Friday, August 1, 2008

..healing wonders of running.?

I don't know why, but when I go on a major physical activity on a weekend I am bound to get colds or a flu (at worst) sometime during the week.

This is what happened to me this week.  I was feeling great on Monday morning.  No muscle pain. No sniffs.  I was feeling great! But that night, I had a hard time sleeping.  I woke up several times and slept shallow most of the night.

Tuesday morning I woke up to an itchy feeling in my nasal area.  The feeling when you inhale water through your nose! Not a good feeling.  Nonetheless, I felt I wanted to run Tuesday night but didn't get to since it rained.

Wednesday, I wasn't better.  We went to the airport to fetch my sister who just got back from Thailand.  I stayed home the rest of the day.

Thursday, I was still having colds.  But now it included a cough.  I went to work that day since I can't stand doing nothing at home.  Going home from work that afternoon, my eyes were feeling kinda warm as were my hands.  I remembered the days when I had a cold, I'd go out and train parkour and my colds would be gone after.  So,  last night, not heeding what my parents said (BAD), I went out for a light run.  About 5km.  I went from Silang to AIIAS which is around 1mile and went around the campus twice which was another 2 miles which makes 3 miles or roughly 5km..  I was sweating after the run -- I was wearing a sweater, thick jogging pants and a funky hat -- and I felt kinda good.  My colds were gone and I was coughing out phlegm.

When I got home that night, I realized a couple of things.  First, after that much rest during the week, I actually increased my speed unknowingly.  I was actually thinking that it was an easy run but it was actually faster than my usual.  Second, I had a really nice rest that night.  My dad had to wake me up this morning.  I feel alot better than the rest of the week!! I should have run earlier and maybe I could have avoided several days of misery.

Maybe it's just me.  Maybe just a coincidence.  But I do believe that there is something in physical activities, maybe cardio-vascular activities that help strengthen the immune system.  I haven't found scientific proof.  But I guess it works for me and I glad it does.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi aldz. Whenever I get a sore throat, I'll go out bundled up and do a short easy run. Usually after coming back, I feel a little better. The congestion in the throat and sometimes chest is normally gone.

You're right, there is something in physical activities that helps us. Have a good weekend!

aLdZ said...

yes, i guess it really helps. I have to do some research, though, to get some scientific facts. Unless it's based on faith. :)

Anonymous said...

yay for aldz! you should do cardio every day all day for the rest of your life. never get sick again..lol

ibanrunner said...

I guess you need to run more... hehehe... I have the same experience before in fact worst. I have migrain, terrible running nose, my eyes were usually red, I had hard time breathing, etc. But things change when I started running. Today, None of those things I experience. Only running nose which comes once in a blue moon. I'll let you know the next time Im back to training, Im still resting, eating and maybe after few days, I'll be back on the road again. Have a nice week Aldwin...