Everyone gets sick from time to time. It is unavoidable fact of life.

Some runners seem to be far more susceptible to colds and illnesses, while others are rarely sick for more than a day at a time.

These immune discrepancies among distance runners depend on many factors, and we will explore some of these below to help you stay well while training hard.

I have listed possible hampers to one’s ability to fight infection while training, and how you can do your best to avoid catching that cold, flu, or stomach virus no matter the time of year or your stage of training.

Note: None of these methods are full-proof, but combined they will go a long way to help spare you from many common illnesses you may come in contact with each day.

Office Germs

– Whether you work in an office, school, restaurant, or even from home, we are constantly in contact with a myriad of germs and bacteria. Most of these are benign, others you are used to, but there are the occasional ones that make you sick if the proper precautions aren’t taken.

Remedy

– When people around you are sneezing and sniffling, load up on Vitamin C and Zinc. Take up to 1000mg of Vitamin C and several Zinc lozenges per day to keep your body strong and combat the germs around you. Continue to do so until the “wave of illness” in your workplace or home has passed.

Of course, wash your hands with hot water and soap (not just sanitizer) several times per day. Avoid touching your face or eyes.

Body Weight

– As runners, we tend to sit on the lower end of a healthy BMI (body mass index) range for our height. While being thin will help your running performance, being TOO thin can hinder it just as easily.

Weighing too little, even by just a few pounds for well-trained runners, can put you at risk for infection due to weaker cell walls and repressed immune system due to calorie deficit.

To err on the safe side of this equation, make sure that your BMI stays in the healthy range (at least 18.5 on the normal scale; preferably 19-22 for maximum health) to stay strong and fit, even during cold and flu season.

Chronic Overtraining-

Overtraining, whether in volume, intensity, or both, can result in weakened immunity, decreased performance, irritability, and a host of other negative factors.

Overtraining to this runner is synonymous with UNDER-RESTING, as the body can often handle more than we expect with the right amount of sleep, fuel, and hydration.

If you suspect that you have pushed the envelope too far, have recurrent colds, or nagging injuries, it is best to take a week off from exercise, get plenty of extra rest, and resume when you regain motivation and full health. Even resting 2-3 days in times of bodily duress can turn things around quickly.

What to Do If (and when) You Catch a Cold

If you have a typical head cold (AKA- “the common cold”), it is best to rest 1-2 days at the onset of symptoms. Chances are this cold is viral, meaning the body must fight it off rather than relying on antibiotics; these drugs only work on bacterial infections.

Resume easy to moderate running for 3-5 days after your rest break or until symptoms subside; do not complete a hard workout or race within three days of becoming sick.

Light aerobic exercise usually will not worsen symptoms with a minor cold.

If you have the flu or a fever, DO NOT RUN until symptoms subside. You will only make things worse, and end up missing far more time than if you had rested.  Same goes for a stomach bug where you are nauseated or vomiting; this is likely a given, as you will probably not be able to run through intense nausea

When sick, getting extra sleep, plenty of fluids and electrolytes (broth, fruit juice, vitamins, sports drink, Pedialyte, etc.), and taking adequate time away from running will work wonders in getting you back on the road quickly.

DISCLAIMER: While this advice is sound, always consult with a medical doctor before altering anything in your diet, training, or approach to illness or injury.