Feeling sick after long runs.. (Read 1465 times)

I sometimes feel like this after a particularly hard effort over longer distances. Especially so in the heat an humidity. I find lying down flat helps. And, if you can't stomach electrolyte/recovery drinks and/or certain foods, try watermelon. It works great for me and I've heard the same from others.

Denis: If I may say so... I'm generally a lazy person and I hardly check anybody's log. Unless I'm actually interested, I don't really think it concerns me (yeah, a bad attitude, isn't it...?). Anyways, whatever triggered me, I checked your log--and I actually studied it. At this point, so running a few half marathons is your goal and, if I may say so, you seem to be doing a good job preparing yourself for that. So it seems like you've run a few 12+ milers and you are looking at some longer runs of 14, 15, and more miles. Now, in order to run a 13-miler, if your goal is actually just to survive it; I don't think it's necessary to go as far as 15 miles. Just to get by, I think something more like 8 miles may (or may not) be enough to survive through a half. Now, if you want to "race" a half marathon, or run one well in preparation for a marathon further into the future, I'd have you to go beyond 15. Right now my goal is to run 5ks and I'm going weekend 2-hour runs (usually about 16-miles) almost every weekend. I may actually jump in one of the toughest marathon races in the world (so they claim) in New Zealand next month and I'm sort of debating whether I should go a lot beyond that... If you want to "race" a marathon, some may even prescribe a 28-miler. It pays to go beyond the actual race distance. But to simply survive the long race, I think somewhere around 3/4 of the distance may be adequate (depending on how your own body reactes to a certain type of workout). Now, assuming you are seeking some performance improvement (given the fact you entertain the idea of doing some intervals/tempo/cruise, etc.); I see your problem (pardon me for using this word) being particular workout not having a specific purpose or focus. So you do your long run at 11:50-pace, do easy run at 11:40-pace, intervals at 11:10 and tempo at 10:30... I see many people doing workout like Yasso 800s and, if they run (actually race) at 10-mile pace, they might do the fast section at 10:50 and recovery jog at 11:10... As far as I'm concerned, it's not really fulfilling the purpose. There's a reason why we call speed training "speed" training. I think you would gain so much more by doing, say, something like repeat 200s (I'd say, up to 5 or 7 of them at first with MINIMUM 3-minute recovery in between) but do them FAST. This way, you'll teach yourself to actually run fast. Get up on your toes and run at 8:30 pace...! Hey, it's only 200m! As you continue, you'll get stronger and eventually you would be able to handle 10:00 pace for your easy run or even long runs simply because you'll be generally stronger. Or do some specific hill training to strengthen your legs.... Something like that. A friend of my wife came over yesterday and we talked about her training. She's training for TC marathon in October. She's run 3:40 for the marathon and she wants to improve. She just run a half marathon the day before on Saturday. "There's another half marathon coming up... Should I run it?" she said. I said I don't really see much purpose in doing it. So she did 1:43 the day before. She can easily cruise another half in 1:45 or so. That's not long enough as a preparation for a marathon in 9 weeks. It's not quite fast enough (like some 5k races) to develop speed. So the whole purpose of running half marathon would become a half-a$$ed. Likewise, if you're doing 10~14 miles as your long run at 11:00 pace, doing 6~8 at 11:00 pace for your "recovery" easy days don't really make sense to me. Might as well; cut it way down and do something like 3 miles at 13-minute pace? Now THAT is an easy recovery workout. If you want to do a tempo run, do 2~3 miles at 9:45 pace (since you HAVE run 10:10 or so pace before)? Why not concentrate and have some specific focus on each workout? Having a purpose or focus does NOT mean you have to get out and hammer your workout day after day after day. Recovery is a very important part of your workout; so your recovery day should be just that--recovery. If you need to take 2 or 3 days of "easy" days so you can have a very good long run, so be it; do it that way. Otherwise, you'll be running tired all the time. Just my 2 cents.

