Rowing into illness

[zen cohen]

I've rowed over 1M meters the last four months and felt physically great, but about halfway through a very easy hour row a few days ago I started feeling bad and struggled through the last 10 minutes at an even slower pace. That night I woke up with a 102 fever. Next day fever was gone but felt woozy and took the day off (first in almost 100 days). Rowed an easy 5K day after that and regretted it. Skipped another day and rowed an easy 4000 today. Didn't feel too bad but I'm still off. No symptoms other than minor weakness and that feeling that something's not quite right.

How do you handle exercise and illness, esp those of you middle-aged and later? What makes you decide to shut it down or take it easy and how do you decide when to return? I rely on rowing to feel well mentally and physically but it seems to be counterproductive at this point.

Thanks

[Ombrax]

I've always assumed that unless I'm practically on my death bed, a bit of exercise won't hurt and will likely help. (Perhaps someone who actually knows something about medicine can speak up on that.) I've been fairly lucky regarding health and colds / flu recently, but back in the days when I was doing a lot more cycling than rowing I don't think I ever regretted going on a bike ride. Often getting out and riding actually helped me feel better, and if it didn't I had the satisfaction of knowing that I'd accomplished something difficult even though I wasn't 100%.

It's a lot easier to hop onto the erg for a quick row than it is to go out on the bike, so I'd say that unless one is really feeling horrible, it's worth it to try do something, even if the plan is to do just 500m at 3:00. And who knows, once on there you might be motivated to do a bit more...

Finally, I often modify the length of my rows and my effort if I'm super-tired, or have a knee or shoulder issue, but those are different situations than being sick.

[zen cohen]

I've always assumed that unless I'm practically on my death bed, a bit of exercise won't hurt and will likely help. (Perhaps someone who actually knows something about medicine can speak up on that.)

Thanks. FWIW, my layperson understanding is that when you're sick and push your body with exercise, it's harder for it to fight off whatever is attacking you. But as you said it would be nice to hear from someone who actually knows this stuff.

[Dangerscouse]

I have no proper idea but I always just use my judgement as to when to exercise. If I feel really rough I always rest.

[Ombrax]

Google found this:

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/feat ... hen-sick#1

The answer depends on what ails you, experts tell WebMD. For example, exercising with a cold may be OK, but if you've got a fever, hitting the gym is a definite no-no.

Fever is the limiting factor, says Lewis G. Maharam, MD, a New York City-based sports medicine expert. "The danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker," he tells WebMD. If you have a fever greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, sit this one out.

[zen cohen]

Google found this:

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/feat ... hen-sick#1

The answer depends on what ails you, experts tell WebMD. For example, exercising with a cold may be OK, but if you've got a fever, hitting the gym is a definite no-no.

Fever is the limiting factor, says Lewis G. Maharam, MD, a New York City-based sports medicine expert. "The danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker," he tells WebMD. If you have a fever greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, sit this one out.

Thanks, Ombrax. Informative link

[jimmyshand]

I've rowed over 1M meters the last four months and felt physically great, but about halfway through a very easy hour row a few days ago I started feeling bad and struggled through the last 10 minutes at an even slower pace. That night I woke up with a 102 fever. Next day fever was gone but felt woozy and took the day off (first in almost 100 days). Rowed an easy 5K day after that and regretted it. Skipped another day and rowed an easy 4000 today. Didn't feel too bad but I'm still off. No symptoms other than minor weakness and that feeling that something's not quite right.

How do you handle exercise and illness, esp those of you middle-aged and later? What makes you decide to shut it down or take it easy and how do you decide when to return? I rely on rowing to feel well mentally and physically but it seems to be counterproductive at this point.

Thanks

I hate not getting the metres in but I think caution is best. But it is very difficult. I think the best approach to this kind of thing situation, when the body doesn't seem ready for what we throw at it, is to wait until you feel like you are ready to get back on, then wait a little longer. If it's just a cold or something, that might be different but this sounds like a situation where rest is required. Sometimes I think it takes more discipline not to train.

Your description of how you feel seems a good indication that your body is saying 'help me out here, take time off' when your head is saying 'get the metres in'.

[Dangerscouse]

Sometimes I think it takes more discipline not to train.

I agree with that. I hate not training and I usually convince myself it's not such a bad idea