About a week ago, I felt myself coming down with a cold. Of course my first thought was “Oh well, I guess I need to take a break from running!”…as though I had actually been running regularly.
Think again. I hadn’t been running because I strained my knee. When it was finally better, I was “conveniently” needed another week of rest This is the challenge, people. Getting over excuses and making yourself workout! And boy is it a challenge!
I decided to actually do some research to see if it was okay to run with a looming cold. I found that, and of course each person should consult their own physician and take their own specific circumstances into consideration, most of the time working out when you’ve got a bit of a cold isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
According to my two go-to internet sources, WebMD and Runners World, unless you truly have a fever or are dealing with chest congestion, don’t let a little sniffle stop you from getting out there! Runner’s World offers some good advice:
“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.” (This was according to David Nieman, Ph.D., head of Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University)
So, my latest excuse has been busted…I have approximately 21 days before I start my true training, so it’d probably be a good idea if I get into the habit of running at least 3 miles right!?
What are your excuses for not working out?
(Besides time constraints since it’s been decided that’s no longer an excuse!)
Sally Bage is a first year law student at SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas. She will be blogging about her adventures in marathon training, proving that no matter how busy your schedule is, fitness should be a priority. She is also mom to the cutest dog ever, Lucy. Find her at @SallySurprise.
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