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Bubbles137
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12 Jul 2014, 1:46 am

Hi, I just ran my first ultramarathon (100k) and loved it, but ended up in A+E overnight because of low potassium/blood sugar levels and slightly irregular ECG because I didn't notice I was tired or low in sugars until I finished and nearly collapsed- was v shaky, nauseous and dizzy, and couldn't stand up properly without passing out. I genuinely hadn't noticed anything until that point, apart from some mild palpitations about 50k in. Has anyone else had this experience?

I think the problem is that I LOVE running- it's been my main obsession for about three years and when I run, I 'zone out' and don't really notice anything. It also makes me 'high' and feel amazing. I have problems with knowing how I feel in general anyway (even physical- I find it v hard to know when I'm hungry or tired, for example, until I go shaky or dizzy with lack of food, or my eyes keep closing and I nearly fall asleep standing up. Because of that, I have a routine every day where I eat/sleep etc at the same times, but that doesn't apply to v long runs and am finding it v hard to work out. I stuck to my usual eating times but it must have not been enough, but I didn't notice anything at all while I was running. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there a way around it? REALLY don't want to end up in hospital every time I do a long race!



MakaylaTheAspie
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12 Jul 2014, 3:02 am

I'd suggest replenishing your electrolytes frequently while your running, and drink a sh*t ton of water. Unsaturated fats and sugars should help keep your blood sugar at a normal level, and having a lot of carbohydrates before you do something vigorous helps a lot. (Like having spaghetti the night before an ultramarathon, drinking water and Vitamin Water/Gatorade, eating lots of foods rich in unsaturated fats, etc.)

Eat a lot of bananas. At least three before you start something. Those things are basically yellow potassium sticks. :lol:

I think carbs are the only reason I can get through a work day. And they sure helped a lot during rugby season. :lol:


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Waterfalls
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12 Jul 2014, 6:31 am

I would talk to an esperienced runner (I don't run so can't say) or trainer about just how much food and liquid, how often, do you need to aim for to make the running possible and fun.
And fast.

It's funny how ones attitude toward eating changes when there's exercise that is very satisfying---you start to eat more in order to be able to do what you want. It's weird, but can happen. Just make the connection in your brain you're eating to perform better. To run at all.



eric76
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12 Jul 2014, 9:01 am

v?



eric76
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12 Jul 2014, 9:03 am

A+E?



eric76
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12 Jul 2014, 9:07 am

MakaylaTheAspie wrote:
I'd suggest replenishing your electrolytes frequently while your running, and drink a sh*t ton of water.
Isn't drinking "a sh*t ton of water" is a good way to dangerously dilute your electrolytes?



Bubbles137
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12 Jul 2014, 12:05 pm

eric76 wrote:
MakaylaTheAspie wrote:
I'd suggest replenishing your electrolytes frequently while your running, and drink a sh*t ton of water.
Isn't drinking "a sh*t ton of water" is a good way to dangerously dilute your electrolytes?


Yep, you're right :/ really hard to get the balance right! I was eating a banana and drinking electrolytes every hour but apparently wasn't enough. Sorry, eric76 'v' means 'very' and 'A+E' is Accident and Emergency, the UK equivalent of ER.



eric76
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12 Jul 2014, 4:19 pm

[quote="Bubbles137"][quote="eric76"][quote="MakaylaTheAspie"]I'd suggest replenishing your electrolytes frequently while your running, and drink a sh*t ton of water.[/quote]Isn't drinking "a sh*t ton of water" is a good way to dangerously dilute your electrolytes?[/quote]

Yep, you're right :/ really hard to get the balance right! I was eating a banana and drinking electrolytes every hour but apparently wasn't enough. Sorry, eric76 'v' means 'very' and 'A+E' is Accident and Emergency, the UK equivalent of ER.[/quote]

Thanks. I thought that 'v' might be 'very' after I thought about it a bit, but had no clue at all about 'A+E'.

A few years ago, a medical doctor died at the end of the Houston Marathon because of an electrolyte imbalance. He was making his own sports drink and didn't maintain a high enough levels of electrolytes.

A few months before that, I ran into a rather strong problem when out on my bicycle one Friday evening. At the end of the ride, I was peddling easy to wind down when I suddenly felt very, very weak. That night, my resting heartbeat was in the 30 to 36 beats per minute range even though my resting heartbeat is usually a fair bit faster than it should be. It turned out to be a sodium deficiency. It took a few days to return to completely normal.



MakaylaTheAspie
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12 Jul 2014, 8:14 pm

eric76 wrote:
MakaylaTheAspie wrote:
I'd suggest replenishing your electrolytes frequently while your running, and drink a sh*t ton of water.
Isn't drinking "a sh*t ton of water" is a good way to dangerously dilute your electrolytes?


You also tend to lose a lot of fluids through sweat as your body works. Not drinking enough water and getting dehydrated is enough to send someone to the hospital, and it can seriously hinder your body's ability to perform.

What I really meant to say was drink water frequently. The suggested amount by health professionals in order to stay healthy is at least 2000ml a day.


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Bubbles137
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13 Jul 2014, 1:50 am

Thanks everyone- really good points about electrolytes. The problem I have is that I also panic about taking too many- I was adding electrolyte tablets to my water but didn't want to overdo it, and I have no idea how to work out the balance. I really want to do a v long run next year (145 miles) but if I can end up in hospital after 100k, I really need to work out how to do it safely first! But I LOVE distance running :)



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13 Jul 2014, 7:59 am

You ran a hundred kilometers? 8O I didn't even know that was possible. I get tired out if I even drive a hundred kilometers.

Anyway be careful. You don't want to end up like Pheidippides.



Marcia
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18 Jul 2014, 7:25 pm

I just started running this year - completed the Couch to 5K programme in May and am now working towards 6K. Well done on your ultra-marathon - I only found out about ultras a few months ago, and although I'm a looooooong way from that now, I'd like to be able to do one eventually. :)

The balance of fluid and nutritional intake is a complex one, but there's a lot of information out there on it. I've been reading magazines for runners, and checking out online resources like Runners' World. I'm sure if you look you'll find the information you're needing, and forums where you can discuss these issues with other long distance runners. You're not alone in struggling to find the right balance and to make sure you look after yourself properly on long runs. Some sessions with a sports nutritionist would be helpful too.

Again, well done on the run! I'm in awe! :D



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27 Jul 2014, 1:45 am

OP judging from your terminology you're in Australia and I may have run in the same event as you.

I suspect a number of things have resulted in you ending up in A&E.

This is your first Ultra and you've chosen to do a 100K? That's a huge step up from a marathon, did you do many runs of 60-80K in training to ready your body for 100K? A drastic increase in milage without adequate preparation is where most people go wrong with longer ultra events.

You stated that you have trouble picking up signals from your body as to when you're hungry and tired, this is particularly dangerous in an ultra runner. If you have a slower pace you're going to be contending with tiredness from the sheer time out there on your feet. Regardless of how much nutrition you take in during the run you will still have a significant caloric deficit. These issues can be dealt with by a sensible training program to condition your body to handle them.

The problems you mentioned are chiefly caused by electrolyte deficiency. Palpitations, irregular HR, dizziness, nausea. Low serum electrolytes can kill you. Magnesium, potassium and sodium are the three electrolytes that matter during ultra events. Proper supplementation both before and during the events make the difference between success and potential death. There's a number of techniques ultra runners use to deal with this, have a talk to people who are experienced to learn more.

The suggestion from one of the other posters that you should drink a lot of plain water during a long event is incorrect, drinking large amounts of straight water will worsen hyponatraemia.