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Feeling tired and groggy after running

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 rossowen 31 Mar 2010
I'm not a regular runner, I run maybe once or twice a week for 5 miles around the block or over the local hill with the dogs.

This weekend I took it upon myself to run 5m/1000ft on Saturday then a flatish 15 miles on Sunday on road and have felt physically and mentally exhausted since. 15 miles is 5 miles further than I've ever run non-stop before though.

Do you always feel knackered for days after a longish run or does it get better/easier with time? I'd like to do it more often but it's not much good if I can't concentrate / form proper sentences afterwards.

 Rubbishy 31 Mar 2010
In reply to rossowen:

Sounds like a combination of factors. Primarily upping your mileage considerably. If you are used to running 5 miles, then putting in a 15miler is a big step up and likelyto leave you dehydrated and lacking in carbs.

I would also suspect your 5 miler the day before depleted your carb levels more than you think. Try to have something like a chocolate milkshake after a run - triathletes swear by them, or Rego or similar post training drink. keep an eye on your hydration and salt levelstoo. Try to flush out the lacticacid with lots (butnot too much) water and put a Nuun tablret in to prevent you losing electrolytes during the run and in the hydration period thereafter.

My ex is on a tri training camp in Spain at present and rang me in some distress on Monday after she blew up on a hilly 3 hourbike ride. She had neglected to fuel properly while travelling out there and her fast metabaloism meant she was perilously low on energy when she set off.

To condition your body, try one fasted early morning run a week, but make sure you carb up on return, through the day.

Also avoid anything too sugarey, including fruit sugars. This can lead to sugar spikes, bad moods, poor performance and interfere with your blood sugar levels.

Basically, you bit off a bit more than you can chew at this time and knackeredyourself. i have done it myself. A bitof food and rest and you will be ok.
OP rossowen 31 Mar 2010
In reply to John Rushby:

Thanks John, good advice. I'll have to look into the Nuun tablets, haven't heard of them before. I did have a protien shake afterwards with some L Glutamine which I was hoping would sort me out.

Can you recommend a source of carbs for the day after a morning run?

Do you think its possible to do those sorts of distances (and longer) then without feeling completely knackered afterwards, with proper fueling and a bit more training? Or is it one of those things where it will always take something out of you?

Cheers

ice.solo 31 Mar 2010
In reply to rossowen:

what JR said.

the yanks call it 'bonking' (a name i used as a teenager for something totally different)

yep, you can get to be running a bunch of 15kms a week. some people run way, way more.
takes time and a degree of social isolation, but can be done.
its ALL about the fueling. eat your crusts and be wary of the hype surround some supplements.
nutrition for running is a fickle things - be prepared for some uneasy reactions while you work it out. but hey, when your sports the endless pounding of mud and asphalt the occasional vomit in the bushes all part of the fun.

think tho:
youre staring down the barrel of a running addiction.
start a secret bank account asap for all the nerdy gear you will buy and destroy. stock up on medical tape. make friends with the people at Gu.

runnings awesome, particularly out in the hills. and you get to wear short pants you never would elsewhere.
 fimm 31 Mar 2010
In reply to rossowen:

> Do you think its possible to do those sorts of distances (and longer) then without feeling completely knackered afterwards, with proper fueling and a bit more training? Or is it one of those things where it will always take something out of you?

I think you train up to those sorts of distances. Look at even a beginners' marathon training plan - you train up to run about 20 miles as your long run. And people run even further than that - my bloke ran 26 miles in training for a 56 mile race. But you work up to those sorts of distances gradually, you take rest days as appropriate, etc etc etc. When I was training for the half marathon I did, I ran 10 miles on a couple of occasions and don't remember being particularly tired the next day.

That's a bit of a ramble, hope it helps...


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