Sawtooth

I have been sick all week with a head cold that has turned into a cough. Most of the head symptoms are gone but I am still pretty tired and weak.

I am a bit of a knucklehead but I am thinking of riding a century tomorrow as planned. I will admit that I don't always make good decisions for my health when it comes to priorities.

Have any of you gone on long/hard rides so soon after an illness? What am I risking besides failure (slower recovery, etc)?

botto 

hendrick81

Probably not the smartest thing to do...

Hunt-man

Just load up on caffeine and pain pills and you'll feel great at least until the day after. Then you can go see Dr. Pete in person.

Or you could just get some rest and ride 100 next weekend but that would be the smart thing to do so I wouldn't suggest it.

exRunner

From personal experience I can assure you that bad things "could" happen.

I had the flu for the 3 days before the 2005 Boston Marathon. I still had a low grade fever driving up, but it broke before I got to the hotel. I felt fine in the holding area in Hopkington.

I ran. I finished.

I remember Wesley, but very little after that. I spent 3 hours in the medical tent, then the night in the hospital, where a female doctor who had also run the race took the time to explain the error of my ways in a manner that is probably not covered in the Bedside Manners course. She was not nice, but I understand clearly how I could have died or seriously injured myself.

High level exercise and physical sickness are not good bed partners.

Sawtooth

Good advice. THanks.

umd

Depends on the what you were sick with. If you are still weak and fatigued it is probably not a good idea. If it were a more transient condition you would probably be ok. I did a double century the day after being sick with food poisoning (and not eating anything all day). I had no ill effects except that I had to eat more than usual during the ride.

banerjek

How hard is this century for you and what's the weather projection? If this would normally be an easy flat ride for you, you may be OK if you take an easy pace. If riding 100 miles is normally a big deal for you, you'd be nuts to take this on.

More likely than not, this is a bad idea.

bdcheung

Go for it.

Can i have yours tuff?

waltersc

If you ride, check the weather. Dehydration is a real issue when you are sick.

merckx_rider

I did that once and got bronchitis that scared my lungs... don't do it.

mollusk

Wake up tomorrow and figure it out.

If you are still sick or feeling the aftermath and it doesn't seem like a good idea, then bag the whole thing.

If you wake up feeling pretty good then eat a hearty breakfast and do it

n8tron

what i've found concerning that kind of sickness and exercise is that the more your body works the longer you will be sick. So if you are recovering, instead of being back 100% next week possible next weekend you could still be feeling like crap.

Treker

Clarify your century: I think there's a big difference between a century at 15mph and one at 22.

If you're in shape and not feeling too drained, slow and easy should be doable. If you want to go hi-test, then that's a horse of a different colour.

Sawtooth

Thanks guys! I do about a century a month in the warm months and 1 or 2 double centuries/year. Riding 100 is fun for me but not too hard. The route is flat and temp is projected at 80-90 degrees.
That said, I am already asthmatic and would hate to make it worse.

My main pull is that my buddy paid $40 to ride this thing and he would not have done so if I was not going to do it.

The kicker is that I went out last night and tooled around the neighborhoods for an hour at 15-17 mph and was exhausted when I got home.

This is just not feeling right to me. I think I will bag it.

bt

if it's a metric century you should be ok

Bill

i would bag it in light of the projected temperatures. you would probably spend a good week or two feeling very sluggish if you do it. And infections are likely to come upon you.

Jasper Storm

In my experience:

Head cold+
Chronic mild dehydration+
Century ride+
Elite group+
Getting dropped+
Head wind+
Pulling cute female cyclist too long+
Warm day=

Headache+
Dizziness+
Urge to take nap on gravel shoulder+
Vomiting Perpetuem on medic's leg+
50/30 blood pressure inside ambulance+
2 liters IV & anti-nausea drip in ER+
Massive humiliation/embarrassment/ low desire to resume bicycling during subsequent week.

Sawtooth

LOL Alright, Alright. I bagged it.

Hunt-man

Now we all call you a wussy and a quitter....

banerjek

This is the deciding factor. This could cost far more than $40 if you attempt this.