Still running (and staying healthy)

I had a really busy summer due to some personal commitments.  I skipped the fall marathon that I have run for a couple years now because I didn’t have the time required to train.

With things slowing down and the weather changing I am back to regular running. I came across an article today on the health benefits of running relative to colds. During my past marathon training I recognized that I did not get the usual colds that I was suspect to get when the weather goes from hot to cold or vice versa. I thought there was a correlation and told several people about my theory – my training seemed to keep colds away. I never got a cold during my marathon preparation. More than one person seemed somewhat skeptical.

Today, I found an article on a study whose findings supports  my experience. Regular exercise reduces the chance for getting colds. Ironically, after a couple months of only casual running, I have had a nagging chest cold that just won’t fully go away. It’s the kind of thing I got before I started my serious running. As the article suggests, this kind of information is good motivation as the temperature cools and we head into winter. Today, I picked up the pace on a relatively hilly course.

Lifehacker: Regular Exercise Halves Your Chance of Catching a Cold