Currently in Baltimore, it’s a beautiful November morning, clear skies and a comfortable 65 degrees. The trees are turning and the colors of the leaves are just gorgeous! And what am I doing? After spending the morning at Patient First, I’m hunkered down in bed with a sinus infection, which started out as an innocent post-marathon cold. Now, I thought I was going to get sick before the marathon and I was lucky enough to ward that off. But, now I’ve succumbed to it. The problem is, my weak asthmatic lungs always feel the need to be included when I get sick. So my normal “sick” cycle is cold > sinus infection > bronchitis. Happens every time. Last time this happened was in January and I was down for three months, went through three cycles of prednisone, and missed the D.C. Rock and Roll Half Marathon. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN AGAIN! Ultra marathon training will be coming up quickly and I need to make sure I’m cross training and getting some miles in before it starts.

Did you know that you are six times more likely to get sick after a marathon? Now, I’m pretty sure that the lady who did my post-marathon massage gave me this cold (she was sniffing and snorting the whole time…my biggest regret of the whole marathon event), but I thought I would be safe considering I was consuming all the immune boosting remedies and herbal supplements over the counter. Below is some great information I found online.

  Why Runners Get Sick

Stress hormones – which are released in the last stages of a marathon – suppress the immune system and make you more vulnerable to viruses and pathogens for up to 72 hours after the event. You will also be surrounded by the germs of thousands of people before, during, and after the race.  Read more at: http://run.isport.com/running-guides/marathon-recovery

Why Runners Get Sick

While moderate exercise has been shown to improve the body’s immunity to disease, periods of strenuous exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes can weaken the body’s immune system. After about 90 minutes, depending on a runner’s reserve of carbohydrate energy, the body uses up its natural energy supply of glucose, triggering the release of the stress molecule cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol, in turn, can weaken the immune system and make the body more susceptible to infection, “Marathon & Beyond” magazine explains, most commonly upper respiratory tract infections. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/505632-getting-sick-after-running-a-marathon/#ixzz2jVKVJ2A2