Calling all RUNNERS

[mrking]

Just curious how many runners there are on this forum.

I've been running since 2004 when I first started Atkins. It was tough at the beginning but now there is not feeling like running 10K.

I especially love the LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs on the weekend. There is just something about a slow pace over a long distance that is therapeutic.

I use to suffer from crashing in my runs, but it was suggested to me to eat 2g of sugar carbs before the run. Low and behold it works great. I can run longer and feel fresher with just those 2g (5 Smarties).

Anyone have suggestions for what they eat after a run for recovery? I used to drink a protein shake, but lately I have just resorted to drinking lots of water.

Cheers,

Michael

[kaypeeoh]

Nobody had responded in the past 24 hours so I guess the answer is not many runners on this forum. 2 grams of sugar is next to nothing. I've mentioned before that fat burns in a carb flame. Some carb is needed to fuel the fat-burning furnace. If you get quality runs on 2 grams of sugar, you must be well adapted to utilizing body fat.

I run during my lunch hour and eat as soon as I'm done. Generally a mix of protein and carb such as a tuna sandwich. For a hard workout, a protein meal makes more sense than just water.

[lkpetro]

I am a runner, I agree with kaypeeoh, two grams of carbs is not enough for health or running

[JL53563]

I am a runner, I agree with kaypeeoh, two grams of carbs is not enough for health or running

The body requires zero dietary carbs for health or running. Any glucose needed can be supplied via gluconeogenesis.

[mammac-5]

Runner, here. But I'm a "cardio-bot" and run primarily on the treadmill...more friendly to my old knees and back than running on pavement outdoors. I have run a 5K outdoors (is there any other sort?) and that was fun.

I get to the gym 3 times/week and run for 30 minutes most times. I like to do intervals -- both speed/sprinting intervals and also incline intervals that simulate "real" running outdoors without the dangers.

[lkpetro]

I run about 40 miles a week, 3-4 times a week and cycle on my off days from running

[mrking]

2g of sugar carbs is just to get me going. It prevents me from crashing half way through. Did 8K today and felt so good I picked up the pace for the last 1K.

I'd put my current daily carb intake at between 25 and 40 and have no issues with my runs.

[mrking]

I am a runner, I agree with kaypeeoh, two grams of carbs is not enough for health or running

You have misquoted him, he says nothing about it being "not healthy". Were you under the impression that that is my daily intake?

I prefer to try and burn my fat as fuel instead of supplementing it with digested carbs.

[lkpetro]

No, I added the unhealthy part myself, but I thought you meant that was your total intake

What does the rest of your menu look like?

[Bowulf]

I am another runner. I am average 25-35 miles per week, and training for my next half marathon in a couple weeks. I eat about 30-40g/day, and haven't really had a problem on any of the long runs (12m) for energy sake. If you find a small bit of simple sugar helps stimulate your running, I don't see a problem. For me, a bit of caffiene helps with the morning runs. I do typically run on an empty stomach of food though -- either before breakfast or before lunch.

[obsessive]

I run every single day, The past month I decided to eat real eggs and ground turkey w/ 7% fat. My runs have been harder because now I feel like a greasy, sweaty, fat, pig!!!!!! Back to my lowfat/no carbs where I did 8 miles a day just fine!

[droppin]

I wish I could run.. That is funny me running not with my health ... maybe soon after I lose some of this weight I could

[Allergymom]

Runner here..

I do the local police/fire 10K every May and getting ready to run a 1/2 marathon on May 5th..Been training...Having to cut back some due to stress fracture in my leg..trying to hold out till after the race then will cut way back..Not out to win or worry about my time..Just wanting this to be my goal and finishing the race..

[Dylan]

Just saw this thread!

I run 5-6 x per week! I love it. I just finished my first 10kms last month. I finished the race in 55 mins 48 sec. I wanted to make it under an hour so I can't complain.

2 grams of carb is like 8 kcals. i would go through that suorce of energy in 1 minute! Especially since they are pure sugar grams! Maybe a more complex carb or protien might be better for longer endurance runs since it absorbs slower? Justa thought. ;)

[kaypeeoh]

A slower absorbed starch would be better for long distances. Protein has to be digested and absorbed and shunted to the liver before it can be reprocessed into glucose. The fastest absorbed stuff is potatoes. It gets into the blood as glucose faster than table sugar can. Whole grain bread is better in that respect because it is digested slower.

