Wednesday, February 6, 2008

We be "illen'

At the end of last week The Captain started to come down with a sore throat and cold. Of course I doubled up my vitamin C and did everything I could to stay healthy - especially because of my upcoming race.

So, I ran the race. In the rain.
And now I'm sick. Sore Throat. Cough. Muscle Aches.

Here's the thing...
EVERYONE seems to need to make a comment like this:
"Well, you probably shouldn't have run in the rain. That's why you're sick."

I have always been of the belief that one gets sick from bacteria and viruses - NOT from temperature or rain. Of course, this is what I retort in a snotty tone. I guess I take it personal when someone attacks RUNNING.

But my question to you all is this:
Do you think running in the rain is what gets people sick or being around OTHER sick people?

48 comments:

Kelly Olexa said...

I'm going to vote for being around sick whiny people!! LOL
Get better soon!!!
;-)

Shelley said...

People are so full of it, I think they just make these nonsense comments because they don't know what else to say. People spread bugs, not exercise or cold or rain! But I think once you are sick, you should probably take it easy on your body and avoid bad weather and strenuous exercise.

I have this same bug, maybe I caught it from looking at your blog!

Anonymous said...

Running in the rain doesn't get you sick, just like going outside with wet hair doesn't get you sick. Colds are spread through an infection or virus. However, they do say if your body gets cold it may put added stress on your body increasing the chances of infection. Hope you start feeling better.

Liz said...

I agree with all of the above and did I mention that you rock! :)

rest...drink lots and make captain take care of you when he is feeling better!

audgepodge said...

I definitely don't think it has to do with running in the rain but people always tell me to double up on Vitamin C before and after a race b/c your immune system will be focused on repairing your muscles and stuff. So after kicking butt in your half, you were an easy target to catch the captain's cold.

Tri+Umph said...

People are full of sh*t. Whenever I get sick, I get the same stuff from every angle. Little do they notice they get sick 10x more often than I do.

They just like to justify being lazy.

Maybe we should go around commenting "Hey! You know why you're sick? Because you eat McDonalds every day and haven't worked out for three months!" That would show them.

Nancy said...

OH. MY. GOD. You've been talking to my mom, haven't you? She's obnoxious with this stuff. "well I'm sure he told you not to be running so much." Too bad I can't type in the tone she uses -- you can't get the full apreciation of the level of oboxiousness. What D10 said. Maybe, possibly the stress of the cold lowered your resistance a tad? but I doubt it. It was that capn waitin in the car with the fluffy towels and viruses. :P

Nancy said...

You got me all riled up. I forgot to say, I hope you feel better soon. :D

chia said...

*supremely irritated at people*

Grandma told me the other day that I'm going to get sick from running in the cold. Right.

My response: "Ya Gram, just like masturbating will make me go blind."

Now where are my glasses?

Unknown said...

you get sick from viruses, not from rain drops. ;)

teacherwoman said...

It is soooo from being around other people! I hope you feel better soon!

K80K said...

I think exposure to the elements effects your immune system, which can make it harder to fight off illnesses spread through bacteria. So your race didn't make you sick, other people made you sick.

AddictedToEndorphins said...

WELL...
Going out in the cold, doesn't give you a cold or make you sick.
It's being around the other people that made you sick AFTER you ran in the rain, because it weakens the immune response!

Feel Better :o)

Judi said...

No, running in the rain doesn't get you sick. You get sick when your immune system isn't strong enough to fight off bad germs.

Sarah said...

I think that it is completely the germs from other people that get you sick, HOWEVER, running in the rain may have compromised/weakened your immune system which is why the germs were able to get to you and make you sick!

But no, rain can't make you sick. That's silly.

Marcy said...

They say that most peeps get sick a lot during the winter months because everyone is mostly inside in groups and sharing their nasty germs. F-other peeps!

Unknown said...

unless the rain carries germs as it falls down, I would have to say it is probably the people spreading the nasty germs.

I hope you feel better!!!

Maddy said...

People make me crazy with the you'll get sick if you go outside without a jacket when it's cold out crap.

You get sick when people sneeze and don't cover their mouths. You get sick when people wipe their snotty noses, don't wash their hand, open a door and then you open the same door and itch your eye, or whatever. You get sick from germs not running in the rain.

Take some Airborne and you'll be back to your old self before you know it.


I hope you feel better soon.

Anne said...

Running in the rain isn't the cause, but if you are run down while running in the rain, you're just asking for trouble next time you swap germs with a sick person.

Meg said...

I agree with the above. You were probably exposed to the virus before The Captain had his symptoms. Maybe the race and/or being cold during the race compromised your immune system a bit, but it rain or cold doesn't make you sick. It's supposed to be common to come down with a cold after races because it lowers your immune response anyway.

Good luck with your recovery!

Grumpy Chair said...

I know that being outside in the rain, cold, etc. will not give you a cold. But if you were around someone when they sneezed or coughed, you may have been exposed to a cold virus.

Hope you feel better soon.

P.S. - You did great on your race.

Tammy said...

I agree with all of the above.

