Thanks LowCarbJ I realized the similar posts after I had already posted my question,lol. My main concerns about LC and marathoning is how to deal with "the wall" or using alternatives to GU to maintain energy during the race and how to avoid losing important electrolytes during training and racing. I take Calcium, Magnesium, Vit C...I'm worried about Sodium loss as well. Obviously Gatorade is a no-no because of the carb content. I have been using half water, half Gatorade mix for my fuel belt. Any other suggestions? I'm doing the Miami Half Marathon this weekend and have already cut the carbs back and feel o.k. ...a little shakey but I think it's my pancreas still doing overtime putting out insulin

LittleJohn & Marathoner,

Be sure to keep your muscles fueled when you are Low-Carbing and posting big miles.

I am a big advocate of muscular supplementation. I start each day with a potent multi-pak from GNC: Mega-Men for 40+. Then I take my own concoction of Calcium, Magnessium, Potassium (all three are natural electrolytes), L-Arginine, Chromium, Glucosamine and Yohimbe. I also take synephrine (a fat metabolizer). Finally, before each workout, I take Carb-free Creatine and L-Glutamine. I am also a coffee and tea drinker, and down about a gallon of water per day. Also, remember that your muscles need protein. You also need fat. I take in around 60-80 grams of protein per day. Probably the same 60-80 grams of fat. Around 30-40 grams of carbohydrates. I perform around 15-20 hours of physical activity per week.

Hope this helps...

Jeff

I have been reading the threads on Marathon running because I am in the 5th week of a 16 week Marathon training plan. I started LCing a couple of days ago (not for the first time but after a failure the first couple of times I tried LCing). Since I started LCing again, my running has been a lot harder for me. I think my body is messed up because I have gone from LCing to eating carbs and back again several times the past couple of months. I am having a hard time convincing myself that I should stick to the LC diet.
I figure if I am going to finish this training I need to stick to one diet and I want it to be the LC but I am frustrated!

The first week or two after switching to low-carbing, you body will still be converting from burning carbs to burning ketones. You will have less energy. The energy will come back in a few weeks. Now would be a good time to take a week off and let your body rest and recover. You won't lose significant fitness.

I did read a section that talked about anyone who exercises for more than 60 mins may need to have more carbs before the workout and afterwards for recovery. I wish I could vie you the URL for the part I read but I didn't bookmark it--sorry. Just do a search on the site.

There are a couple of sugar free eletrolyte replacements out there. You may want to look at Succeed Caps and/or Ultima Replenisher (I liked the raspberry flavor, I couldn't handle the other flavors). I used a combination of the two at the Phoenix RNR. I took one the Succeed caps during the race and then drank some of the Ultima afterwards.

This is what I've experienced as a runner and a low carber. Ive been low carbing for just a lil over a year. Well, did the whole induction thing..and I do think this is VERY important whether your a runner or not to do induction if your wanting to begin Atkins. This is where for two weeks for all you carbaholics you LEARN to eat whole and natural foods! It was very necessary for me, HOWEVER, dont expect your running performance to be anywhere near itself B4 you started Atkins! I suggest to just take it nice and easy...and if you are really wanting to rid yourself of a carb dependence...just realize your not going to be able to peform as efficient in your running as opposed to before Atkins....Now, with this said...after your body gets more use to this Ketonic energy style..your running WILL improve..I promise. Now I was only running about 4 miles while on 30 or so carbs a day and this was all. Now that Ive reached goal weight, upped my carbs to a South Beach diet type program...Ive been able to really pump up my running. I run now 8 miles 4 times a week. Now I know that the extra carbs are very necessary since Im running for performance now and not running primarly to lose weight. Its all up to what your goal is in your run. If your running to lose weight, you'll make that goal weight much faster by staying in a low carb level...yet you need to realize your peformance will not be as peak as if you upped your carbs...and ran primarly for performace. Ive actually lost at a faster rate NOW on 60-80 grams of carbs a day running longer...than when I did running on a ketonic level carbs only 4 miles. Well, hope this helps

If your body is used to burning glycogen, you'll hit the wall around 20 miles because all the carbs stored in your muscles and liver have been used up at that point. Using Gu or other gels can delay the fatigue associated with The Wall.

I don't think racing and low-carbing mix well. All day long we are burning a blend of glycogen and fat. While sleeping you're burning mostly fat. While doing 100 yard sprints, you're burning mostly glycogen. By training while eating low carb maybe you can shift the carb/fat burning ratio toward more fat burning. But you will never get to the point of burning strictly fat. The body needs a small amount of carb to prime the fat-burning pump.

For marathon or longer races, I think it makes sense to eat as much carb as you can tolerate. While running, the carb is taken up without the need for insulin. IMO, it's a mistake to forgo carbs on race day.

I've done Atkins since 2003. I was able to run four 50-mile races in 2003 only because I ate potato halves with salt every half hour or so. My favorite race meal is refried bean burritos. In late 2003 I ran a 100 mile race in a state park near Phoenix. I alternated salted potatos and burritoes every few hours for the 29.5 hours I was running.

I run about 10 miles a day, 15-20 on Sunday. I eat a low-carb breakfast and run at lunch, then refuel with carbs such as a tuna sandwich. For my Sunday long run I'll eat whatever carb is handy during the run. The rest of the week I stick with low carb eating. I'm probably taking in 80 carbs per day, most of it after the daily run.