CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Riding while ill

(10 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from thebikechain

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    So I was off work yesterday. The cold was bad enough, but add in the fact I virtually didn't sleep the night before through not being able to breathe properly and I felt blinkin' awful. Of course I was already in full cycling clobber before Mel declared, "You really do look ill".

    Anyway, bit better this morning, and I figure I'm okay to go in. On the bike. Well to be honest I think I caught this on the train on Saturday - public transport is just a giant germfest!

    But also, whenever I'm not well I've always found the endorphin rush (if that's what it is) means that while in the saddle I feel a lot better. I'm sure it does make people suspicious, they see you were ill the day before, then cycling on that morning. It's hard to explain to them - just take it a little easier, especially on the uphills, especially when there are more of them because you had to ride to TBC first to drop something off... It's only once I've got myself sat down at my desk that I've started to feel ropey again.

    So I pondering. Can I turn my bike into a mobile office.... ;)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. amir
    Member

    Get better soon! Hill climb on Tuesday!

    I find that if I have a light cold - without shaky legs and arms or congestion in the chest - a cycle ride can be really good for me. For one thing, it clears you out (!). Sitting at desk just allows me to feel sorry for myself.

    I am always a little fearful of public transport, esp in cooler weather because of the chance of infection.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Last time I had a proper stinking cold was back in March and rode the Moffat Toffee audax full of it. I completed the ride comfortably, although was probably 15 or 20% below what I would expect in terms of fitness, probably due to congestion affecting breathing. Like amir, I found that the only time that I "cleared out" was on the bike. He can attest that I sat in the car all the way back to Edinburgh sniffing and trying to blow my nose on scraps of tissue!

    However for about 2 weeks afterwards I lost all sense of taste and smell (to the point where I put cheese on my apple pie. Just because I could get away with it!)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    "Can I turn my bike into a mobile office"

    http://www.bikerumor.com/2009/08/04/mount-a-laptop-computer-to-your-bicycle-handlebar

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. wingpig
    Member

    Unless I'm in that pre-cold nasal-inflammation state (where the slightest waft of dry air, fagsmoke or FirstBus exhaust stabs painfully at the respiratory epithelium) then bike makes better.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. spitters
    Member

    ditto - I usually get from Slateford to Dalry before the throat clears (not nice to look at I appreciate) and I get to work feeling better - trouble is, like most, I then sit at a desk and feel cack again.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. crowriver
    Member

    The point about cold/flu is that if you go in, you'll give it to everybody else. They won't thank you for it.

    It does not mean you have to lie in bed all day and do nothing though. You could work from home, and why not get out on the bike? It's not cold, and the fresh air is good for you.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. ruggtomcat
    Member

    Exercise increases your immune response also, so you get better quicker.

    as for having an office on a bike... http://microship.com/resources/technomadic-tools.html

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    I vaguely remember a UK equivalent.

    Love this from your link -

    "The Roberts Law of Applied Mobile Gizmology: 

    If you take an infinite number of very light things and put them together, they become infinitely heavy."

    So much for aluminium sprockets and titanium bolts...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. thebikechain
    Member

    You dropped something off?

    p.s. i am also under the weather at the moment. One minute full of life, next, not.

    Having had an issue for some years, i stopped coffee, that helped massively. This week i have had 3 days without normal tea. caffeine free me is odd. It's amazing how much you rely on it.

    Anyway, runny nose, sore throat all that stuff. Don't feel like riding, but when on the bike feel ok. Odd!

    Posted 13 years ago #

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