Monday, May 23, 2011

Running is the ultimate High

I started my weekend with a healthy 8.25 mile run on Friday morning.  My friend Bekah joined me for the first half along one of my favorite trails through the Pekin parks.  Besides a couple bugs that flew into my mouth, it was the perfect start to the weekend.

Later that day, my hubby and I got all prettied up...


and partied like the end of the world was coming.... 
The Apocalypse!  The Great Rapture!  

Of course, I awoke on May 21 and world was still intact.  However, I was in pieces after too many celebratory drinks at the wedding reception.  Seriously, I know better.  I used to be quite the rockstar in the bar scene, but since running, I rarely have more than two drinks.  On Friday, I blew that limit out the window.  I had a fabulous time, no doubt about it. 

By Saturday night, I started coming down with symptoms of a head cold... sinus pressure, sore throat, cough, etc... I began to double-dose on Emergen-C.  I can not get sick.  Sunday morning wasn't much better, and I blew off my long run.  Needless to say, I spent most of the weekend napping, sipping vitamin drinks and gathering Kleenex boxes.

So why is it every time I splurge on alcoholic drinks, I get SICK?!?!  This morning I let the powers of Google do the research for me... and sure enough - no fluke!


"Excessive alcohol intake can harm the body's immune system in two ways. First, it produces an overall nutritional deficiency, depriving the body of valuable immune- boosting nutrients. Second, alcohol, like sugar, consumed in excess can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply, inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells, and lessen the ability of macrophages to produce tumour necrosis factors. One drink does not appear to bother the immune system, but three or more drinks do. Damage to the immune system increases in proportion to the quantity of alcohol consumed. Amounts of alcohol that are enough to cause intoxication are also enough to suppress immunity."   Source


So yes, alcohol does greatly inhibits the immune system, making your body more susceptible to germs.  I found interesting the part about sugar also because I always seem to indulge in sweets when I'm hungover too.  Can you say double-punishment to the immune system?  O'brother!


I got up this morning still feeling a little sluggish, but was determined to kick this cold in the butt.  At 5:10 am, I hit the pavement and logged close to 6 miles.  A slow start, but I was really booking at the end.  Low and behold, I feel WORLDS better afterward!  Running really is a much better high...

** Pssst, don't forget to give me VOTE today here!  Thank You!

14 comments:

  1. That explains much about my MOnday morning. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

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  2. Sorry you were feeling bad this weekend...Feel Better soon!

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  3. Hope you are feeling better! You look fab in that picture!

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  4. You look so pertty! I always find that once I get my butt out of bed and running, I feel much better. It is almost as if you sweat out the cold! Hope you are feeling cold free soon!

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  5. Agreed! Running helps me feel better, too! Get well!

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  6. Oh my goodness, no wonder I got sick this week. I've been wondering why I dodged illness all training cycle. Because I stayed away from the a a a a alcohol. That went out the window (twice, OMG) this past week and I have the sore throat, cough and achy chest to prove it.

    A day or two off, then I'll be back on the horse like you did. Way to get out there today!

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  7. The same thing happened to me at the beach last year, I went the beach for a week and we ended up drinking a little every night and by Thursday morning, I woke up with drainage and no voice and the beginnings of a cold! It was crazy, I was fine after a few days, but that's what drinking every day for 5 days straight will do to you! lol

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  8. ''Here's to alcohol, the cause of — and solution to — all life's problems.''
    -Homer Simpson

    Way to get out there today! Hope you feel better soon.

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  9. I've noticed this too.. even if I have only one or two drinks, I feel stuffy and sort of sick when I wake up in the morning.

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  10. Way to go on getting out there even though you were feeling under the weather! And I'm so glad the run made you feel better. I went out for a quick run on my lunch break and I feel great this afternoon. What a great pick me up!

    Oh and for sure lets virtual train for our marathons together! I will be working on putting my training schedule on my blog this week. I can't believe it's coming up so soon already!

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  11. Oh no, but fun times huh? I can't wait until I can say that I set out on my LONG run!!!

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  12. I'm jealous, I wish running made me feel that good! And interesting to know about getting sick.

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  13. So that's why I always got sick after a night of drinking and dancing! Glad I don't do THAT anymore!

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  14. Lovely picture! And I'm all about running out the alcohol toxins.

    BTW, been voting for you daily for a while now. ;o)

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