What was that???

yirara

Ok, I know I have some problems utilising energy properly. I'm currently training for a half marathon, and in my last long run on Saturday got myself up to 18km in 2:20hrs. Right afterwards I literally fell down on my bum and could not move. After quite a while I tried to get up and walked wide-legged home the last 800 steps or so. Felt fairly fine in the evening, and I ate pretty much all additional calories I got from the run.

Note: I'm only in a very mild deficit, trying to lose about 1lbs per month, being on normal weight (62/61kg, 169cm) with a few vanity pounds.

Yesterday I managed to get out of bed just fine. Legs a bit stiff but no problem. Come afternoon though I just fell into a hole: could hardly move, felt slightly out of breath, extreme brainfog, kind of super exhausted. Having a huge, mainly carb dinner (large pile of pan roast potatoes with veggies and some bacon) didn't help. I dragged myself up, went to a shop, bought two candy bars, and felt normal again within 20 minutes. And that was after constantly eating yesterday. I guess I was over my calories by about 800kcal in the end. Never experienced this before!

Note2: I also had a look at my blood sugars while feeling so miserable and afterwards. All normal.

I must say that I'm getting slightly worried about this Half. But worst case I will run 18km with a gel and a short walk at all water stations. The last one is at 18km. Thus I only need to cover 2.5km afterwards.

Machka9

First ... go to the Dr.

Second ... when I'm training for long distance cycling events, and I'm up to doing some rather long distances on my way to doing even longer distances, I can't be in a deficit at all. I've tried, but the next day I eat everything in sight.
I find I can be in deficit up to and including Tuesday, then I have to go up to maintenance for Wed and Thursday, and over on Friday ... Saturday is the day of the long ride and I don't count what I eat, just eat whatever I want ... Sunday I'm still over, Monday and Tuesday back onto maintenance, and Wednesday back to a deficit again.

Third ... were you cramping?

sijomial

Sounds like you "hit the wall" - glycogen depletion, especially with the "brain fog". Two hours plus would be the classic time for it to happen.
Here's triathlete Jonny Brownlee demonstrating the effects, is this how you felt?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2016/sep/19/alistair-brownlee-gives-chance-win-helps-brother-jonny-video


Are you fuelling during your run either with sports drinks or gels?
If food rather than sugary drinks how is your hydration as it can just sit in your stomach and not get absorbed without adequate fluids? (Been there, done that...).

To recover from it quickly you want glucose immediately rather than wait for a slow absorbing a meal.

Rincewind_1965

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

yirara

sijomial wrote: »

Sounds like you "hit the wall" - glycogen depletion, especially with the "brain fog". Two hours plus would be the classic time for it to happen.
Here's triathlete Jonny Brownlee demonstrating the effects, is this how you felt?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2016/sep/19/alistair-brownlee-gives-chance-win-helps-brother-jonny-video


Are you fuelling during your run either with sports drinks or gels?
If food rather than sugary drinks how is your hydration as it can just sit in your stomach and not get absorbed without adequate fluids? (Been there, done that...).

To recover from it quickly you want glucose immediately rather than wait for a slow absorbing a meal.

Yes, I agree. But nearly a day later? That's certainly a new one. I ran Saturday evening, and crashed Sunday afternoon. It's not a cold of sorts either as I felt good again after piling up on sugar, something my big potato and veggie dinner didn't do.

I was fuelling during the run and also afterwards. I mean, I ran 18km. That's a lot of extra calories. Which I enjoyed thoroughly

yirara

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

It vanished once I ate candy. And a doctor would not see me on a weekend anyway, and A&E would send me home due to this not being acute.

So no idea...

Ran on Saturday evening with gels and water, refilled calories, electrolytes and water afterwards. Crashed Sunday afternoon. So odd...

yirara

Machka9 wrote: »

First ... go to the Dr.

Second ... when I'm training for long distance cycling events, and I'm up to doing some rather long distances on my way to doing even longer distances, I can't be in a deficit at all. I've tried, but the next day I eat everything in sight.
I find I can be in deficit up to and including Tuesday, then I have to go up to maintenance for Wed and Thursday, and over on Friday ... Saturday is the day of the long ride and I don't count what I eat, just eat whatever I want ... Sunday I'm still over, Monday and Tuesday back onto maintenance, and Wednesday back to a deficit again.

