Getting back after sickness

As you may or may not know, I got sick at the Olympics a few weeks ago. I had been pretty tired beforehand after a lot of racing, and three days before the 50km I woke up with the typical symptoms: a ticklish throat and a stuffed nose.

I had been really excited for the 50km because it was in classic technique this time—which means it will be eight years until the next Olympic 50km classic. But I also knew I wouldn’t perform well. The moment I woke up and realized I was getting sick, I booked a flight and went to Norway to rest and recover.

There were still many races left in the season, and I wanted to try to save it.

Last year I got really sick after the World Championships in Trondheim. That time I felt like I didn’t have time to be sick, so I started training and preparing for races far too early. I was still coughing, still stuffy, and constantly tired.

After experiencing both approaches a few times now, I’ve learned that feeling bad during training or racing is much worse than simply resting and letting your body heal - and then suddenly you feel 100% again.

When I was younger, I often trained, raced, and went to school with a sore throat and obvious lingering sickness. At the time, we didn’t really have the knowledge or awareness to question whether it was smart to push through. Several winters I ended up with bronchitis and coughs that lasted well into the spring because of those decisions.

What I’m trying to say is that I now have some experience in this department—and I don’t want you, or anyone else, to make the same mistakes.

The three things that feel hardest when I get sick are:

• The guilt of taking several days off
• Adjusting a training or racing schedule with an unknown timeline
• The feeling of affecting people around you—especially if travel is involved

But the things that should weigh against those thoughts are:

• Taking 1–7 days completely off is far better than training and racing poorly for 2–3 weeks
• There is never just one race or one workout that defines everything
• People you care about can—and should—understand if you’re not healthy

When I feel that early “something is off” feeling in my body, here are a few things I try to do:

Drink a lot

Water, electrolytes, tea—anything that keeps hydration high

Rest

Just lie down, listen to music, or read a book. The less stress your body experience besides fighting the illness, the quicker it can recover.

Do things you normally can’t do while traveling or racing

Watch that movie. Bake those cookies. Call a friend. Do things you enjoy outside of training. It’s important to remember you’re more than an athlete

Fuel well

Even if you’re not as hungry as usual, try to keep a good routine of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Your body is working hard to fight the infection and needs energy. This is definitely not the time to cut down on food.

When I feel ready to train again, I wait one more day.

It has never hurt me to wait—but it has helped many times

I also keep track of my resting heart rate and HRV (heart rate variability) when I’m sick. If my resting heart rate is elevated and HRV is still off compared to my normal values, I know I’m not ready to start training yet. Over time you start to see patterns with your own body.

When I return to training, I always adjust the plan I originally had (Of course, talk to your doctor—this is just how I approach it.)

• If I had a stomach flu, I focus first on hydration and getting my energy back before gradually returning to training. I start with shorter, easy workouts for a few days until I feel properly fueled again.
• If it was a quick cold with no lung issues, I take a similar approach—easy training first. Sometimes my voice still sounds a bit stuffy, but my body feels good and I know I’m not gonna get worse from working out easy.
• The last things to come back in my plan are interval sessions, races, and strength training - basically things that are hard.
• If it’s a flu, COVID, or a cold with a cough, I do not train until my throat and lungs no longer hurt and I’m not coughing anything up. Lung congestion and inflammation is not something you want to push through.
• Once the cough is completely gone, I usually start with easy indoor training for 2–3 days to monitor how my body responds. If things go well, I get back into normal easy training for a few days before I attempt anything hard.
• Whenever I’ve had a cough, it always takes longer to get back to normal volume and intensity. But taking that extra time is the only way I’ve found to avoid setbacks.
• The thing that helps me most mentally during sickness is reminding myself that it’s just a period. It will end.
• There will always be something to look forward to once you’re back. For most people I know, they are not undertrained, and will most likely benefit from a real physical reset.

Even this time—getting sick at the Olympics, after also having a cold over Christmas—my first reaction was honestly: yeah, that makes sense. Looking back, I probably could have avoided it if I had listened to the signals my body was giving me a few days earlier that I needed a full day off or reduced training, but it was really hard to stay smart when at the actual Olympic Games. Hopefully next time I’ll listen and adjust even if it’s at the biggest event of my life.

I’m not saying any of this is easy. But if you can take something away from each time you get sick, you’ll handle it better the next time. It’s inevitable for most of us—even at the most inconvenient times. So be mentally prepared for it. Have hobbies, shows, movies, and things you enjoy ready for those days. And try not to be too hard on yourself. It will pass.

Now I’m back—and while the recovery took longer than I wanted, I’m not looking back anymore. There are so many exciting things ahead. We still have three more weekends of World Cup racing, and I’m grateful to be here. Hopefully I can stay fresh and healthy… and maybe that forced rest gave me exactly the energy I need for the rest of the season. We’ll see.

Have a great weekend, and thanks for reading.

Zak