You’ve put in the long miles, nailed your training sessions, and now race day is in sight. But just when it matters most, a sudden sore throat or a cold threatens to derail all your hard work. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

It’s surprisingly common for runners and endurance athletes to get sick in the final weeks leading up to a race. Whether it’s a minor cold, a nagging cough, or a general feeling of fatigue, these issues tend to pop up right when you’re wanting to be feeling your best. During your taper, your immune system can take a hit due to a combination of physical stress, reduced training stimulus, increased anxiety, and changes in routine. Add travel, disrupted sleep, or poor nutrition to the mix, and it creates the perfect storm for illness to creep in.

The good news? There’s a lot you can do to stack the odds in your favour and reach the start line feeling strong, healthy, and ready to perform. Below are some science-backed strategies, as well as some of my own practical tips to help you avoid getting sick before race day and protect your months of preparation.

1. Manage Stress – Mentally and Physically

  • Taper Correctly: Avoid overtraining in the final weeks. A proper taper reduces fatigue and allows your immune system to recover.
  • Mental Stress Matters: Work, travel, and even race nerves can impact immune function. Try deep breathing, journaling, or short meditations to stay calm. 

2. Prioritise Sleep

  • Aim for consistency: 7–9 hours of quality sleep is key, especially in the 10–14 days before race day. Sleep is a great recovery technique even when not you are not ill
  • Power naps can help if you’re struggling at night, try to keep them under 30 minutes. Coach Sam’s optimal nap time is 28 minutes 

3. Eat to Support Immunity

  • Immune-boosting foods: Focus on colourful fruit and veg, garlic, ginger, and fermented foods like yogurt or kefir.
  • Stay hydrated: Even mild dehydration can increase your risk of illness.
  • Hot Drinks – if you are beginning to experience a sore throat or blocked sinuses, a nice cup of tea would go down a treat. Sweeter the better to sooth the throat, potentially even swapping out the sugar for honey to help with this 

4. Be Cautious When Traveling

  • Planes and trains = germ hotspots. Use hand sanitiser, if not available BRING YOUR OWN. Avoid touching your face, and wipe down surfaces with some sanitary wipes.
  • Masks: We all got so used to wearing masks in 2020 so again if you’re in a confined space travelling to a race possibly wearing mask might just limit that risk of catching anything last minute – a go to of mine when travelling on a plane
  • Jet lag: Try to arrive a few days early to adjust to new time zones and reduce stress on the body. Remember to get in that sleep to get over the travel!

5. Practice Good Hygiene

  • Wash your hands often, especially after gyms, public places, or using shared gear.
  • Avoid sick people – politely decline close contact with anyone unwell, especially during taper week. 

6. Don’t Try Anything New!

  • New foods, supplements, or last-minute “miracle cures” can backfire. Stick to what your body knows and trusts. Try new stuff during training, not racing!

7. Listen to Your Body

  • If you feel a scratchy throat or fatigue coming on, take action early. Rest, hydrate, and skip intense sessions if needed. One missed workout is better than missing the race.

Your immune system is part of your performance team – treat it that way. With a bit of extra care and attention, you can reduce your chances of falling ill and make it to race day feeling strong and healthy.

This article was penned by NLC Coach Sam Goodchild. Sam brings a wealth of experience to the NLC coaching team, having worked with experienced coaches across the UK and the US, Sam has developed a unique coaching approach that blends running expertise with Strength & Conditioning—an area so many runners overlook!