Ok, been training all spring/summer for our local half marathon in 2weeks, but have just been struck down with a cold (runny nose, temperature, etc) sooooo should I just ease up and hope 6 months of training enough or slot back into the usual tues/thurs fast/ hill sprints sessions? Was planning on easing back next w/e, but missed today's usual long Sunday run – 16 miles, so guess I'm panicking now!

I guess it depends on how robust you think your immune system is, but if I was running a temp then I wouldn't. IIRC it takes roughly two weeks for any training to start making an improvement to your speed/endurance, so stopping now really shouldn't make much difference.

If the half is in two weeks you should be tapering your training already.

Nothing you do now (training-wise) will improve your performance on the day. Take it easy and look after yourself.

missing one run out of 6 months training can't be that catastrophic even if it is a big one. As above, two weeks is too short notice to be making much of a difference. last few days before the race should be rest days anyway. I'd sit out the cold and put in a couple of shorter runs when you're feeling better. Just don't forget to keep stretching!

You won't lose anything in 2 weeks. Take a week off and look forward to your carb loading.

yep, lay off, do a few easy runs and eat pasta, porridge or rice for ever meal

If it's a half marathon, it shouldn't be too problematic to miss a week or two; if it were a marathon it'd be a different thing! Personally I'd try some lower-intensity midweek short runs to keep the immune system going, then start ramping it up as the cold dies away, but obviously YMMV.

What ever you do, do not train! I did this during the summer preparing for triathlons, I ended up out for 7 weeks and didn't do well in the races I raced.

Feet up, have a rest, get better then train back up to the level you were at. You will make it far worse if you train ill.

rest – I once ended up with bronchitis by trying to shake off a cold by going out for a long ride in the wind and rain

Do not exercise hard with a cold. It has a link with sudden adult death syndrome! Where fit people keel over and die

Gentle exercise is good but nothing hard at all.

You might be as well to take real medical advice about running the half marathon in a couple of weeks

It might be a load of old cobblers, but don't they say something like if the symptoms are above your neck it's OK, if below then lay off. Personally I'd lay up. I feel like I'm starting a cold today in fact. I've got a 13mile fell race next sunday, so perhaps it's my subconcious giving me an excuse to pull out 🙂 ?

I would not run with a cold, especially as you have more or less done all the training you need to do. The last thing your immune system needs while fighting the cold is you putting your body under more stress from training.

If the half is in two weeks you should be tapering your training already.

Its only a half – a week easy is more than plenty time to taper.

To the OP – i agree with AdamT above: if the cold's on your chest, give it a rest. If its all in your head, go ahead.