20 replies to this topic

[cjr]

So I am a week from the GOR marathon and my worst fear has come to fruitation - after being surrounded by sick colleagues and kids and resisting getting sick for months, I have woken up with a blocked nose and tickle in my throat this morning

Any advice as to anything I can do (extreme or not) to fend off a cold for a week will be greatly appreciated (other than guzzling vitamins, which I have been doing for the past few months)

Thanks - I am desperate!

[Bellthorpe]

Well if you have a cold, there's nothing you can do to 'put it off'. Or cure it.

But colds generally take a week or so to run their cycle, so do some gentle running, call it 'tapering', and enjoy the rest.

[zandrsmum]

Not good! Sorry to hear it. As BT said nothing you can do once you have it but if it was me this is what I would do. Stay warm, wear scarves, lots of zinc and vit c, lots of warm water with lemon juice. I use another product best if its pre illness but you could try them they are called Schuessler Tissue Salts Comb T, Ist stage of illness. They are cheap about $10, avail from some health food stores if they have a natropath working or from a natural health practitioner, perhaps even a chemist. I have had some success with these but it really was at the first inkling I was unwell. Hope you feel bettter soon, all the best for next weekend. K

[Ben1]

There is something that can dramatically lessen it if you act.......like now!! Get to the chemist and get some "olive leaf extract". If you get it when it is first noticable, it does reduce the symptoms. I think on the bottle it says to take 6 if feeling the effects of a cold coming on. Then 2 a day.

I am a big sceptic to all this "vitamin" extras that everyone tries to sell but was converted by a friend who actually went and brought them and drove to my house (50km) to give them to me. Honestly..........I was amazed at how quick the symptoms dropped off in 24hours.

Worked for myself and may help you??
Good luck

[DownhillDiva]

I have just about completed a course of Tamiflu prescribed by my GP, and have recovered from this flu-like virus in 3 days, as opposed to 5 days as experienced by my husband who got it first and didn’t take Tamiflu. Expensive though $75 for a week’s course and you have to start taking it within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Really your best option is sleep it off as much as possible, there is not much point in training now anyway and sleep is probably the best remedy (along with vitamins as mentioned, good quality food and plenty of fluids).

[nando]

Garlic, echinacea and vitamin C as soon as you feel the first symptom. Plenty of water. And if you feel a sore throat, gargle with listerine or similar.

My family have all had colds recently and I have managed to avoid them using this.

[Old chook]

Don't panic. The cold will only do damage during the time the cold virus is active, which should only be 2 or 3 days. After that, you've only got the sniffle and cough etc. In a week you'll only have this and running clears the sinuses really well. So cuddle yourself up for the next 2-3 days: don't exercise, stay warm, sleep enough, take plenty of fluids and your immune system will clear the virus. If you have a COLD, which includes a runny/sneezy/stuffy nose and a mild fever, as opposed to THE FLU, which is a sudden onset of high fever, headache, cough, aches and pains and being absolutely flattened, then there's no point taking Tamiflu. If you have the flu, then you might take a week to get better and probably shouldn't run.

See this as an opportunity to taper properly, which most people don't. The extra rest will do you lots of good and you'll run really well. I'll see you there and recognise you: someone snotting frequently and running really fast!

[cjr]

Thanks everyone. I went to the chemist and got some olive leaf extract. I am generally very sceptical about these sorts of things (desperation makes us do strange things!), but he said although he had never sold a bottle (I'm not surprised, given how expensive it was), he had heard that some people swear by it.

Reading the blurb that came with it I am now convinced that not only will it clear my cold, but also fix my dodgy knee, make me run a 1 hour PB on Sunday, improve my IQ by 20 points and fix global warming.

I did have a flu injection a month ago through work, so hopefully that is doing something. Unfortunately lots of sleep is not really an option given that I have 2 little ones at home who aren't into that concept

[Ben1]

cjr, on May 9 2009, 07:44 PM, said:

Thanks everyone. I went to the chemist and got some olive leaf extract.
Reading the blurb that came with it I am now convinced that not only will it clear my cold, but also fix my dodgy knee, make me run a 1 hour PB on Sunday, improve my IQ by 20 points and fix global warming.

Interested to know how you go with the olive leaf.

Not cheap, but it seems to work (for me).
Good luck

[Gadfly]

Another olive leaf convert here. We were all getting sick a week before my HM and I dosed us all up on Olive Leaf (had used it before and was impressed with results). Only Gadfairy ended up with the cold and that was after a cough took hold while out in the cold weather.

It tastes disgusting, but seems to work for us.

Of course rest, eating well and good sleep will do wonders too.

[thomcat]

cjr, on May 9 2009, 05:44 PM, said:

Thanks everyone. I went to the chemist and got some olive leaf extract. I am generally very sceptical about these sorts of things (desperation makes us do strange things!), but he said although he had never sold a bottle (I'm not surprised, given how expensive it was), he had heard that some people swear by it.