Third ... were you cramping?

Yes, it might have been something like it! I was at around maintenance including running cals (mostly before the run) on Saturday, and due to the candy emergency in a huge calorie surplus on Sunday.

cramping: as in muscles? Not really. I know I've been lowish in magnesium, and my GP is investigating. That's why I take enough of it, and especially after a run. I also make sure other electrolytes are ok. I know that calcium is low if a certain leg/foot muscle gets cramped, and potassium if my legs and arms get numb when sitting or laying in bed. Magnesium if I get random cramps elsewhere or my fingers feel super stiff in the morning. Neither of that happened because I make sure it doesn't get that far.

Machka9

yirara wrote: »

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

It vanished once I ate candy. And a doctor would not see me on a weekend anyway, and A&E would send me home due to this not being acute.

So no idea...

Ran on Saturday evening with gels and water, refilled calories, electrolytes and water afterwards. Crashed Sunday afternoon. So odd...

Either go to an after-hours clinic or make an appointment with your GP for sometime in the upcoming week. Probably wouldn't hurt to get a full blood panel done.

yirara

Machka9 wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

It vanished once I ate candy. And a doctor would not see me on a weekend anyway, and A&E would send me home due to this not being acute.

So no idea...

Ran on Saturday evening with gels and water, refilled calories, electrolytes and water afterwards. Crashed Sunday afternoon. So odd...

Either go to an after-hours clinic or make an appointment with your GP for sometime in the upcoming week. Probably wouldn't hurt to get a full blood panel done.

I know... I've had so many complete blood checks lately simply because of my electrolyte issue and because of my energy problem. Apart from electrolytes and albumin (slightly low) everything came back normal. B12 and thyroid are spot on (that's me saying that, not the test. Gp thinks TSH is a bit too low and B12 too high *sigh*), ferritin high enough, blood count in the middle of range everywhere, glucose and related tests ok as well. But anyway, I'll see my GP next week again.

sijomial

yirara wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Sounds like you "hit the wall" - glycogen depletion, especially with the "brain fog". Two hours plus would be the classic time for it to happen.
Here's triathlete Jonny Brownlee demonstrating the effects, is this how you felt?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2016/sep/19/alistair-brownlee-gives-chance-win-helps-brother-jonny-video


Are you fuelling during your run either with sports drinks or gels?
If food rather than sugary drinks how is your hydration as it can just sit in your stomach and not get absorbed without adequate fluids? (Been there, done that...).

To recover from it quickly you want glucose immediately rather than wait for a slow absorbing a meal.

Yes, I agree. But nearly a day later? That's certainly a new one. I ran Saturday evening, and crashed Sunday afternoon. It's not a cold of sorts either as I felt good again after piling up on sugar, something my big potato and veggie dinner didn't do.

I was fuelling during the run and also afterwards. I mean, I ran 18km. That's a lot of extra calories. Which I enjoyed thoroughly

I was really referring to the.... "Right afterwards I literally fell down on my bum and could not move. After quite a while I tried to get up and walked wide-legged home the last 800 steps or so"

No a day later isn't normal. I'm fatigued the day after an endurance event (six to nine hour events) but nothing like you describe.

yirara

sijomial wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Sounds like you "hit the wall" - glycogen depletion, especially with the "brain fog". Two hours plus would be the classic time for it to happen.
Here's triathlete Jonny Brownlee demonstrating the effects, is this how you felt?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2016/sep/19/alistair-brownlee-gives-chance-win-helps-brother-jonny-video


Are you fuelling during your run either with sports drinks or gels?
If food rather than sugary drinks how is your hydration as it can just sit in your stomach and not get absorbed without adequate fluids? (Been there, done that...).

To recover from it quickly you want glucose immediately rather than wait for a slow absorbing a meal.

Yes, I agree. But nearly a day later? That's certainly a new one. I ran Saturday evening, and crashed Sunday afternoon. It's not a cold of sorts either as I felt good again after piling up on sugar, something my big potato and veggie dinner didn't do.

I was fuelling during the run and also afterwards. I mean, I ran 18km. That's a lot of extra calories. Which I enjoyed thoroughly

I was really referring to the.... "Right afterwards I literally fell down on my bum and could not move. After quite a while I tried to get up and walked wide-legged home the last 800 steps or so"

No a day later isn't normal. I'm fatigued the day after an endurance event (six to nine hour events) but nothing like you describe.

