over some training, still weak, tired, phlegmy cough, risk of big heart problems etc.
Rest, eat healthily and get well soon.

pousse moi s'il vous plait

oldwelshman

Forecast is good for morning so go out and do recovery ride with little effort, enjoy the sun and fresh air, will do you good as long as you do not push hard.

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Buggi

ok, did 20 miles (with a break for tea at my mums) at an average of a slow 12mph. just took it easy, no hills route, and feel ok, and now my cold seems to have shifted back to my head (which is much more preferable than my chest except for the accompanying headache). see how i feel tomorrow and might do the same route again coz it's pretty flat so not an effort. thanks for the advice guys, you're right about being well rested and short of a bit of training rather than exhausted and ill. will keep it in mind and just do recovery rides until i feel better.

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia

SteveR_100Milers

No

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<font size="1">Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!</font id="size1">

Unknown

You should never train if you have a cold/illness affecting anywhere below the neck. So a head cold isn't a problem but if it is on the lungs - as you have found out - training possibly dangerous.

The bad news is that you should wait until you are fully recovered before doing any more hard riding. By hard riding I mean anything that makes you so short of breath that you have to breathe hard through the mouth. In HRM terms stay below 65%. Of course if you are ill with a cold then these measures are difficult to apply as your HR Max will be out and you won't be breathing through your nose much.

The good news is if you can get fully recovered 2 weeks before your big ride and if you train effectively then you should be pretty much able to regain your previous capacity. This is a bit "in theory" from me as I haven't ever had to do this, but it fits in with what I've done before when recovering from heavy colds.

One more thing: remember- feed a cold. Don't worry about your weight. One thing at a time. Eat to recover.

--
Drink your souplesse

Buggi

well, my cold is well and truly out today, nose streaming but no coughing, so as far as i'm aware it's all above the neck. but i have a wicked headache to don't think i'll bother to train today, which is a bummer because my new HRM came and i'm dieing to use it. will have to find another way to find my max HR [;)]

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia