Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Fit To Drop

by Russell Turner - 21:17 on 16 June 2018

Exercise helps keep you fit and healthy, we’re told, but running has its drawbacks, and not just the risk of injury. I’m currently suffering my second cold in three weeks and my third in less than three months. How can that be?

Distance may be the problem. Runs of 30-45 minutes are fine; beyond that the immune system can be weakened. Naturally produced steroids, cortisol and white blood cell damage are the culprits, Dr Google tells me. The two hours after a long run are particularly critical, so maybe Monday’s non-stop seven miles is at the root of my latest incapacity.

Fortunately, if I had to catch a cold it couldn’t be at a less troublesome time: my Yes/ARW road trip is over, City Limits has a rare gigless weekend, and Matchgirl spent only one night at home after returning from Shetland before departing on an Arran break and away from possible infection. You can’t keep her away from the islands.

Today I planned to run – an easy 40 minutes – for the first time since Monday, but although a short run with a cold is not frowned upon by medical experts, combining it with the wind and rain that’s swept across the country seemed inadvisable. I’ll consider one tomorrow.

In the meantime I’ve spent a quiet day with cats, DVDs, catch-up TV and probably all the wrong food for restoring my health. It’s not easy being an athlete.

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