Allergy Season and Your Training Block – Brittany Kellogg

Allergy Season and Your Training Block: When to Push, When to Rest, and How to Adjust Your Training Without Derailing Progress

It’s that time of year again, everyone. The weather has warmed up, the trees have bloomed, and the pollen count is officially up. Everyone in Knoxville is sniffly, and there’s not much we can do.

One day it’s 40 degrees and crisp, the next it’s 70 and the air looks slightly yellow. For a lot of runners, that means itchy eyes, congestion, and the classic question: “Should I still run today?”

The good news is that most seasonal allergy symptoms don’t automatically mean you need to stop training. But they can affect recovery, breathing, and sleep—which means being a little flexible with your training block goes a long way.

Let’s break down how to make smart decisions when allergy season hits.

First: Know the Difference Between Allergies and Illness

A simple rule of thumb many coaches use is the “neck rule.”

Symptoms above the neck are usually safe to train through. Runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, mild sinus pressure, or scratchy throat from post-nasal drip can be trained through.

If your symptoms are mild and you otherwise feel normal, easy running is typically fine, but let’s reduce the volume by 20-30% (less time). The blood flow and vasodilation from the movement may actually improve your symptoms, provided you’re not going too hard.

Symptoms below the neck, however, are a different story. Chest congestion, deep coughing, fever or chills, body aches, or extreme fatigue should be taken seriously.

Those signs point more toward illness than allergies, and that’s when rest becomes the smarter choice.

My lovely coach, Mary Cates told me once, “If it’s in your chest, you need to rest. If it’s in your head, push through instead.” And I think that’s a beautiful little poem.

When in doubt, it’s always better to take a day off than push through something that could become a bigger setback. Training sick or injured always has the potential for more repercussions than missing a session.

Allergies and Training

Even when symptoms are mild, allergies can still influence your training! They don’t have to stop you, but also don’t expect them to be 10/10 runs. Your airways are inflamed, and sinus congestion may make breathing feel harder than normal. Your sleep quality is lower than normal due to the airway restriction during sleep. Your easy runs will feel harder than normal. Your immune system is working overtime during allergy season, and you may feel more tired than usual, making everything feel harder.

None of these mean you can’t run. They just mean you may need to adjust intensity.

If your symptoms are mild and above the neck, most runners can safely continue training by reducing the total mileage or intensity by about 20-30%. If your run feels like a race effort because your breathing is off, that’s a sign to dial it back to steady aerobic running instead. Go for the easy feeling, even if your pace is slower than your usual easy run pace.

Remember: the goal of a training block is consistent work over time, not forcing one specific workout.

Sometimes the best training decision is simply taking the day off. Taking one recovery day early often prevents a three-day slump later.

Your fitness doesn’t disappear overnight. Recovery is part of training.

How to Adjust Your Training if You Miss a Day

Don’t think about how to “make up” a missed workout. Think about your training as a flexible outline of time.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as taking a rest day earlier in the week than planned and shifting your workouts over one day. If you miss Tuesday’s workout, simply move it to Wednesday and shift the rest of the week back a day.

Sometimes it’s just missing one workout and picking the plan back up as written. Trying to squeeze two hard efforts into a short window increases injury risk and limits recovery. One missed workout won’t hurt your progress.

Sometimes allergies linger but you still want to move. You can simply convert the planned workout into an easy run. You still maintain aerobic volume without stressing a system that’s already working harder than usual.

Small Things That Can Help During Allergy Season

A few simple habits can make running more comfortable when pollen levels are high.

• Run earlier in the day when pollen counts are typically lower.
• Shower soon after running to remove pollen from skin and hair.
• Consider sunglasses to reduce eye irritation.
• Wash running clothes promptly after outdoor runs.

*For runners with more severe allergies, speaking with a healthcare provider about antihistamines or nasal sprays can also make a big difference.

The Bigger Picture

Allergy season is just another variable in your training—like heat, hills, or humidity.

The runners who stay consistent through spring aren’t the ones who push through everything. They’re the ones who adjust when they need to and keep showing up over and over and over again.

If symptoms are mild, keep running and stay flexible with effort.

If your body needs rest, take it without guilt.

One smart adjustment now can keep your entire training block moving forward.

And when the pollen finally clears, you’ll still be right on track.

Enjoy the sunshine, friends!

—bk