Useful advice from LCC member and medical doctor, Adrienne Moolman

It’s winter and there of loads of people that are sick so I get asked often if someone should race? You sometimes feel sick but not that sick that your body aches and you can’t get out of bed. It’s then that you wonder if it’s going to be okay to race – or train. Here’s my advice…

So, let’s clarify things first. Racing is racing flat out with all you can give – otherwise what is the point? So, if you aren’t up to racing flat out, max heart rate because you are sick, you should not race! You will not have a great race anyway, you will delay recovery and jeopardise your next race too. So that means two or more below-average performances and it’s risky.

You are far better off recovering in bed or if you are okay-ish a light, easy low heart rate Zone 2 spin. If you don’t feel worse the next day, then more Zone 2 and then slowly add intensity as you recover. If you feel worse after your ride rest again for at least two days and then try again if you feel up to it.

The general rule is if you feel like you want to train:

If it’s above the neck (headache, earache, sinus, runny nose, sneezing) – then it’s okay to train easy.

If it’s below the neck (fever, body aches, cough (lungs), wheezing/tightness chest, vomiting, diarrhoea – no training!

With regards to antibiotics:

If you are sick enough to require antibiotics, you should not race! If you aren’t that sick, then you should not be using antibiotics because that creates resistance.

The problem with antibiotics is two-fold:

1. The illness you are treating. Above and below the neck as above.

2. The antibiotic itself.

There are different types of antibiotics and issues related to them.

1. Tendon rupture – This is associated with Fluoroquinolones- things like Ciprobay in South Africa. They carry a black box warning, so risk is high of tendon rupture. 

2. Cardiac Dysrythmia – Macrolides – so this is like Erythromycin and Clindamycin and Fluoroquinolones like Moxifkoxicin as well as Azithromycin – Zithromax – all are associated with cardiac dysrhythmias. Add this to exercising at a high heart rate and you increase the risk. So ultimately, it’s best to avoid stressing the heart while on antibiotics. Yes, training at low heart rate, but not racing.

Also, do not just skip your dose before the race. The drug is still in your system and you increase your risk of resistance to antibiotics!

3. Photosensitivity

4. Diarrhoea/Upset stomach

5. Decreased performance 

It is under debate, but it is said that antibiotics affect mitochondrial performance (power cells in your body) so lead to decreased performance.

So ultimately, taking antibiotics will decrease performance and put you at higher risk of other physical issues or even injury, so racing is not worth it. None of us are pro cyclists who will lose our jobs for not racing. So, it’s not worth the risk. And even then, when pro cyclists are sick, they rest until they are well again.

Recover properly and hit the next race hard, strong and in form!