To train or not to train?

I am running the Silverstone half on Sunday, and coming down with a cold, only neck up so far. What is the best thing to do - am I better to rest to give my body time to fight it off or will training help me get rid of it quicker? Worried that if I do train I will be more ill/ill for longer, and if I don't I will find it tough going on Sunday. Help please!!

Even though Im not a qualified runner (I have not yet passed the RW forum members 'offical runner commentator' course yet), I can tell you right now that rest is your friend.

You will lose bugger all fitness in a week, you wont gain anything by training (since your training will be poor with a cold), so the best thing you can do is rest.

Isnt that right Screamapillar?

Is it your first half? Do you know that you are capable, when well, of easily completing a half marathon? Have you done the training? Without the cold, would you be able to complete it fairly easily? 

I got a virus and then a cold in the last few weeks of training for the Abingdon Marathon last year - it affected my time, I'm sure, because I wasn't at my sharpest, but I did finish fairly easily. Everyone's different. Only you will know. I would imagine the Silverstone one is fairly easy to pull out of if need be - no need to finish if you're not up to it on the day. No shame in stopping either, if you're unwell. Having said that, there are lots and lots of halves, so you might just be better advised to pull out and go for another one.

Oh, and if it's on Sunday, you should by now be tapering anyway and doing minimal training... You won't get any better at this stage.

+1

You won't lose any noticable fitness in a week, and you'll only risk aggravating your illness by running. I don't think there's any evidence that running will speed up recovery from an illness. So, nothing much to gain from running, and plenty to lose. Have a week off, eat healthily, drink water, get rest.

Is this an "A" race for you? Or a milestone on the way to something else? If you're still feeling ill at the weekend, unless it's your A race, consider not running it, or you risk putting yourself out for a longer period.

It is my second, but I have given birth to two kids since I did the last one so it may aswell be the first! I have trained properly and I am confident that I can do the distance - especially since Silverstone is a flat course and it's quite hilly around where I train. Haven't done more than 10 miles in training but the times I did do that, I felt that I could have done more if necessary. It just feels wrong to skip training so close to the event!

Jelley, you shouldn't do much in the final week - you'll not make yourself any more ready for the event, but you might just succeed in making yourself more tired. If you plan to run, just rest this week and give your body a chance to fight your illness.

+1

Realistically if you are tapering how much training are you missing? Rest up. Let your nose do the running