Sick days mean the worst days EVER. Most of us runners have been there. You’re sick butย you could definitely push through yourย run. If you could do it, then why shouldn’tย you? I struggle with this every time I get sick, like today for example. Part of this is because I grew up playing sports and you’re coached to play through whatever you can (sickness, injury, etc.).
Non-running friends scold me because the simple and easy answer is that if ย you’re sick, don’t run.ย I may beย a little stubborn.
In my non-medical opinion, I think that it is best to know your own body. Every runner is different, every day is different and every sickness is different. Exercise can definitely give you an energy boost given that you feel up to going for a run and don’t have severe symptoms. If you do decide to go that route, it is crucialย to take it easy and avoid pushing yourself too hard.
That being said, exercising through sickness and pushing yourself too hard also risks making matters worse. Running with a simple cold could turn into a sinus infection (among other things), thus adding more daysย keeping you from running!
As a good rule of thumb, Runner’s World says, “when in doubt, sit it out“.
7 responses to “What Do Sick Days Mean For Runners”
Fully agree! I discovered I was a runner through illness. In addition to being sick, I developed a horrid case of runner envy! ๐
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Great post. We’ve all been there “but my schedule says.” vs. “but my body says”. I find this to be one of the most hypocritical areas of running. I’ll easily tell another runner “yeah, you should take the day off”. But when it’s me, “I’ll be fine, I’m running.” ๐
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You are spot on!!!
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Good post! I generally go by the phrase, “if it’s in your chest, you must rest.” Or if I just feel too miserable I’ll sit it out. I agree though that it’s probably more so a person by person thing.
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Thanks, that’s what I always thought too! But then I was reading about all the things that can happen to your sinuses and well, yuck!
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Nicely explained Kelli, and much more succinctly than my rambling blog post on the same thing ๐
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Haha but yours has so much spunk! Love it!
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