I don't know how it works for 10 races. But for marathons the aid stations usually have something like gatorade.

[lkpetro]

a 1/2 banana really is the best pre-run snack for me. I think it is an individual thing, banana balances my blood sugar best and gives me a goood long sustaining energy cycle

[runnr]

I'm in the wish-I-could-run group. I'm 9 months pregnant!

Cannot WAIT for the baby to come out so I can get back to it!

I've run 3 full marathons and 5 halfs. I loooooove running!

[kaypeeoh]

A friend ran Boston when she was 7 months along. A lot of runners run Boston even though they hadn't qualified. They're called Bandits. My friend ran Boston (legally) with a sign on her belly: Bandit on board.

[lkpetro]

A friend ran Boston when she was 7 months along. A lot of runners run Boston even though they hadn't qualified. They're called Bandits. My friend ran Boston (legally) with a sign on her belly: Bandit on board.

that's so funny, I qualified for boston but never run it. Have you?

[kaypeeoh]

Not even close. I'm a tractor, not a Ferrari. I can go all day but have no speed. Every time I tried programs designed to get me a qualifying time, I injured myself. I'm not losing much ground as I age. I assume by the time I'm 80 I will be able to meet the qualifiying time. :-)

[lkpetro]

Not even close. I'm a tractor, not a Ferrari. I can go all day but have no speed. Every time I tried programs designed to get me a qualifying time, I injured myself. I'm not losing much ground as I age. I assume by the time I'm 80 I will be able to meet the qualifiying time. :-)


Well it's always good to have goals, 80 year olds have alot of spunk! plus people would probably move out of your way quicker, you can pull the race card on them

see I am the opposite, I can run fast mid-distance, but I simply get bored in longer things, a marathon is really pushing it for me, I prefer halfs, even 10K's. I think if we combined the two of us, we might have a world class runner :)

[runnr]

I intend on qualifying for Boston when I'm 80, when the qualifying standards are - "You finished a marathon. Period"

[missatkins]

Hi all fellow runners,

Just thought I'd let you know that I've been running regularly for about 5 years (been on Atkins throughout). I run Monday to Friday in the mornings for an hour (7 miles each day), and then on a Saturday/Sunday I do a 10 miler. I normally run on an empty stomach, and have no problems at all. The only carbs I have are from salads and vegetables and sometimes I have a few nuts (brazil nuts or macadamias). I also do Ashtanga yoga 3 times a week.

[MeatGood]

Ok, here are all the runners.
I posted on the Paleo diet section and had no luck, but figured there had to be some low carb runners out there.

I used to run further distances before I had kids, after that I stopped running for a while, but have recently gotten back into it.
I also am a Paleolithic Eater, so basically very little carbs. at all in my diet.

I did have a question for all you low carb. runners out there, especially for those how are trying to lose weight also.

I have noticed over the last 2 months that when I increase my running distance, my weight loss plateaus for a few days. Even though my food consumption is the same.

I found this very strange, thinking that more calorie burn would equal more weight loss, or at least the very same amount of loss.

Basically I have been increasing my run to compensate for fewer calories burned, as I lose weight. So, for every 5 pounds of weight loss, I add some distance to my run.
Recently I went from 3K to 4K and again, the weight loss stalled for a few days.

Yes, I know in general that 3K and 4K are not very far distances, but still, it is a calorie increase greater than the calorie loss due to losing 5 lbs.

So I wondered, has anyone else experienced this, and has anyone else ever come across a good reason for this?

Thanks. And once again, it was nice finding all the low carb runners finally.

[kaypeeoh]

I think obsessing over the scale does you no good. For a man, increased exercise causes increased muscle to develop. You build leg muscle when walking or running. So the scale could be reflecting that.

For a man or woman, increased exercise causes increased fluid in the muscles. If you're exercising to the point of lactic acid production, you're tearing muscle tissue at the microscopic level. That causes a lot of blood, lymph and fluid the congregate in the muscles, just as it does for real injuries. It all shows up as weight on the scale. And for women, TOM seems to stall them.

The best thing: A skin fold caliper will never lie to you. It shows body fat percentage ONLY and is not affected by TOM, enflamed muscles, dehydration, the 2000 calorie dinner, whatever.

The worst thing: A skin fold caliper will never lie to you. It won't show dramatic fat loss over a short period because fat doesn't disappear quickly.

