Posted: 12/14/2010 10:43:01 AM EDT
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Probably a dumb question. I ride my mountain bike 5 times a week at least. Usually an hour every morning. Its along a dirt road and up and down some off road hills. Great workout and really gets the heart pumping. I have had a cold since Friday. I did ride Friday, Saturday and Sunday but I didn't ride yesterday because some tings came up and today I took the day off work. I am still sniffling and my throat is still sore, but other than that I feel ok. Should I ride today? Was thinking of a 20 miler along a levy in the Everglades. or take a few days off until the cold is over. I really feel like riding but I don't want to make things worse. So far the cold is only in my head and not my chest. Will cycling during a cold cause more harm than good? Does it screw with my immune system?
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I've tried it before and it wasn't pleasant. The cold/illness makes me MUCH weaker with much less endurance
and I wind up getting pissed b/c I can't perform to my normal standards. I'll also add that upper chest colds and/or sinus colds that wind up shutting off your nasal cavities is a bad deal for exercise... expescially when working out in cold, dry weather. Heavy breathing from your mouth only in very cold, dry weather sucks big ass balls... I get "bloody lungs" and cotton mouth. Not cool. -ZA |
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I have read that when you are sick with something like a cold, moderate exercise is a good idea.
It seems that really strenuous exercise is probably a bad idea, since it can pull resources that your body otherwise needs to fight the virus, but there's apparently nothing wrong with moderate exercise. |
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I guess I am gonna sit it out. Its a beautiful day out too. Crisp blue sky, nice breeze, cool out. BUT up on that levy I will be riding against the wind for the first 10 miles and its dry and breathing it in does sting. Its hard because to me, its easier to stick to exercise than a diet. Its addictive. If anything, I will just go for a light spin around the block at a slow pace (if I can contain myself to do only that) |
| Strenuous exercise (20 mile bike ride) when sick may not be the best idea. Hydration definitely becomes an issue. If you just have some congestion and the sniffles then maybe cut it back to a short ride around the neighborhood. The good news is I would suspect your a healthy individual which will decrease the length and severity of the common cold. Fluids and rest are always the best recipe. |
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I work out every day....havent missed a day since around last February. (I usually miss a day here or there because of work schedule, other committements, or BEING SICK)
For the past 5 days I havent done a thing....no running, no weights.....just cough medicine and rest. Some times you gotta give your body a rest. I wont say that I havent fought through a lot of illness and worked out anyway. Most of the time it just made me sicker and prolonged my illness. Take a few days off and rest, heal, then make up for lost time. That my plan 
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Quoted: I have read that when you are sick with something like a cold, moderate exercise is a good idea. It seems that really strenuous exercise is probably a bad idea, since it can pull resources that your body otherwise needs to fight the virus, but there's apparently nothing wrong with moderate exercise. |
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As long as you don't have the stomach flu(Runs) I would ride. Sweating it out helps me and I usually feel better afterward and sleep better at night.
I did once ride with a stomach flu. Never again! Lucky I had underwear under my riding pants. I used it a TP  I don't know what I would have done if I rode without underwear? I wouldn't have 86'd my SIXSIXONE riding pants.
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Quoted: I have read that when you are sick with something like a cold, moderate exercise is a good idea. It seems that really strenuous exercise is probably a bad idea, since it can pull resources that your body otherwise needs to fight the virus, but there's apparently nothing wrong with moderate exercise. http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/exercise-when-you-have-cold Should You Exercise With a Cold?Because exercise may help to boost immune function, it's usually safe toexercise with a cold. |
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Im the same way, if I have the tail end of a cold, and work out, I feel better. Its kind of like the exercise works out the last bit of the nasties and clears it all up. If you just have the end of the cold, I say go for it. If you suspect by working out you will feel even worse, then skip it for the time being. |
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Quoted:
I have read that when you are sick with something like a cold, moderate exercise is a good idea. It seems that really strenuous exercise is probably a bad idea, since it can pull resources that your body otherwise needs to fight the virus, but there's apparently nothing wrong with moderate exercise. This has always been my understanding. With a cold moderate exercise is not an issue as long as you have been doing it prior to getting a cold. Don't start an exercise routine when you are sick though. However if you have the Flu then you need to lay off the exercise and rest. |
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Quoted:
I have read that when you are sick with something like a cold, moderate exercise is a good idea. It seems that really strenuous exercise is probably a bad idea, since it can pull resources that your body otherwise needs to fight the virus, but there's apparently nothing wrong with moderate exercise. That's my experience too. Light to moderate exercise helps, provided that I'm on the down hill side of the cold. I usually avoid exercise when I first get sick, because for me, that will make it worse. A few days later (2-3), a little exercise seems to speed recovery. |
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I read an article a couple of years ago that took this very question and tried to answer it.
