Earlier this week I was feeling out of sorts. Just off. Tired.

And all I managed Monday was a 3-mile walk on the treadmill which took me an hour. Was it the potluck? Maybe someone who is sick brought a dish. Or maybe it was the lack of green vegetables in the spread. Maybe I’m paranoid. Maybe I felt off from the cooler weather, or not drinking enough water, or not taking my multivitamin.

Whatever it was, it was enough to make me step back for a moment and examine not only my routine but also every morsel entering my mouth. I don’t get sick very often, but I have felt many times a cold coming and stopped dead in my tracks to try and ward it off.

It was no surprise then that when I researched the impact running has on the immune system — I saw Runner’s World was right on target with the same topic in their November issue. The last thing any of us wants is to get sick. But even worse — getting sick during the last few weeks of training, or on race day.

“But isn’t running supposed to make you healthy? While 30 to 45 minutes of moderate daily exercise does stimulate the immune system, the rigors of running longer distances temporarily weakens it. During the strain of a hard run, the body churns out the stress hormone cortisol, which suppresses immune function in large amounts.” -  Runner’s World

Continue Reading... Running on Empty: The Immune System