Should you Run With A Cold?

Your throat feels tickly, your nose is bunged up, your temples are throbbing: sounds like you've got a cold.

If you’re training for a marathon or it’s race day, then getting a cold can throw a spanner in the works. So, should you run with a cold, or should you put off your next session until you’re fully recovered?

While you should always check with your doctor if you have any uncertainties , the following points about running with a cold can help you learn more about exercising if you feel under the weather.

Should you run with a cold?

A cold is a viral infection of your nose and throat. It causes a variety of symptoms, including a sore throat, a runny nose, congestion in your nose and ears, coughing, and a headache - among other tell-tale signs.

According to the NHS, the best way to deal with a cold is to drink plenty of fluids, rest, and take painkillers. So, running with a cold is clearly not a conventional way of treating this type of sickness!

However, if you are desperate to keep running - or it’s race day and you don’t want to throw away months of training - running with a cold may still be possible. It just won’t be very enjoyable!

The neck check

If you do want to run with a cold, it is a good idea to do the ‘neck check’ - this is a way to figure out if it’s safe to exercise.

• If you are feeling symptoms above the neck, such as a sore throat, a runny nose, a headache or congestion in your ears, then running with a cold is normally fine. These symptoms are associated with milder illnesses, and running is unlikely to exacerbate them.
• However, if you notice symptoms below the neck, including things like a tight chest, inflamed lungs, coughing, or a high temperature, then you should not do any exercise. These symptoms suggest you’re dealing with a more severe illness. Your body needs to dedicate all its resources to fighting off the virus and running now could seriously slow down your recovery - or even lead to things like chest infections.

Does running help with a cold? 

Not really. Running puts stress on your body, causing it to increase its temperature and releasing the stress hormone cortisol, which suppresses your immune system (that’s the last thing you want when fighting a virus!). By running when you’re ill, you are essentially making your body work harder to fix itself.

Running may temporarily relieve certain symptoms of a cold.

For example, when you have a cold, your nose may feel congested. This is because more blood is being sent to the blood vessels in your nose to deliver antibodies which fight the virus. If you go running, then blood will be sent to your legs – so this relieves the feeling of congestion in your nose. The trouble with this is that it’s only temporarily taking away the symptoms - and it could actually slow your recovery.

In a similar way, running releases endorphins, sometimes known as ‘happy chemicals’. Endorphins are hormones that have painkilling properties – and this can take away some of the discomfort of having a cold. But, once again, you’re also forcing your body to release more stress hormones and expend energy on things other than getting better.

Tips for running with a cold

If you are desperate to run with a cold - or it is marathon day and you simply cannot get out of doing the event - then the following tips can help :

• Do the neck check: As we mentioned above, you should simply not run if you have a fever, a severe cough or tightness in your chest. It is unsafe to exercise, and could make your illness significantly worse.
• Go slow: If you do decide to run with a cold, avoid over-exerting yourself. Go slow and take it easy – today’s not the day for smashing your PB.
• Stop if itfeels bad: If you are feeling especially sick, then you are only exacerbating your illness and could potentially make yourself seriously ill.
• Consider taking cold relief medicine: If you have an organised race that you really don't want to miss, then consider taking a cold relief drink or pills before your run.  

How to avoid getting a cold when running 

People have long associated colds with low temperatures, but this is a misconception – you need to catch a cold virus to get this illness. (It’s called a ‘cold’ because people tend to get more of them in winter since they spend more time indoors with other people - and that increases their chances of catching the bug). 

In fact, this is one of the great benefits of running. It is a sport which you can do alone and outdoors. That can seriously reduce your risk of picking up a virus compared to indoor sports and other group activities.

The bottom line on running with a cold

While you might want to run with a cold, the best advice is simply to wait it out until you are fully recovered. We get it – this is frustrating, especially if you’re training for a specific event. But remember, it would be even more irritating to wear yourself out, and turn a simple cold into a chest infection that puts you out of action for weeks.

Fundamentally, if you are unwell, it's best to avoid strenuous exercise and simply let your body recover.

One of the best things about running is that it can make your immune system more resilient - and that means you're lesslikely to get colds in future. So, once you're recovered, pull your running shoes and clothing back on, and enjoy thissport for its many health benefits!