Runner's immunity

My training has been suffering this week, as I have come down with a stinker of a cold. The only thing doing any running is my nose (groan, terrible joke I know)! I am blaming a trip to Glasgow in the middle of the week, which not only involved a sudden change in temperature (it's chilly up there), but also meant getting up at 4am for a flight. And I could be right to blame my current state on this trip. Tradititional marathon wisdom says you should avoid germ-filled environments (e.g. in this case planes, I'm not suggesting Glasgow itself is a source of germs!) and be sure to get extra sleep in the build up to the race.

I remember reading a Runner's World article earlier this year which suggested there is a maximum running time and when you are training above this limit your immunity is weakened, especially in the hours following your run. The time for average runners was 90 minutes, but I guess this would vary depending on your levels of fitness and what length of run constitutes a strain for your body. The article suggested that when you are training at high levels, over your strain-inducing time, you should avoid situations which increase your exposure to germs and be careful about washing your hands, getting plenty of sleep, and getting the right nutrition. Unfortunately it's not always possible to wrap yourself in cotton wool before a race, especially when work requires you to travel and it's hard enough to fit in the hours of training. I just hope that missing one long run and taking a few days off isn't going to have too much of an effect on my ability to complete the marathon. Only two weeks to go now!