Oh yes, you're right. But this seems to be normal for me. If I run a longer distance then I feel completely exhausted once I stop. One of the things I'm trying to figure out: why my body seems to have problems getting the energy it needs even if I provide it. My GP is trying to diagnose me with ME/CFS as it probably means she doesn't need to investigate further or prescribe something as there's nothing that could be prescribed, but apart from having too little energy when I'm active none of the diagnose criteria fit.

Machka9

yirara wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Sounds like you "hit the wall" - glycogen depletion, especially with the "brain fog". Two hours plus would be the classic time for it to happen.
Here's triathlete Jonny Brownlee demonstrating the effects, is this how you felt?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2016/sep/19/alistair-brownlee-gives-chance-win-helps-brother-jonny-video


Are you fuelling during your run either with sports drinks or gels?
If food rather than sugary drinks how is your hydration as it can just sit in your stomach and not get absorbed without adequate fluids? (Been there, done that...).

To recover from it quickly you want glucose immediately rather than wait for a slow absorbing a meal.

Yes, I agree. But nearly a day later? That's certainly a new one. I ran Saturday evening, and crashed Sunday afternoon. It's not a cold of sorts either as I felt good again after piling up on sugar, something my big potato and veggie dinner didn't do.

I was fuelling during the run and also afterwards. I mean, I ran 18km. That's a lot of extra calories. Which I enjoyed thoroughly

I was really referring to the.... "Right afterwards I literally fell down on my bum and could not move. After quite a while I tried to get up and walked wide-legged home the last 800 steps or so"

No a day later isn't normal. I'm fatigued the day after an endurance event (six to nine hour events) but nothing like you describe.

Oh yes, you're right. But this seems to be normal for me. If I run a longer distance then I feel completely exhausted once I stop. One of the things I'm trying to figure out: why my body seems to have problems getting the energy it needs even if I provide it. My GP is trying to diagnose me with ME/CFS as it probably means she doesn't need to investigate further or prescribe something as there's nothing that could be prescribed, but apart from having too little energy when I'm active none of the diagnose criteria fit.

Maybe time for a second opinion? Perhaps see if you can get in to see a sport dr.

Rincewind_1965

yirara wrote: »

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

It vanished once I ate candy. And a doctor would not see me on a weekend anyway, and A&E would send me home due to this not being acute.

So no idea...

Ran on Saturday evening with gels and water, refilled calories, electrolytes and water afterwards. Crashed Sunday afternoon. So odd...

Again:
Make an appointment with a physician of your choice and describe the symptoms. He/She will have an idea of what to do.
We here are limited to more or less educated guesses.

yirara

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

It vanished once I ate candy. And a doctor would not see me on a weekend anyway, and A&E would send me home due to this not being acute.

So no idea...

Ran on Saturday evening with gels and water, refilled calories, electrolytes and water afterwards. Crashed Sunday afternoon. So odd...

Again:
Make an appointment with a physician of your choice and describe the symptoms. He/She will have an idea of what to do.
We here are limited to more or less educated guesses.

Yes, but I can only go to my GP and she then decides on what to do. Considering I have no problems whatsoever anymore I could make an appointment but will get scolded for taking an appointment away from someone who at that moment feels miserable.

Machka9

yirara wrote: »

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

Detritus_1965 wrote: »

My tipp would be de-hydration with a resulting lack of electrolytes.

But before you try self-medication do as suggested by @Machka9 : See a Dr.! Immediately

It vanished once I ate candy. And a doctor would not see me on a weekend anyway, and A&E would send me home due to this not being acute.

So no idea...

Ran on Saturday evening with gels and water, refilled calories, electrolytes and water afterwards. Crashed Sunday afternoon. So odd...

Again:
Make an appointment with a physician of your choice and describe the symptoms. He/She will have an idea of what to do.
We here are limited to more or less educated guesses.

Yes, but I can only go to my GP and she then decides on what to do. Considering I have no problems whatsoever anymore I could make an appointment but will get scolded for taking an appointment away from someone who at that moment feels miserable.

That's not how it works. You are free to make appointments for things you've experienced in the past (like what you've described) or things you may experience in the future (like vaccinations for holidays). You don't have to be feeling bad at the moment you walk in the door of the Dr's office.