Denis: If I may say so... I'm generally a lazy person and I hardly check anybody's log. Unless I'm actually interested, I don't really think it concerns me (yeah, a bad attitude, isn't it...?). Anyways, whatever triggered me, I checked your log--and I actually studied it. Thanks for looking- it helps give persepective when someone actually looks at my log and the actual workout history At this point, so running a few half marathons is your goal and, if I may say so, you seem to be doing a good job preparing yourself for that. So it seems like you've run a few 12+ milers and you are looking at some longer runs of 14, 15, and more miles. Now, in order to run a 13-miler, if your goal is actually just to survive it; I don't think it's necessary to go as far as 15 miles. Just to get by, I think something more like 8 miles may (or may not) be enough to survive through a half. Now, if you want to "race" a half marathon, or run one well in preparation for a marathon further into the future, I'd have you to go beyond 15. Right now my goal is to run 5ks and I'm going weekend 2-hour runs (usually about 16-miles) almost every weekend. I may actually jump in one of the toughest marathon races in the world (so they claim) in New Zealand next month and I'm sort of debating whether I should go a lot beyond that... If you want to "race" a marathon, some may even prescribe a 28-miler. It pays to go beyond the actual race distance. But to simply survive the long race, I think somewhere around 3/4 of the distance may be adequate (depending on how your own body reactes to a certain type of workout). Yes, my goal is the Half for right now- for speed. I have already ran 2 10milers this Spring (one was to finish and the other was to better my time- accomplished) Now, assuming you are seeking some performance improvement (given the fact you entertain the idea of doing some intervals/tempo/cruise, etc.); I see your problem (pardon me for using this word) being particular workout not having a specific purpose or focus. So you do your long run at 11:50-pace, do easy run at 11:40-pace, intervals at 11:10 and tempo at 10:30... I see many people doing workout like Yasso 800s and, if they run (actually race) at 10-mile pace, they might do the fast section at 10:50 and recovery jog at 11:10... As far as I'm concerned, it's not really fulfilling the purpose. There's a reason why we call speed training "speed" training. I think you would gain so much more by doing, say, something like repeat 200s (I'd say, up to 5 or 7 of them at first with MINIMUM 3-minute recovery in between) but do them FAST. This way, you'll teach yourself to actually run fast. Get up on your toes and run at 8:30 pace...! Hey, it's only 200m! As you continue, you'll get stronger and eventually you would be able to handle 10:00 pace for your easy run or even long runs simply because you'll be generally stronger. Or do some specific hill training to strengthen your legs.... Something like that. If you actually take a look at my actual Interval and or Tempo work detail you will see what my actual paces where, the way I put it in I think my paces are getting combined as a whole workout. For Intervals- take last weeks workout, I actually did 3x 1600's at a 9:37/9:02/8:58 and my recovery times are there as well- I did 800 meter recoveries. I think this is why it appears my pace is what it is, because it is combining my recoveries in there as well- should I log it differently? Would it benefit me more/better to do shorter intervals? My tempo pace is about a 10:30 or there abouts. So I assumed I was doing okay with my slow/easy runs being anywhere from a minute or 2 slower than my speed work/race pace as my last race 10miler was at 10:04. Sometimes I admit, I have a hard time bringing my pace down on easy or lsd's. A friend of my wife came over yesterday and we talked about her training. She's training for TC marathon in October. She's run 3:40 for the marathon and she wants to improve. She just run a half marathon the day before on Saturday. "There's another half marathon coming up... Should I run it?" she said. I said I don't really see much purpose in doing it. So she did 1:43 the day before. She can easily cruise another half in 1:45 or so. That's not long enough as a preparation for a marathon in 9 weeks. It's not quite fast enough (like some 5k races) to develop speed. So the whole purpose of running half marathon would become a half-a$$ed. Likewise, if you're doing 10~14 miles as your long run at 11:00 pace, doing 6~8 at 11:00 pace for your "recovery" easy days don't really make sense to me. Might as well; cut it way down and do something like 3 miles at 13-minute pace? Now THAT is an easy recovery workout. If you want to do a tempo run, do 2~3 miles at 9:45 pace (since you HAVE run 10:10 or so pace before)? Why not concentrate and have some specific focus on each workout? Having a purpose or focus does NOT mean you have to get out and hammer your workout day after day after day. Recovery is a very important part of your workout; so your recovery day should be just that--recovery. If you need to take 2 or 3 days of "easy" days so you can have a very good long run, so be it; do it that way. Otherwise, you'll be running tired all the time. Just my 2 cents.

I currently now am doing,mostly easy with one Speed workout a week, with one Long that I am adding to gradually. I do want to finish for time, I know I can do more than just finish. My body has some get up and go, I have seen it in action during some of my speed work, I just need to learn to tweak and hone in on it. This is one of my issues, I never push myself to my potential- its almost as if Im scared to. I have a year of continuity under my belt and it has been a gradual progression. Next Spring I want to run my first full. Right now, I want to focus on these 2 halfs and I also have a 5k Im doing as well.

I seem to be noticing a trend with me after I do my long runs AND after a race. I feel good right after and then I slowly start to go downhill where I feel nauseaus and begin to have some GI issues along with a nice headache... I am one of those people that come home coated with salt on my face and legs. Electrolytes too low? Sugar bottoming out? Help- I always feel so good on my runs most times but when I do long runs I know that I am gonna be doomed to feel sick later on.

FWIW, especially with your comment about salt coated on the face and legs, hydration and electrolyte replacement are the first things you should make sure are taken care of. Have you checked sweat loss by weighing yourself (dry) before and after the runs? As the saying goes - "A pint's a pound..." Some people are surprised when they learn that they can lose a quart an hour (or more) in sweat. It varies by the individual, but in warm weather I easily can lose a quart an hour (my wt: ca. 150 lb.) Elecrolyte replacement can be done a number of ways... I just carry some Endurolyte capsules, and of course my water bottle. Be advised that some people say one shouldn't take in any calories in the first 40 minutes or so of a run. Who knows? I don't take in Calories in any training runs, period, (or before runs for 8-15 hours) so I don't worry about that. I have found that on runs over 2 or 3 hours I need to take an Endurolyte or two to keep my quads from being a little sore/stiff afterwards. Maybe that stiffness is just lack of hydration, though. One other thing - sugar concentration above some level will hinder the emptying of fluid from the stomach. People have different reactions here. The one time that I definitely had too much in the way of sugars in my stomach was a complete disaster. Now I drink only water on all training runs, and dilute the sport drinks at races with water 1:1 or 2:1 ... If you know you're hydrating properly (by weighing), and have tried electrolyte replacement to see what you need, then worry about the other stuff... Good luck, and good running - Gino

Denis: My bad! :-P Now that makes sense why your tempo run's pace is faster than intervals! So that's the "average" pace; not the fast section... How stupid of me! Now your program looks heck of a lot better than I once thought! Sorry about that!

No problem- I am still trying to figure out how to log properly

Thoughts on electrolyte replacement, weighing yourself, and hydration: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Be sure to read the comments sections as well, as they provide further explanation.