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Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level
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 2009-06-23 1:53 PM |
Veteran 134  |  Subject: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity levelI just read about the hit and run killing in Albuquerque, so I now think my question is rather petty. But here goes, anyways. Yesterday, I spent seven hours in our local ER. Three different physicians were all worried that I was having serious heart problems. After several tests, it was decided I have pneumonia. So, that is great news, to me. Having that diagnosis in hand, one of the physicians advised me not to do any triathlons for several weeks, though the cure should be complete in several days (we hope.) He did encourage continued light training. So, I told a friend that I would not be competing this weekend, and was essentially told I was being a wuss. I don't think he was joking, and I really do respect his opinion most of the time. So, I am interested to know the opinions of this community. For additional information, the tri this weekend is a sprint: 1/4 mile swim, 11.5 mile bike, 5k run. I had been training for olympic distance, and was planning to just use this as a warm-up anyways. So, I was going to just train through it, and my friend's point may be valid, looked at from that perspective. (If I take it easy enough, I guess this tri could be "light training," I guess.) Am I being a wuss, or am I being prudent? disclaimer: I am interested in opinions, but will (of course) make my own decision. Scott |
| 2009-06-23 1:57 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Expert 1040  SF Bay Area | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level I think you made the right call. Live to race another day, you could probably use the rest anyway. Your friend is just trying to get under your skin a little. |
| 2009-06-23 1:59 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level I ran a half with bronchitus (or some other really deep chest issue) in the cold. Screwed me up for weeks and didn't recover until after a month later. The same race two years later I was doing the full marathon coming off of the flu and being in bed for 3 days straight after losing 7 pounds the week of the race. I ran the first 5 miles and then dropped out and jogged back to the start. I don't think I recovered from the flu and training effort until the Fall six months later ........ It is just not worth it in my opinion. There are always other races. Rest up and heal up. The generic rule of thumb is "Above the neck, you're fine to train and race. Below the neck, rest." |
| 2009-06-23 1:59 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Extreme Veteran 418 Pittsburgh | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level I think that, given that you have pneumonia and your doctor told you to let your lungs heal up, you are making the right call. Your friend was probably just trying to get a rise out of you. If he was actually dead serious and not even joking around a little, then I'm sorry to tell you that your friend is being kind of an a-hole. Edited by kat_astrophe 2009-06-23 2:00 PM |
| 2009-06-23 2:01 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Master 1402 Highlands Ranch | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level I'd have to go with the Doc's advice on this one... |
| 2009-06-23 2:05 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level Get better. Then train and race. Once you feel better, get back to it. Until then, rest. It's the SMART thing to do. |
| 2009-06-23 2:28 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
| Veteran 134 | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level Thank you, everyone. Looks like a consensus to me. Scott |
| 2009-06-23 3:25 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level scott319 - 2009-06-23 11:53 AM I just read about the hit and run killing in Albuquerque, so I now think my question is rather petty. But here goes, anyways. Yesterday, I spent seven hours in our local ER. Three different physicians were all worried that I was having serious heart problems. After several tests, it was decided I have pneumonia. So, that is great news, to me. Having that diagnosis in hand, one of the physicians advised me not to do any triathlons for several weeks, though the cure should be complete in several days (we hope.) He did encourage continued light training. So, I told a friend that I would not be competing this weekend, and was essentially told I was being a wuss. I don't think he was joking, and I really do respect his opinion most of the time. So, I am interested to know the opinions of this community. For additional information, the tri this weekend is a sprint: 1/4 mile swim, 11.5 mile bike, 5k run. I had been training for olympic distance, and was planning to just use this as a warm-up anyways. So, I was going to just train through it, and my friend's point may be valid, looked at from that perspective. (If I take it easy enough, I guess this tri could be "light training," I guess.) Am I being a wuss, or am I being prudent? disclaimer: I am interested in opinions, but will (of course) make my own decision. Scott First, glad no heart probs. Pneumonia is bad enough. Second, the docs told you no racing, and "light" training. You won't theoretically even be cured by the triathlon this weekend. I've run x-country races when I've been sick, and almost every time it jacked me up for a long time after. Heal first, race later. Tell your friend to go pizz up a rope.  John |
| 2009-06-23 3:41 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Expert 745 Bethesda, MD/Northern NJ | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level Prudent - listen to doctors. A few weeks ago, I came down with a nasty nasty case of something 4 days before my planned HIM (Mooseman). I had a 101 fever for three days. When I went to the doctor, my initial quick-strep test came back negative, so the doctor thought I probably had mono, swine flu, or a random variety of strep. She took blood and did more tests, but I wasn't going to know any of the results until after Sunday, when Mooseman was supposed to be. Turned out to be atypical strep, not mono or swine flu (WHEW! on the mono! I could care less if I got swine flu, my BF's mom just had it and she's ok)... It broke my heart - but she said no race, and I listened. I had been training since January for what was supposed to be my first HIM. I pre-rode the course, I made almost all of my workouts. I was ready, and then I got really sick. I was upset that I couldn't race, but I knew that physically - it would've been miserable if I tried to do it. |
| 2009-06-23 10:49 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Veteran 393 The Beautiful San Fernando Valley in Sunny L.A. | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level Pneumonia is not a cold and it's not simple congestion, it's f@&king serious and, while modern antibiotics are a big help, potentially deadly. Quoting Wikipedia, "Pneumonia is a common illness which occurs in all age groups, and is a leading cause of death among the elderly and people who are chronically and terminally ill. Additionally, it is the leading cause of death in children under five years old worldwide." Though I assume you are not in the groups mentioned, I hope you decide to listen to your doctors on this one. |
| 2009-06-23 11:10 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
Regular 106 Fort Myers, Florida | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level Don't forget - pneumonia can kill you. A good friend of mine who is normally a pretty damn good cyclist has drug his on for over two months now and one workout he gave us a scare - on a ride his heart rate was up to 195 and didn't go below 140 for the rest of the day(after the ride) just rest up and get better, your friend might be a toughguy but he is wrong on this deal. |
| 2009-06-23 11:22 PM in reply to: #2237595 |
| 108 | Subject: RE: Opinions sought re: my personal wussity level In my opinion, if you think your medical condition is serious enough to spend 7 hours in the ER, then its serious enough for you to take some time off from racing. Your "friend" who seems to be encouraging you to race obviously does not realize how serious pnemonia actually is. Take the time off NOW and recover and find a race to do in a couple months. You can not HTFU yourself through a serious illness (and yes, while pnemonia is very treatable in younger, healthy adults, it is still serious). |
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