to ride, or not to ride? ...that is the question...when
you're down and out with a head cold. Which I presently, unfortunately,
am.
There are many, many articles on this topic
posted by cycling coaches and exercise gurus, all over the internet.
The common saying is, "if it's above the neck, it's ok to train, if it's below the neck, rest up."
A bit of exercise is considered good for strengthening your immune
system, but too much can weaken you, making your cold or symptoms
worse. Bottom line, remember that training is catabolic in nature. It
breaks you down, on purpose. So if you feel like 100% of your body's
energy needs to be spent fighting the bug that's got you down, don't
engage in catabolic -er training -activities. Training while sick means
you will require extra rest, extra fluids and extra calories. So if
you can't afford to stick a nap in after your ride when you're under the
weather, skip the ride and just opt for the nap.
And
keep the intensity to a minimum! My personal preference is to focus on
more strength-oriented riding/training so that I am not breathing
heavy.
Since I'm battling a scratchy throat and
stuffy nose, I've opted to continue riding this week -but at low
intensity and with TONS of fluids and extra rest added. I leave for a
trip Sunday and do NOT want to be sick or get worse while I'm there!
Other OTC/herbal remedies I recommend: Kick Ass Immune (stuff kills me to take it, it tastes absolutely awful- but I think it works), Echinacea,
Emergenc-C, hot water with lemon juice and honey, NyQuil (the bomb) and
loads of fresh fruits for vitamins! Also dressing up super warm
(especially for indoor workouts) and "sweating it out" or standing in a
hot steamy shower seems to help the head symptoms feel better/flush it
out.
Here are a few articles on the topic if you'd like to read more:
