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Running after giving blood... (Read 207 times)


Latent Runner

    Hey gang, today the Red Cross visited my company on their regular four or five time a year schedule, and in I went and dutifully gave blood.  The thing is, while I've been giving blood for years (decades), I've never donated blood while at the same time running as many miles as I typically run in a week.

     

    The instructions said to refrain from any stressful physical activities for a period of five hours, so I said to the technician, "It's eleven o'clock now, that means I should be able to run my normal after work routine this afternoon."

     

    "Well, that depends," he said, "how far do you typically run?"

     

    "Ten miles."

     

    "A day?  Uhhh, no, that's probably too far."

     

    In the end I listened to his advice about concentrating on rehydration and cutting my run short, and scaled my run back to six miles at a rather slower pace than normal.  When I finished I did feel a little more rubber legged than usual, that said, I really don't know if I felt that way for psychological or physiological reasons, or maybe a bit of both.

     

    My question is this; how long does it take the average human body to replace 17-18 ounces of blood?  Conversely, how long will it be before I'm able to run my normal ten mile circuit with my normal vigor?

    Fat old man PRs:

    • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
    • 2-mile: 13:49
    • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
    • 5-Mile: 37:24
    • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
    • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
    • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
    SillyC


      Oooh, shipo - kind of a long time.

       

      Here's a good article from runners world:
      http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/7-strategies-giving-blood-while-running-and-racing


      Feeling the growl again

        The plasma will be replaced in a few days.  Replacing the red blood cells to the former level, 2-3 weeks.

         

        Back in my poor grad school days, I donated plasma.  I can't say I felt it had any real effect on my training, as long as I rehydrated appropriately.  So I'd be more concerned about the RBCs.

         

        I can't say I have personal experience with donating blood, as about the time I started considering doing that I realized I had iron issues and it was a bad idea.  But I think the advice they gave you was BS.  As  a trained runner, you may need to take it easy and delay workouts a few days but to say you can't run an easy 10 from donating blood the day before....BS.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         


        Latent Runner

          Oooh, shipo - kind of a long time.

           

          Here's a good article from runners world:
          http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/7-strategies-giving-blood-while-running-and-racing

           

          Thanks for the link (sort of), that article basically said I did it wrong (what else is new?), I probably shouldn't have run even my six slow miles today.  Tomorrow's schedule probably needs altering as well in that I have/had a 6-8 mile morning run planned along with noon and evening group runs with our corporate running team (3-4 miles each).  Given that there are plenty of newbies in the group runs, those are probably okay, but it looks like I get to sleep in tomorrow morning.  Smile

          Fat old man PRs:

          • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
          • 2-mile: 13:49
          • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
          • 5-Mile: 37:24
          • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
          • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
          • Half Marathon: 1:42:13


          Latent Runner

            As  a trained runner, you may need to take it easy and delay workouts a few days but to say you can't run an easy 10 from donating blood the day before....BS.

             

            Prior to reading the Runner's World article linked above I would have been inclined to agree with you, now I'm not so sure.  I'll report back tomorrow night and let y'all know how I felt after the group runs.

            Fat old man PRs:

            • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
            • 2-mile: 13:49
            • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
            • 5-Mile: 37:24
            • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
            • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
            • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
            LedLincoln


            not bad for mile 25

              It's an individual thing, so you need to be the ultimate judge.  I barely notice my blood donations, and run my regular distance the following morning, but I run by feel and keep it easy.  No speedwork.  As a morning runner, with morning donations, it's less of an issue for me than what you describe.  YMMV.  If a race is coming up within a week or so, I defer the donation until after the race.

                Back when I was young and indestructible, I donated blood in the morning.  Since they gave us the rest of the day off as a bribe, I hopped on my bicycle and pedaled six miles home, changed clothes and pedaled another 13 miles to the airport.  When I got there, I realized that a flying lesson would not be a good idea.  The ride home was a struggle, partly because of the 1000 foot elevation gain.

                 

                A hard workout after giving blood did no damage, but was tiring.


                Latent Runner

                  Back when I was young and indestructible, I donated blood in the morning.  Since they gave us the rest of the day off as a bribe, I hopped on my bicycle and pedaled six miles home, changed clothes and pedaled another 13 miles to the airport.  When I got there, I realized that a flying lesson would not be a good idea.  The ride home was a struggle, partly because of the 1000 foot elevation gain.

