Ride with cold
 

So, do you ride with a head cold?

I am completely inside now for my hard rides and they are on rollers and not a trainer. I have been fighting a head cold that has just been zapping my energy. I tried taking three days off with no riding what so ever. Couldn't handle it anymore so I rode yesterday on the rollers. I didn't go very hard on the rollers, just a nice easy 80-90 cadence for about 20 miles in first gear (13 mph approx). I didn't work up much of a sweat like I normally do, but my wife (2nd year nursing student) said I shouldn't be doing much as my body is already weak as it is fighting whatever virus I have.

When I was younger, I would go run with multiple layers when I had a cold (not a fever), and sweat a lot and it always seemed to make me feel better. It always seemed to work for me 20 years ago, but at 45 it seems a little different.

Other than stopping once or twice to blow my nose, I just rode a nice easy 20 miles.

So, do you ride with a head cold?

I've done it, but it was a pretty miserable experience if I recall correctly. Never again!

So long as your breathing isn't problematic, i.e. shortness of breath, coughing, etc., it's perfectly safe to exercise with a cold. Just expect less endurance and energy. If you're having trouble breathing, take a shot of single-malt and go back to bed.

If the cold is above the neck? Yes. Below the neck (ie: the lungs)? No.

I've read that advice too. All it's ever done for me is make sure my above the neck colds become below the next colds as well. :(

I agree with the not in the lungs issue.

If it is a head cold or sinus issues, a hard 10 mile ride helps me a lot. I will blow a bunch of snot rockets and my sinus is usually clear for at least the afternoon and a few times it cleared up for a couple of days.

I went to the E.R. the other night with breathing problems from a "cold". Turned out to be Asthmatic Bronchitis. I have been fighting it for weeks. The respiratory specialist told me to only ride indoors on the trainer until spring when it gets warmer. If it was just a head cold I would tough it out, but this scared me into taking it a little easy for awhile.

I also had a bad bout of bronchitis in early November, for which I needed an inhaler...yeesh, first time ever and I did not like it one bit. It's made me a bit careful.

I waited until I felt better-took a poll and posted a thread, too.
http://www.bikeforums.net/poll.php?d...ts&pollid=5110

Hoep you feel better!

It was a head cold. I decided to ride through it, but I did it on my rollers in the basement. I put on multiple layers and rode 20 miles on the rollers while drinking two water bottles. I am still not over it, but it did clear me up for a while.

+1 Following those same "rules" I'll commute. Last year I had a bad cough caused by some post nasal drip... kept me off the bike for a week and a half. You can tell when your body just isn't ready for any real physical activity. With a basic head cold I find that I'll just ride easy. During this past Fall I had two episodes of a head cold. I found that easy riding actually cleared me up a bit and I'd feel descidedly better after a 5 mile ride to work. If I started to ride harder, I'd feel whooped pretty quickly so I figured light activity is a whole lot better than none at all. I'd say listen to your body honestly. If while you are riding you feel horrible than stay of the bike a day or two and then try again if you feel a little better, repeat time off if you still haven't gotten much better. If it lasts more than 2 weeks go see a doctor, there may be more going on than "just a cold."

Happy riding,
André

Here are some opinions from the Road Cycling Forum, "cycling/exercising while you have a cold." I didn't read and compare the answers from the two Forums. Who's "tougher"? ;-)

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=494110