I swear by it! Haven't come down with anything for years - everytime I get so much as a sniffle or sneeze I knock back the olive leaf and wake up the next day feeling peachy . Of course, I swear by the good old hot toddy before bed to go with that too - a healthy dose of whisky, some fresh lemon juice for vitamin C, some quality honey and hot water.... knock's me out every time zzzzzzzzzzz.

Hope it works for you cjr and good luck with the run!

[FrankieP]

Argh, what a nightmare, I'm terrified of this happening to me! Haven't heard of the olive leaf thingo so do let us know how you go. Otherwise as with most viruses lots of water and rest can help. At least being on a taper you're free to skip sessions. Hope it clears up for you, a week should juuust about be enough time!

[vat]

cjr - is it actually a cold or just a case of the sniffles. It's pretty common for people to pick up a little dose of the sniffles or similar during taper.

[cjr]

vat, on May 11 2009, 07:32 AM, said:

cjr - is it actually a cold or just a case of the sniffles. It's pretty common for people to pick up a little dose of the sniffles or similar during taper.

Defnitely a full blown cold now - blocked nose and stuffed face. Doesn't seem to be flu though but I am feeling pretty bad

I'm going to work from home (ie rest / sleep!) as much as possible week, and follow all the old wives tales.

Although I have really looking forwarrd to the GOR it is not te end of the world if I miss it, as there is Williamstown and Traralgon I can do shortly afterwards

[Andolate]

I would suggest Betadine throat gargle to cure the throat. Works everytime no matter how severe the cold. Tales only 24 hrs to kill a sore throat.

I would also suggest 2000mg of vitamin c per day with echinacia. I have witnessed this shorten the intencity and duration of many a cold in both colleagues and myself. ( compared to how long we would normally think they take to get rid of.)

Goodl luck staying fluy free and hopefully see you there on the day fully fit!!

Cheers,

Andolate

[run2work]

cjr,

I hope you recover, but you may not completely. I once ran a marathon in your current state and came crashing down at 30km, having to pull out for the first and hopefully only time. I think the problem was a kept my original goal time, whereas if I decided to start slower by about 30 sec/km pace, I would have at least finished.

Something to think about.

r2w

[southy]

A bit late now to help you, but I have used echinacea and vitamin C & zinc lozenges. It seems to be able to delay a cold. Hot baths help too, as hot as you can stand. My theory is that you force your body temp up as high as possible and kill off as many of those nasty little viruses as quickly as possible.
So far, I haven't had a cold in years now. I make sure that I eat/drink something with sugar in it (juice, choc milk, hot choc, whatever) immediately after every training session and stay warm. I encourage the kids I coach to do the same.
If I feel a sore throat, or that fluey feeling coming on then I try to go to bed early, eat well and have plenty & hot tea with lemon & honey.
Not always an option with small children though.
I have to say the worst period of my life for catching colds was when my children were small. They would bring everything home from school then a combination of my chronic sleep deprived, stressed, and exhausted state plus their virus bugs, hugs, sneezes, and coughs usually did me in. And worst yet, with small children you still have to keep going even when you are sick too. Good luck. It does get better.

[rachinaus]

I have had a sore throat for a week and then it turned into a nasty head cold (post marathon immune system down I suspect) Looked on this thread and saw the wonders of Olive Leaf extract being extolled. Took out a second mortgage and picked some up yesterday - definitely a noticeable improvement in 24 hours so I plan to take it for another day or two.

Need to put a spring back in my step before SMH Half on Sunday - hopefully it can do that too....along with the pb, end to world hunger etc etc

[bones]

cjr, on May 9 2009, 01:10 PM, said:

So I am a week from the GOR marathon and my worst fear has come to fruitation - after being surrounded by sick colleagues and kids and resisting getting sick for months, I have woken up with a blocked nose and tickle in my throat this morning

Any advice as to anything I can do (extreme or not) to fend off a cold for a week will be greatly appreciated (other than guzzling vitamins, which I have been doing for the past few months)

Thanks - I am desperate!

I did my first marathon with a cold and ITB. I confess, I took cold medicine the night before and downed paracetomol on the day; the ITB I managed with weeks of massage. Despite not being well, I had such a great time on my first marathon. I ran it with a friend who was also in the wars and we kept each other going. Unless you're really sick, I reckon you can finish a marathon with a cold - forget great times and if you have someone to run it with, so much the better. (Then take a couple of weeks off and do nothing!)

[cjr]

Hi, a quick update. I am feeling a bit better, but still quite blocked up, however quietly confident I will make it to the start.

I'm just wondering if there would be any benefit in going for a short run today or tomorrow to test myself out and get the juices flowing a bit, or am I better off resting completely until Sunday? (My last run was 10km last Friday, the day before my cold started)

Thanks

[Bellthorpe]

Were it me I'd go for an easy run.