                   

                  A hard workout after giving blood did no damage, but was tiring.

                   

                  Yeah, I felt pretty wiped out last night after only six miles, rubber legs and all; I definitely wouldn't have wanted to climb into the left seat, gone through the check-list, lied to my CFI that I felt well, and then gotten into the air.  Good move on your part.  Smile

                  Fat old man PRs:

                  • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                  • 2-mile: 13:49
                  • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                  • 5-Mile: 37:24
                  • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                  • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                  • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
                  Buzzie


                  Bacon Party!

                    Definitely an individual thing. Back in the day, donating a pint always left me on the recovery cot for an hour or so - dizzy, sweating, and cramping. Running would not have been an option (not that it mattered, because I wasn't a runner). Finally took their advice to "not do this again."

                     

                    <goes off to search for RA Pilots group ...>

                    Liz

                    pace sera, sera

                      On days I give blood I either take the day off or run before the donation. The next day's run I feel a bit of fatigue, but it's not noticable in less than a week. Just don't expect any PR's the same week.

                        I think a better idea would be to TAKE a pint (Like Lance Armstrong), do your run, then afterwards, go in and GIVE 2 pints.  Might set a PR with all them extra RBC's   Smile

                         

                        On  a serious note though, I agree fatigue would be expected.  Less RBC's carrying oxygen.  But I do have a question:  Is there any large health risk that could come from a strenuous exercise like speed drills or a hard long run right after giving blood?  (Is there any increase in danger of stroke, heart attack, something really significant like that?)

                        .

                        The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

                        Joann Y


                          On  a serious note though, I agree fatigue would be expected.  Less RBC's carrying oxygen.  But I do have a question:  Is there any large health risk that could come from a strenuous exercise like speed drills or a hard long run right after giving blood?  (Is there any increase in danger of stroke, heart attack, something really significant like that?).

                           

                          In general, the donor screening process is meant to decrease risks to both the donor and the recipient, excluding donors with potential health issues that would increase their risk of an adverse reaction. All that to say, the risk of a cardiac event (heart attack, etc) is minimal but not 0%. I agree with what other folks here have said, go by feel and avoid workouts for a day or two. Personally, I don't think I would shy away from a 10 mile run but I might do more like 3 3-mile loops or something like that to keep it reasonably close to home. Probably wouldn't do it on the actual day of donation though.


                          Latent Runner

                            Donation Day +1: I just finished my second run of the day with the company running club, in total I ran about 7.5 miles at a relatively slow pace and don't feel too worse for the experience.  Said another way, I feel way-WAY better than I did after the six (even slower) miles I ran yesterday.  Tomorrow morning I have been planning on a 10-miler before work; I'll run a full systems analysis at the four mile mark, and if all is well, I'll go the extra mile before turning around.  Smile

                            Fat old man PRs:

                            • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                            • 2-mile: 13:49
                            • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                            • 5-Mile: 37:24
                            • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                            • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                            • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
                            NHLA


                              I don't run the day of or the nx day after a donation.  You don't need to run the day of because you want to be well hydrated also I want an accurate BP and heart rate #.  Don't need to run the nx day just to let your body recover.

                              Running after a donation is like not taking a rest day after a long hard run. You will just carry the tired with you all week.


                              Latent Runner

                                Maybe I've been lucky; don't know.  Maybe by virtue of the fact that I drink copious quantities of oolong tea per day (upwards of six liters), it is a rare thing when I suffer the effects dehydration, errr, at least at this time of year.  Either way, I ran 6 miles the day of the donation, and as I first reported, that run was difficult and I felt lethargic for the rest of the evening.  Thursday I felt pretty good and ran 7.5 miles with my company's running club.  Friday I put in 11 miles at pretty much my normal training pace, and yesterday I did 13 hilly trail miles and felt great.

                                 

                                With all of the above said, I will make it a point to run in the morning on the day of the next donation and to take the day after easy; I'll probably skip a donating if a race is looming close on the horizon.

                                Fat old man PRs:

                                • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                                • 2-mile: 13:49
                                • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                                • 5-Mile: 37:24
                                • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                                • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                                • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
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