Running distance and food intake

[RagingBITCH]

So I ran into a situation this weekend I'd like to get some input on. I'm getting back into running and saturday was my longest run @ 6 miles. I had dinner Friday night at 6:00PM and didn't really have much else to eat after that. I got up at 4:30 on Saturday morning and did my run. I did 6 miles @ 8:15 pace which isn't slow, but my HR was pretty chill hovering in the mid/high 150's. But when I was done I crumped. Got back home, stretched, stood up and about fell down due to be light headed. Got some fluids back in, took a shower and then had breakfast. And fell asleep on the couch for half an hour before my kids woke up for the morning.

I went almost 10 hours without eating and then did almost an 800 calorie burning, 49 minute workout. I'm thinking I need to get some carbs in me somewhere before then. I usually don't eat before running in the mornings but may need to reconsider on my long days. I don't think my body approved of that.

Could be lack of food, could be dehydration, low electrolyte levels, just worn out from the week, etc. Too many variables to tell based on just one workout. A lot of my friends fast before track/tempo workouts and are just fine (I used to as well).

PS - 150's is pretty high for your HR for an easy long run...may be your body's way of saying to back off

 

[vi edit]

I stay well hydrated through the day. Something I'm very good at. Intensity level wise, I've always gone off the "conversation" metric. If I can carry on full conversations, it's easy. Broken sentences and it's moderate/hard. Down to grunts and it's very hard.

I was able to carry on full conversations at that pace. Not scientific, but I also think that my ms band reads a bit high. I think it's off by 5-10bpm at that level, but don't have a chest strap to compare it to. If I run much slower than that I hate it because I plod too much. There's also quite a few hills so that spikes up the average a bit. There's almost 1200 feet of gain/loss over 6 miles. That's my every day loop. It's what many people seek out for hill training.

I'm fasting almost every run since it's almost always 8+ hours between my last meal and running. So that part wasn't unusual. Also did a 5 miler at 7:45 last week on a flat, fast trail with no ill effects afterwards.

Was just odd.

 

[Mursilis]

@vi_edit: Hard to draw conclusions off just one workout. See if it happens again. My BP is naturally low, but after I've run (esp. in the heat) and I'm dehydrated, it's super-low, and I get light-headed for the next several hours after I rise from sitting or lying down. Maybe your heart rate is slowing as your fitness is improving.

What's the benefit of fasting before workouts? I do a club run on Sat. morning and I'll usually put a little fuel in the tank before I go to that - maybe a granola bar or a small bowl of cereal. Not enough to give me a heavy stomach feeling, but just enough to have some fuel in the tank.

 

[vi edit]

@vi_edit: Hard to draw conclusions off just one workout. See if it happens again. My BP is naturally low, but after I've run (esp. in the heat) and I'm dehydrated, it's super-low, and I get light-headed for the next several hours after I rise from sitting or lying down. Maybe your heart rate is slowing as your fitness is improving.

My BP was pretty low baseline before running. 90/60. My resting HR is around 48. I haven't had vitals pulled since this spring. I've had issues in the past with getting light headed. This was just the first time in a month that I felt that way and it was after a run that was much less exerting than several others I had done (from an intensity standpoint). Plus it was after two days of rest. Just odd.