[MeatGood]

You have a good point there, about the muscle tearing, and water retention.
So basically as the muscles get used to the new level of exercise, they go back to their normal levels of performance, but when I increase again, it the loss stalls again due to retention of water once more.

Pondering this then, which do you think would be better for weight loss over time?
Since running is my exercise of choice I will use it in my example:
A. I can either having larger increases in distance less often.
B. Smaller increases in distance more often.

So lets say the distance increase is 1 mile over a period of 1 month.
I could remain running my same distance for 1 month, then at the end of the month increase my running by 1 mile or I could increase my distance by a quarter of a mile every week for the month.

Between the two choices, which do you think would provide the greater weight loss over time?

From what you said, it almost appears that A would produce better results.

[kaypeeoh]

You have a good point there, about the muscle tearing, and water retention.
So basically as the muscles get used to the new level of exercise, they go back to their normal levels of performance, but when I increase again, it the loss stalls again due to retention of water once more.

Pondering this then, which do you think would be better for weight loss over time?
Since running is my exercise of choice I will use it in my example:
A. I can either having larger increases in distance less often.
B. Smaller increases in distance more often.

So lets say the distance increase is 1 mile over a period of 1 month.
I could remain running my same distance for 1 month, then at the end of the month increase my running by 1 mile or I could increase my distance by a quarter of a mile every week for the month.

Between the two choices, which do you think would provide the greater weight loss over time?

From what you said, it almost appears that A would produce better results.

For what you're asking it seems like you need a trainer's advice. Runners World online I think has forums for questions like these. Or the Dead Runners Society has hundreds of runners who could offer advice.

Just an opinion here, but for someone planning to race at distance such as a half marathon or full marathon, the 'experts' say you need one day a week running hills, one day a week doing speed on the track and one day a week for long slow distance. For the other days, either cross train or run for fat-burning.

The choices you posited, small increases frequently or large increases infrequently, are to my mind the same. If you are running in the fat-burning (slow) zone, what matters is how many miles per month you're running. 35 miles per week means 4 pounds of fat loss per month. Small increases lets the body adapt better with less chance of injury.

LSD (long slow distance) over time gets rid of fat because you're burning it as you run. LSD has the least chance for injury. There are ultra runners who run up to 200 miles a week. But they're doing it all at a very slow pace. Those guys have nearly zero body fat.

But LSD means you'll never get faster. The opposite extreme, HIIT, burns fat a lot quicker but greatly increases the chance for injury.

[MeatGood]

Sounds like very good advice.
Thanks

[Galadriell]

Just jumping in to greet all the fellow runners....

I am just leaving this weekend for the Vancouver Marathon (my sixth).

[mrking]

The opposite extreme, HIIT, burns fat a lot quicker but greatly increases the chance for injury.

HIIT just seem to be fartleks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fartlek) but on an indoor cardio machine. Yes/No?

[obsessive]

Hi Runners!

I am so excited that the AFB I live on is finally going to have a run thats farther than a 5k.
I was going to go home to Omaha at the end of September for their marathon but found out in the beginning of September we will have a 20k here.
Should be a piece of cake since I run 6-7 miles daily and they are especially easy since I went back to a low fat diet along with the low carbs!

[mlamotteo]

Hello,

My name is Michelle and I'm a new member. I run 4-5 times per week. I'm training for the Army Ten-Miler and am thinking about the Marine Corps Marathon for this year. I am a marathoner and love long distances, but find them hard on the low carb diets. I'm an Atkins dieter and am looking for tips on how to keep up the energy on those long runs.

Thanks!

[kaypeeoh]

Hello,

My name is Michelle and I'm a new member. I run 4-5 times per week. I'm training for the Army Ten-Miler and am thinking about the Marine Corps Marathon for this year. I am a marathoner and love long distances, but find them hard on the low carb diets. I'm an Atkins dieter and am looking for tips on how to keep up the energy on those long runs.

Thanks!

If you need it, eat carbs before the long runs. I try to limit carbs with the idea I can get through an hour's run without problems. For longer runs, like 10-15 miles, I'll have cookies or granola handy. It doesn't take much to keep my energy level up.

I did a race last month. I stayed with lowcarb all the way til race day then ate whatever foods were available at the aid stations: pretzels, M&Ms, potato chips. It wasn't enough and I 'bonked' big time. I'm doing another race this weekend. I've continued with low carb eating but for the past three days I've been gorging on carbs. The idea is to fill my legs and liver with glycogen. I'm hoping to stave off hitting the wall that way.