Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The neck rule is bogus

An article in Runner's World said many runners use the "neck rule" when deciding whether to run when sick. Symptoms above the neck -- sinus stuff, runny nose -- go ahead with the run. Symptoms below the neck -- bronchitis, chest cold -- stay in bed.

This morning I could barely get out of bed. Sinus pressure. Stuffy nose, then runny nose, then stuffy. Coughy. Achy. Whiny. But, I drug myself to work, and four stories and 10 hours later, I came home. If I was able to get through a 10-hour shift, I thought, then I should give running a try. It's less than four days until my first 5K, and I've got to get back out there so that I'm ready for it, right?

Perhaps the Runner's World neck theory works for some folks. For this folk, it felt like I had never run a day in my life. My lungs burned. My body ached. My nose was all junky and runny. I walked a little less than half.

I wish I wasn't so hard on myself, but I just feel so badly about this. Angry. Defeated. Worried. Mad as hell at whichever germ-infested fool didn't wash their hands and passed this sickness onto me.

I don't know what to do. I don't know whether I should try again right away tomorrow, or if that will make it worse.

I'm just the saddest little clam in the sea today.

3 comments:

  1. I just read this blog for the first time and read all of your april posts. You crack me up! I'm dabbling in 'slogging' as well and loved the Penguin Power blog! That's me too. I ran my first 5k (just a run, not a race) the other day and did it in 35 minutes and 9 seconds....i'm sure to runners that's slow, but i was proud to have walked only 10 steps of it!!!

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  2. Well, thankya. : ) Always nice to meet a fellow penguin. I really hate the word slogger, don't you? ...Huge congratulations on your first 5K. Mine is going to be terrible, I just know it. Uhhhhhhhhhhh, it makes my tummy hurt.

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  3. Coughing = chest = no running! Rest up and feel better! Setbacks happen to everyone. If I don't see you tomorrow, I hope to see you at another race, another day!

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