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Hello
I have been training quite hard over the past months and am taking part in a half marathon this coming Sunday. I have already started to taper and I am aiming for a time of 1.45. Over the past few days I have developed a cold/flu. With regards to training this week, should I rest up and run If I feel okay? Or should I rest up until the day? Or complete the shorter runs I was going to? Any advice would be great!
Thanks
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The training is done now. The best bet is to aid your recovery from the flu / cold as best you can. If you feel ok to run, then wait till the next day. and just take it real easy. You trained hard - now is the time to recover and recharge so that you reap the benefits of all the training.
How about just go for a run and enjoy it? You're not going to increase your endurance or speed in these last few days so just go out and stretch your legs and get some fresh air in your lungs! I'm also doing a half on Sunday, and am wondering whether to rest until then as I've had really tight calf muscles and don't want to push myself. Which half are you doing?
I am doing the Hastings half. I did 8 miles yesterday, was planning a light gym/cross training session tomorrow, a 5 mile club run on wednesday and a 2 mile light run on friday. I think if I feel okay I will go for the run on Wednesday and the short run on friday, I don't want to push it too much but I also don't want to back off too much. I am fairly new to all this! Thanks for the advice!
Agreed. You aren't going to get much more out of training other than making your bodies ability to fight the cold harder. A good few days rest and something light at the end of the week just to tick over and stretch your legs.
Good luck.
Okay I think that is what I will. Aim for an easy 5 miles on Wednesday If I feel up to it, if not 2/3 miles at the end of the week. Otherwise plenty of sleep and water?
This just happened to me on my first half (warwick castle). I was fine last saturday (8th) and did my final LSR (10 miles) that morning, during Sunday the cold struck and it still hasn't buggered off.
I didn't run in the week at all, until this saturday (16th) when i did a gentle couple of miles around a park just to make sure i wasn't going to keel over in the first 20 minutes, and pretty much made up my mind i was going to do the half anyway.
I was coughing up lumps all the way around yesterday but did it, and only just outside the time I'd hoped for if all had gone well. I would have been too gutted to miss it.
This is very common for anyone who's training hard - they lay themselves open to infections and viruses. I had a couple in the last few weeks before the Abingdon marathon in October. So my taper started a bit early and I got some rest. Ran ok in the actual race. You'll be fine at this stage without too much running.
I think as soon as you taper it often hits you, it's like when you go on holiday. Your body kind of takes a sigh of relief and then all hell breaks loose
You've done all the hard work now, just take it easy
Okay I will follow advice and take lots of rest. Heading out for a very very easy 4 or so miles tomorrow. Feeling a bit better today and it is still just a head cold at the moment, so hopefully will either clear up or not develop in to anything worse before Sunday!