Running in the rain absolutely did NOT make you sick. Being cooped up indoors with sick people all the time makes you sick!

Hope you feel better soon!

Danielle said...

NONSENSE! You get sick from a contagious person, NOT from being in the cold/rain. Blame the Captain! :)
Hope you feel better soon!

katieo said...

Lame. I'm always running around without a coat, unprepared for weather, etc. and i haven't gotten sick ONCE this winter.

miss petite america said...

i agree with everyone. people are dumb...other people that is...

Tim Wilson said...

Who knows, all I know is that every time I get sick someone else around me has had it first.

I do think that we can make ourselves more susceptible by choices we make that causes our body to have less to fight off an infection, but running in the rain would not be that..... now maybe running 20 miles in the rain, but the issue would be the 20 miles depleting your body's ability to fight off the infection and not the rain.

I am sick right now, but it has gone around the house this past couple weeks..... and all just 1 week from my first HM. Go figure!

Razz said...

Other people. Trust me.

Runner Leana said...

Other people are definitely the culprits! I know that after running a long race your immune system may be lowered, but that would have happened whether it was in the rain or not. I hope you feel better soon!

TonyP said...

NO, running in the rain doesn't get you sick - it is contact with the virus or bacteria that does it.

Jess said...

As everyone already said, a virus, not water made you sick. However, like some others already pointed out as well, I think running long races can weaken your immune system. I got sick right after my half too.

Sarah Jo Austin said...

Maybe you got sick from being around stupid people who think you can get sick from exercising (and who never wash their hands). Get to feeling better!

Elizabeth said...

You could run buck ass nekkid over the frozen tundra in the middle of a rain storm to end all storms and it will NOT make you sick.

Why must people continue to perpetuate old wives' tales? I no get.

Germs. The Cap being sick. THAT made you sick.

Sarah said...

I think being around germ infested people combined with lowering your immune system by forcing your body to recover from the elements instead of protecting you. At least that's what I tell myself. Milk it for all it's worth.

Christine said...

Running in the rain weakens your defense systems.Running in general realeases tons of cortisol which reduces your immune system. Thats why people get sick when they overtrain. It just allows those sick people around you to infect you...not the rain itself..haha.

eurydice said...

that is so ridiculous - people get sick from other people! sorry you feel crappy.

J~Mom said...

I agree with the others...you can't get sick from the rain it's from other people.

Midwest said...

Time to stop making out with the Captain, I guess.

(Weight) Loser said...

I TOTALLY think that you get sick when being around other people. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I always used to have to tell my mom that the whole "going outside without my coat on" thing was NOT the reason for my cold......

RunnerGirl said...

As a teacher who's around sick kids all the time, I totally think you get it from all those germs. NOT from the rain.

Feel better soon!

Erin said...

It is the germs! For sure the germs....

Heather said...

I think the cold dings your immune system, which ordinarily can fight off germs, but when it's ding-ed, it isn't as strong.

I always, always get sick when I go to bed with wet hair, btw.

Drusy said...

You'd never run in London in the winter if you had to wait until it stopped raining! Perhaps the running caused your muscle aches. Wed is just off the peak of the delayed onset soreness? I know I'm still sore from my Sunday half. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Unknown said...

Ummm, if that were true, every athletic person in the pacific northwest would be sick 6 months out of the year.

I hope you and The Cap are feeling tip top soon!

Mamacita Chilena said...

bacteria and viruses get people sick. If you are really out in freezing weather than your immune system's defenses are lowered because they're using a lot of energy trying to keep you warm...and then you're more susceptible to bacteria and viruses. But it's a scientific fact that germs cause illness. Although try telling that to the Chileans. They think being bare foot causes sickness, just forget about the fact that like 3 million people take the metro and share germs every day.

Hope you feel better soon!

Anonymous said...

all i know is that people get sick in the winter from being inside more, so i think that would indicate it's not the temperature. but what do i know. i've never run in the rain.

the Bag Lady said...

Hehehe - the Bag Lady wants to be contrary, just because everyone else is saying the same thing.

Unfortunately, everyone else is right. Viruses cause colds and flu. S'truth.

If bad weather caused illness, everyone in Canada would be sick from like October until March... Mind you, sometimes I think you have to be a little sick (in the head) to live here when it's so F*CKING cold!!!!! (It's -40 with the windchill AGAIN!!)

Stop hogging all the warm weather down there and send some up here, would ya?

Database Diva said...

It is true that illness is caused by exposure to bacteria or virus, but we are exposed to them every day. Sometimes our bodies are able to fight them off, and sometimes they are not. Running marathons is associated with lowered resistance to disease during recovery. I don't think half marathon distance is an issue, but several hours of exposure to wind and rain would lower your resistance just in time for you to be exposed. The Captain didn't run in the rain did he? And yet he still got sick. Hmmm.

The 311 Boys Mom said...

ok, the cold temps could of given you a drop in your immune sys---MILDLY, and its definately the Bacteria/virus's you touch on the shopping carts, money, air-born crap.

Have a great VACA!