Commuting with cold.

medoramas
medoramas Posts: 202
edited March 2012 in Commuting chat
For the last few days I've been struggling with fever, runny nose, cough... Shall I stop cycling until it's over, or it doesn't really matter for the recovery process? I do 15 miles each way, last night I woke up at 2am, shaking - my temperature was 39.1...

If you fell like that do you continue your everyday bike journeys?

Comments

  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    If I have a cold or anything like that I find riding just prolongs it as your body is having to cope with two amounts of stress on it. I would give the bike a break till you are feeling better.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,360
    My understanding is anything involving a fever, or symptoms below the neck = stay off the bike. Less than that, and cycling is OK, but should be taken very steady.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • rickyrider
    rickyrider Posts: 294
    Paul E wrote:
    If I have a cold or anything like that I find riding just prolongs it as your body is having to cope with two amounts of stress on it. I would give the bike a break till you are feeling better.

    This is my experience too. I've tried riding through sore throats and colds and it just drags them out.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I stay on the bike, because I'll suffer even more if I commute by train and I'm not convinced it's any better for me. I find that the fresh air helps clear things a little quicker.

    But I don't do weekend rides if it's a heavy cold.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • flimflam_machine
    flimflam_machine Posts: 263
    I was thinking about starting this thread a few days ago!

    The below-the-neck rule is fairly widely used...
    Runners World wrote:
    David Nieman, Ph.D., who heads the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University, and has run 58 marathons and ultras, uses the "neck rule." Symptoms below the neck (chest cold, bronchial infection, body ache) require time off, while symptoms above the neck (runny nose, stuffiness, sneezing) don't pose a risk to runners continuing workouts.

    The only thought I'd add is that if you can resist the urge to join in the SCR and actually take a short commute at pretty much the exertion level of walking then the psychological benefits of getting out on your bike, especially on a day like today, might help your recovery. That's pure speculation and I have no evidence to back it up, so I accept no responsibility for any harm incurred by following this advice.
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,629
    If you're running a temp then stay off doing things that put extra strain on your body. If I was running that temp I'd sweat out whatever it was doing that and not go into work personally. I've learnt that you can mtfu and then the fuck up occurs and you suffer worse consequences than allowing your body to heal.
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    For the last week I've been leaving a trail of snot all the way along my commute. The two days when I had a temperature, I regreted cycling. With CJ though, that I'd rather be on the bike blowing snot rockets than on PT. Guess that the sensible option is to WFH.
  • Flyingbogey
    Flyingbogey Posts: 352
    Probably goes against all medical advice but I find the excercise clears me out and makes me feel better.
    Bianchi Nirone C2C FCN4
  • Ian.B
    Ian.B Posts: 732
    Flyingbogey wrote:
    Probably goes against all medical advice but I find the excercise clears me out and makes me feel better.
    Is that what inspired your username!
  • Flyingbogey
    Flyingbogey Posts: 352
    No but it bothered me as soon as registered it. I started out on a green Peugeot which the lads at work refereed to as the ....
    Bianchi Nirone C2C FCN4

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