Runners: Training for Half Marathon

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toscarthearmada
toscarthearmada Posts: 382 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm currently half marathon training and have been having a real issue with my nutrition during these training runs. Especially with the intervals and sprints. I'm diabetic and my sugar levels have been so off balance. I'm fine running 5k and 10k, but for some reason Intervals and sprints make me so sick.

How do you eat on training days? Do you carb load, eat larger meals? I need some advice.

Also, I'd love to add more runners if anyone is interested in being friends.

Replies

  • amandalj
    amandalj Posts: 28 Member
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    Admittedly, I really know nothing about running and managing diabetes so I'm not really sure if anything I say will help.

    I prefer to run first thing in the morning and for any run over 60 minutes or a speed session I like to eat plain or a low sugar maple and brown sugar oatmeal and coffee. I feel full, but not stuffed from eating it and it sits well while I run.

    If I have to run later in the day, I make sure my breakfast has everything - fats, protein, and carbs (my favorite is an egg sandwich on a ww English muffin with sliced turkey and cheese), lunch has carbs, and about an hour before I run I'll have my oatmeal.

    I would definitely make whatever you eat before one of your workouts carb focused, and I try to eat that about an 30 minutes to an hour beforehand.

    Have you checked Runner's World website? They have a lot of great suggestions regarding fueling before during and after running!

    Good luck! :smile:
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    The carb loading is causing you to use alot of insulin and then the exercise is knocking your sugar back. You should reduce your carbs significantly and only backload your carbs on hard running days.
  • dpwellman
    dpwellman Posts: 3,271 Member
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    I'm of the opinion one should not have to carboload. It may be that you have to lower the intensity of your speedwork. I get woozy from time to time especially after kicking the last 200 or so meters of a run. Its more endothermic, blood pressure related than energy, I suspect. I'll quiz my nurtritionalist and see what she says
  • toscarthearmada
    toscarthearmada Posts: 382 Member
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    The carb loading is causing you to use alot of insulin and then the exercise is knocking your sugar back. You should reduce your carbs significantly and only backload your carbs on hard running days.

    I actually eat very few carbs at all. If I do "carb load" it's with fruit. I have a gluten allergy and am on a low carb diet. I was thinking of increasing my carb intake on running days to help fuel me.
  • toscarthearmada
    toscarthearmada Posts: 382 Member
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    Admittedly, I really know nothing about running and managing diabetes so I'm not really sure if anything I say will help.

    I prefer to run first thing in the morning and for any run over 60 minutes or a speed session I like to eat plain or a low sugar maple and brown sugar oatmeal and coffee. I feel full, but not stuffed from eating it and it sits well while I run.

    If I have to run later in the day, I make sure my breakfast has everything - fats, protein, and carbs (my favorite is an egg sandwich on a ww English muffin with sliced turkey and cheese), lunch has carbs, and about an hour before I run I'll have my oatmeal.

    I would definitely make whatever you eat before one of your workouts carb focused, and I try to eat that about an 30 minutes to an hour beforehand.

    Have you checked Runner's World website? They have a lot of great suggestions regarding fueling before during and after running!

    Good luck! :smile:

    Thanks for the great info! I will peep runner's world this afternoon.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    The carb loading is causing you to use alot of insulin and then the exercise is knocking your sugar back. You should reduce your carbs significantly and only backload your carbs on hard running days.

    I actually eat very few carbs at all. If I do "carb load" it's with fruit. I have a gluten allergy and am on a low carb diet. I was thinking of increasing my carb intake on running days to help fuel me.

    Just my guess because you say the problem is only during some runs, I'd skip the intervals & sprints day. On your steady state runs you are probably running fairly easy and aren't burning thru your glycogen stores. The sprinting & interval running is eating up your glycogen and causing things to go wonky.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    OP, I'd ask your doctor or a nutrition expert. You have a medical condition and few of us here are doctors so even with the best will in the world we're not qualified to give medical advice.
  • 140point6
    140point6 Posts: 10 Member
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    OP, I'd ask your doctor or a nutrition expert. You have a medical condition and few of us here are doctors so even with the best will in the world we're not qualified to give medical advice.


    ^^^^^^^^^Took the words right out of my mouth^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is not something to play with.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    OP, I'd ask your doctor or a nutrition expert. You have a medical condition and few of us here are doctors so even with the best will in the world we're not qualified to give medical advice.


    ^^^^^^^^^Took the words right out of my mouth^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is not something to play with.

    This. Go to your doctor first

    But if you are low-carb, chances are you don't have the proper glycogen stores for intervals. Usually when I get dizzy during speed workouts, I go back and look at my logs, and see I haven't been hitting my carb goals.
  • BarbellBlondieRuns
    BarbellBlondieRuns Posts: 511 Member
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    I eat approximately 40/30/30 every day regardless of my running/lifting schedule. Ditch the low carb diet. It doesn't suit runners (or athletes at all).
  • lisajsund
    lisajsund Posts: 366 Member
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    I've been training for a stairs race on low carb and haven't had an issue. In fact, I haven't felt better or slept better.
    I'm at 40 fat/30 carb (or less)/30 protein.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    Ignore this. You have diabetes which requires precise balance between carb intake and medication. You also didn't mention whether you are insulin dependent, although by your profile picture you are young, and not heavy, so I am "assuming" (may not be correct) that you are reliant on insulin.

    This is hard--you need to talk to your doctor and your dietitian to balance this out. Do you carry glucagon and dextrose on you when you run?
    I eat approximately 40/30/30 every day regardless of my running/lifting schedule. Ditch the low carb diet. It doesn't suit runners (or athletes at all).
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I never eat before I have a run...hate stopping to use the toilet by the side of the road and the leaves hurt my butt when I wipe.
  • beatnik236
    beatnik236 Posts: 120 Member
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    You look young, so I am guessing Type I diabetic? Even if you are Type II, This is a question for a qualified MD to answer, even more so an endocrinologist. I would make an appointment with them.
  • free_state
    free_state Posts: 9 Member
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    How many miles a week are you running? Is this your first half or have you been running for a while. Also are you following a training schedule? Which one?

    And echoing above - ask your Doctor. Everyone is different - I eat 60% carbs, 20% fat, 20% protein (or thats my goal - most days Im very close to it). But I run 8-9 hours a week too.

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