Ilness and Losing Fitness

Hi, I have had a really bad cold for over a week now and have had absolutely no energy.  Therefore I have done no running, no cross training, nothing. 

I am worried that I am going to lose all my hard work with regard to cardiovascular fitness.  The other thing that worries me is that I still feel no closer to being able to run again at the moment.  I can't even walk to the end of my street without feeling wiped out.

Will I have to build up fitness again once I am able to run?  I am pretty much a beginner anyway, started running back in February having done nothing prior to that at all.  My furthest distance is half marathon and I try to run 18 to 20 miles per week.

Do you think I have lost any fitness?

Ah, the principle of reversibility... Google it.

Sorry, I'd normally help out more but I'm tired and it's saturday night.

If you can't even walk to the end of your street without feeling wiped out it must be something a lot more serious than just a cold? A cold is when you get a bit of a runny nose and cough.

I don't know about the science, but I know you will feel sluggish for a few runs after getting back, then you'll quickly be back to where you were, don't worry.

If you are feeling as ill as you say then stop worrying about your running. Get well first and don't push yourself too early. Even 2 or 3 weeks off will make little difference so long as you go back to running. Be good to yourself and put your feet up!

kittenkat wrote (see)

Ah, the principle of reversibility... Google it.

Sorry, I'd normally help out more but I'm tired and it's saturday night.

Great, thanks for that, will do

Thanks everyone else for the replies.  Hopefully will be ok when I get back into it then.  Am fed up of feeling shattered.

If you have to rest up for more than about 3 weeks then when you get back to it you will notice a slight loss of fitness. But you'll get it back much more quickly than it took you the first time round so don't worry about it too much.

Great stuff, runs-with-dogs, that is exactly what I needed to know.  You have put my mind at rest now.  I hate not being able to get out there and run but at least I feel better now that I know once I have shaken this stubborn cold off I can get back into running again without too much of a problem