To make a long story short the conclusion was that it won't hurt you. I have done it many times and found that, as others have stated, it does help blow your tubes out as it were. But, if you are tired, sore, and your nose is running like a faucet I don't think I would go. Stay home and drink whiskey instead. |
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Update. Took the dog for a 4 mile walk instead. Glad I didn't ride because the cold is getting worse. Halfway through the walk I was starting to feel pretty crappy and dizzy. Fever started, head plugged up big time, etc. If that happened 10 miles into the Everglades I would have been real damn miserable. I am guessing the walk could be considered moderate or light exercise. I walked fairly briskly. Dog was pissed off after while though. She had enough at 2 miles. Though I am still sick, I am glad I went for the walk at least. I cannot sit still anymore and missing a day of cardio doesn't sit well with me. Especially since 2 people I know died of heart attacks this year. |
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Quoted:
Update. Took the dog for a 4 mile walk instead. Glad I didn't ride because the cold is getting worse. Halfway through the walk I was starting to feel pretty crappy and dizzy. Fever started, head plugged up big time, etc. If that happened 10 miles into the Everglades I would have been real damn miserable. I am guessing the walk could be considered moderate or light exercise. I walked fairly briskly. Dog was pissed off after while though. She had enough at 2 miles. Though I am still sick, I am glad I went for the walk at least. I cannot sit still anymore and missing a day of cardio doesn't sit well with me. Especially since 2 people I know died of heart attacks this year. One day, you too will die. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Update. Took the dog for a 4 mile walk instead. Glad I didn't ride because the cold is getting worse. Halfway through the walk I was starting to feel pretty crappy and dizzy. Fever started, head plugged up big time, etc. If that happened 10 miles into the Everglades I would have been real damn miserable. I am guessing the walk could be considered moderate or light exercise. I walked fairly briskly. Dog was pissed off after while though. She had enough at 2 miles. Though I am still sick, I am glad I went for the walk at least. I cannot sit still anymore and missing a day of cardio doesn't sit well with me. Especially since 2 people I know died of heart attacks this year. One day, you too will die. True, but I am doing my best to not go out like they did. Healthy people just dont wake up one day. Unhealthy people linger in misery. (yes I know perfectly healthy people come down with cancer and such). Both people I know who recently died, didn't have to. they chose to eat like crap and neglect their health. Fat, lazy, nasty unhealthy, physically miserable people. If I am lucky and do my best, I might go out like my Great Grandmother. 102 yrs old, mind sharp as a tack. Just decided she lived long enough, said goodbye to everyone and died that night. |
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Quoted:
I guess I am gonna sit it out. Its a beautiful day out too. Crisp blue sky, nice breeze, cool out. BUT up on that levy I will be riding against the wind for the first 10 miles and its dry and breathing it in does sting. Its hard because to me, its easier to stick to exercise than a diet. Its addictive. If anything, I will just go for a light spin around the block at a slow pace (if I can contain myself to do only that) I have a mate in the UK. He had a cold/man-flu type thing and came on a mountian bike ride with us a few years back like we did every weekend. He struggled far more than usual on the uphill stretches and didn't seem himself. The rides we do are quite strenuois and fast paced cross-country stuff with few stops. He ended up in hospital later that day with heart arythmia. Apparently, when you are ill your heart rate increases. Mine jumps from a resting rate of 50ish to 70ish when I'm ill, I've noticed. Turns out that he'd strained his heart, caused an arythmia and also done some damage to his kidneys because his body was burning off the illness, trying to clean out his system of the by-products of exercise, and he'd also taken flu––medication. Riding while ill had dehydrated him quicker than normal as well, which was a contributing factor. I'm not a doctor so I don't know the full science behind it, but he was ill for a while. He has now recovered fully. I've always taken it easy when I'm ill. I tend to sleep it off rather than try and exercise it out now. I've heard of athletes dying when they have been exercising when ill. Better to be safe than sorry I suppose. |
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FWIW, I've had a miserable cold with a headache and congestion for about 10 days now.
The other day I got tired of not working out and decided to knock down a few miles just walking...went 4.5 miles and felt great for about an hour afterward. Then the congestion came back at least as bad as before if not worse. That was two days ago. Just went out and ran...basic 5k loop...nothing crazy, moderate effort. Felt tired the entire time...right now I am glad i got some exercise, but my ass is kicked. Need to just rest for a while now. If your body is sick...working out isnt going to make it healthy. You might feel better while you are exercising, but a few hours later, equalibrium can be a bitch
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Skipped the ride yesterday just to be safe. Did one this AM. Moderate pace. I feel pretty good right now. Loosened up some stuff and is making it easier to expel from my system. Glad I didn't do it when it the cold was in full attack. Its the tail end of it now and the ride was difficult during warmup, but after a few miles everything fell into place and was a normal ride. 45 minutes was my max though, I didnt want o push if for another hour.
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I'm of the school of though that, if you're sick enough to take medicine, you're sick enough to rest.
The proper function of the immune system requires some energy, and exercising only taxes this process. If you have to, only exert yourself to the point where you feel flush - you don't want to throw yourself into a fever. |
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Quoted:
Im the same way, if I have the tail end of a cold, and work out, I feel better. Its kind of like the exercise works out the last bit of the nasties and clears it all up. If you just have the end of the cold, I say go for it. If you suspect by working out you will feel even worse, then skip it for the time being. I think by that point you're no longer 'sick' and the exercise simply helps purge the residual congestion faster. |
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I have jogged before with a slight cold, and felt pretty good after, to be honest. Could breathe easier and felt more energetic. It didn't last though, and the hardest part was the first ten minutes trying to get going.
I'm fat and lazy now, so no way in hell I'd do that again. |