Run Run Away

Question:

Based on the stuffed nose and cough I suddenly had one day last week…wearing a singlet and shorts must have got the best of me w/open pours and a plunging in the weather over the course of an hour in an evening run. I spent about $40 at a local drug store buying all sorts of crap and tried to find a place to get a flu shot.  _IMPOSSIBLE_.   If you’re not under age 5, or over age 65, the usual places you can geta a flu shot for $10-$20 bucks turn you away (at least in NYC).   And I belong to a crummy half-ass HMO that I doubt can get me a shot.   Respect the flu.  I was layed out in the bed for 2 solid days last Jan. unable to get up due to the flu.  The flu is no joke.   It screwed up my Winter running entirely setting me back a solid month.   I can’t believe this country (U.S.) is reliant on one company to supply influenza vaccine, a single screw up…and now this stuff is rationed in 2004….some f—-ing progress.   I searched on line….and made about a dozen calls…I cannot find or buy a flu shot.   Amazing world we live in.  I live in NYC….if I wanted…I could buy any drug, any steroid, any contraband of anykind within a mile or two…..but I can’t buy a freakin flu shot?  36,000 people in the US die/year from influenza when we have the vaccine readily available….it’s gonna be a bumper crop this year…that’s for damn sure. For the last 6 days I’ve been running basically "under the weather"….and now I gotta find my winter running gear.  Donovan…you still have that site with the winter running gear review?    I definitely want to run all fall and winter and take all appropriate preventative measures to not fall ill like i did last year.  

Response:

For the last 6 days I’ve been running basically "under the weather"….and now I gotta find my winter running gear.  Donovan…you still have that site with the winter running gear review?    

http://www.pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/running/winter_reviews/ I still highly recommend the sporthill explorer top, even though it’s expensive. Warm, windproof, and more breathable than a jacket. BTW, rei-outlet are selling a bunch of good winter stuff very cheap now. (good brands here include sugoi, sporthill, pearl izumi, hind) A tip for searching footlocker.com — their search engine is fairly intelligent. For example, you can punch in running clearance clothing and it does what you want it to (for future reference: you can also use the keywords "flats" or "spikes" and it does what you want). Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

Respect the flu.  I was layed out in the bed for 2 solid days last Jan. unable to get up due to the flu.  The flu is no joke.   It screwed up my Winter running entirely setting me back a solid month.

If it was indeed the flu you had, just be glad it was only for a couple of days. Those high-risk people who are getting the shot are in more serious danger of complications, even death, than a young & healthy person. (this may not matter to you) I’d be willing to give up my place in the flu shot line if it meant I could magically no longer be "high risk". Meanwhile, use such old-fashioned (& generally free) commonsense measures such as washing your hands often, covering your mouth when you cough (so you don’t spread what you may have), and not hanging around healthy people if you’re sick or sick people if you’re healthy. BTW, you don’t catch colds or flu from being out in the cold or wet. bj

Response:

<< bucks turn you away (at least in NYC).   Really? Those deer aren’t nice? << Respect the flu.   *achoo!* You mean You flew? <<It screwed up my Winter So, like, now you’re discontent? I don’t blame you One bit! << a single screw up Who screwed you? Up or down, Or all the way round? Feel good? Or hurt? Use lube? Astroglide, often recommended. Frankly, I prefer K-Y, More body substance. << now this stuff is rationed   You mean, Ruff? Rationed, You say? Say, Kennel Ration? Got Milk Bones? << shot No, that’s Bigshot, My earliest pup ~ A feisty wire-haired Terrior! Hot stuff, too! << Amazing world we live in.  I live in NYC. Moi aussi! I hated it at first, But alas, it’s a give And take relationship! [PS: There are no good restarants On this side of town.] Said that so long ago, But now, frankly, They neighborhood’s great! True, I mostly or in, Especially, late at night, Like these nights! Whew! All’s reversed to fathom Myself, as well, the world ~ So often, not till 3 am Do I dine. Then, Gemini Diner I call! And you? How do you dine? Fine wine? _______ Blog, or dog? Who knows. But if you see my lost pup, please ping me! <A HREF="http://journals.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo"http://journal s.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo</A

Response:

<< A tip for searching footlocker.com — their search engine is fairly intelligent. For example, you can punch in running clearance clothing and it does what you want it to (for future reference: you can also use the keywords "flats" or "spikes" and it does what you want). Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi And what would one Want? _______ Blog, or dog? Who knows. But if you see my lost pup, please ping me! <A HREF="http://journals.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo"http://journal s.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo</A

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And what would one Want?

