What\’s the neck check? Every cyclist has the occasional day of waking up to realize, \”Oh, no — I\’ve got a cold!\”  Should you ride, or not? Do a neck check!

Are your symptoms above the neck? Stuffy head and scratchy throat? But no chest congestion and no fever? Then it\’s OK to go for a ride; but go easy. If riding makes you feel worse, turn around and go home.

But if your symptoms are below the neck; if your chest feels congested and/or you\’re feverish, don\’t bother with exercise. The Cyclist\’s Training Bible even mentions the risk of developing Coxsackie  if you train while ill. It can take a long time to recover from that, so don\’t risk it.

Something the neck check seems to omit is this: even if you lack below-the-neck symptoms, you might feel dizzy, and/or off-balance. I\’m quite prone to that when my head gets stuffy. Dizziness doesn\’t mix well with balancing on two wheels.

Oddly, I\’ve had much less trouble with colds since I took to pushing the pedals. I\’ve even gotten caught out in the rain on a cold day, which people once believed meant, \”You\’ll catch your death!\” Well, I\’m still here.

Of course we now know that colds are caused by viruses, not by getting cold and/or wet. But next time I wake up feeling like a cold (and it\’s bound to happen some day), I must remember the Neck Check.