The Neck Check

Early last week, I was out of commission with a bad cold. Walking from my bed to the couch was sufficient physical exertion, so running was clearly out of the question. But within a few days I felt mostly better and was debating whether to head out for a run or take it easy. My (totally unfounded) hypothesis was that the endorphins I’d release when running would help strengthen my immune system. But given that a fast recovery was higher priority than sustaining my weekly mileage, I decided to do the responsible thing and see what the experts have to say.


An article in Runner’s World, “Should You Run When You’re Sick” had some good info, and a few of the articles I read concurred on the “Neck Check”—if your symptoms are all above the neck (cough, runny nose, etc) it’s okay to run. If you have other symptoms or your body doesn’t feel up for it, a run will likely do more harm than good.


By Saturday I was finally feeling better and headed out for a run—and was glad I had waited to do so. Once I was on the road I remembered my favorite part of being sick—a renewed appreciation for my healthy self.