When I say "spikes", it is because I want spikes, dammit! Spikes! SPIKES!!! *S*P*I*K*E*S!!!! Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

BTW, you don’t catch colds or flu from being out in the cold or wet. bj __ but correct me if i am wrong.  you run to a level wherein your defense system is more vulnerable or prone to receiving virus/germs (open pours & glands). you then get exposed to a host/carrier while you’re in a vulnerable state/condition no?   and can’t virus or germs be on a piece of mail and literally anything you touch?  you can go to the grocery story and pick-up a germ from the shopping cart or piece of fruit you’re picking that someone else previously handled.   i routinely go to a farmer’s market after a weekend run, daily get into an elavator, etc….buy something w/a credit card and use a merchant’s writing instrument that might have been handled by 50 different people in the last hour or so…. i suspect we all expose ourselves to some measure/degree to host/carriers of virus/germs at points when our defense system is most vulnerable/exposed?  (just guessing here).

Response:

Cold weather doesn’t make you sick.  Germs do.  If cold weather made you sick, no one would live north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Response:

and can’t virus or germs be on a piece of mail and literally anything you touch? ….

This is where the frequent hand-washing comes in. (carry towellettes if necessary) And don’t touch your eyes/nose/mouth with your "dirty hands" as that just transfers the germs from your hands right into your body! bj

Response:

Leafing through rec.running, I read bj’s message of 11 Oct 2004: This is where the frequent hand-washing comes in. (carry towellettes if necessary) And don’t touch your eyes/nose/mouth with your "dirty hands" as that just transfers the germs from your hands right into your body!

This reminds me of an incident from yesterday’s marathon. Lining the course   would frequently be families with their young children giving high fives to the runners. I don’t know about other runners, but I know where my hands have been while running a marathon, such as wiping sweat, wiping mucous from my nose. Kids being kids, are also removing mucous from their own noses. Not a good combination of events, IMO. Phil M. — "What counts in battle is what you do once the pain sets in." -John Short, South African coach.

Response:

This reminds me of an incident from yesterday’s marathon. Lining the course   would frequently be families with their young children giving high fives to the runners. I don’t know about other runners, but I know where my hands have been while running a marathon, such as wiping sweat, wiping mucous from my nose. Kids being kids, are also removing mucous from their own noses. Not a good combination of events, IMO.

One of our coaches said 75% of marathoners get a respiratory illness within 2 weeks of their run.  He said it was due to a compromised immune system but I wonder how much is due to this? I made it to day 12 and was hopeful when my cold hit.  It’s been mild but persistent, now going into day 4.

Response:

One of our coaches said 75% of marathoners get a respiratory illness within 2 weeks of their run.  He said it was due to a compromised immune system but I wonder how much is due to this? I made it to day 12 and was hopeful when my cold hit.  It’s been mild but persistent, now going into day 4. I believe that the incubation period for these diseases is much less than 12 days. What this implies, is that it is unlikely that you manifested an infection that was passed to you during a marathon.

What he was saying is that extended exercise compromises runners’s immune system to the extent that it takes weeks to recover, not that they’ll get infections from the run itself.  I was just pointing out that the earlier comments point out that runners may also be exposed to more viruses than usual during the run itself. Personally I’m half convinced that my problem is really hay fever, not a cold, but hay fever doesn’t give me a sore throat.

Response:

<< Cold weather doesn’t make you sick.  Germs do.   Seen Mr. Martin In these parts, This heart? _______ Blog, or dog? Who knows. But if you see my lost pup, please ping me! <A HREF="http://journals.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo"http://journal s.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo</A

Response:

One of our coaches said 75% of marathoners get a respiratory illness within 2 weeks of their run.  He said it was due to a compromised immune system but I wonder how much is due to this?

Believe him!! You resistence is seeverely lowered which allows those nasty little bugs to fly up your nose and into your who-ha. -DF

Response:

<< Believe him!! You resistence is seeverely lowered which allows those nasty little bull dogs to fly up your nose and into your who-ha. -DF   I’ll say! Crumbled. _______ Blog, or dog? Who knows. But if you see my lost pup, please ping me! <A HREF="http://journals.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo"http://journal s.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo</A

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