Any other Keto Athletes out there?
SKArunner
Posts: 42 Member
Any other Keto Athletes out there?
I am an ultra runner and have been on the Keto diet for 28 days now? There are not many of us out there . . .
Background:
I am 42 years old, ultra runner, and only been running 'really' for about 2 years now. Two years ago, I hit my peak 205 with high blood pressure. I was a 158 as a rock climber in my thirties.
With a classic diet, eat less and run more, I lost majority of my weight in 3 months. Even after a year training for the Leadville 100, I was a stable 164. After switching to a low carb diet with no exercise (had injury) I lost 9 pounds in 9 days.
I then became more strict and went Keto. I am loosing about 1 pound a week and running hard. It is amazing how I can run for hours and not need extra fuel.
I am an ultra runner and have been on the Keto diet for 28 days now? There are not many of us out there . . .
Background:
I am 42 years old, ultra runner, and only been running 'really' for about 2 years now. Two years ago, I hit my peak 205 with high blood pressure. I was a 158 as a rock climber in my thirties.
With a classic diet, eat less and run more, I lost majority of my weight in 3 months. Even after a year training for the Leadville 100, I was a stable 164. After switching to a low carb diet with no exercise (had injury) I lost 9 pounds in 9 days.
I then became more strict and went Keto. I am loosing about 1 pound a week and running hard. It is amazing how I can run for hours and not need extra fuel.
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Replies
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Hi I do long distance cycling anything from 200 -1600 km's.
Presently I use a high carb diet and would be very interested in how you find this diet affects your performance.0 -
Hi I do long distance cycling anything from 200 -1600 km's.
Presently I use a high carb diet and would be very interested in how you find this diet affects your performance.
Hey!
Well, I was tired of bonking during long runs and eating way too many carbs (gels). I met a guy who ran the same race as I did, a very technical 50 miler, and he ate 3 gels as apposed to my 26 gels. He had never run a 50 miler and new to ultras (19 years old). He beat the course record! I was blown away with performance on just 3 gels. Okay, he is young and strong, but he only ate 3 gels and had tons of energy for the entire race. He is why I went Keto.
Performance wise, it is still early and takes a bit to be "Keto-adapted" and I am only 28 days in, but the only negative effect I noticed so far, is that I feel sloggy on long hills. My performance is close to my carb days for short hill climbs 2-3 miles, I just feel weaker. It could just be in my head? Here is a breakdown of my last run, 20.9 miles with 3500' of climbing, generally a 11 minute avg pace, but my last mile was a 6:49.
http://www.skarunner.com/2012/12/ketogenic-diet-running-some-carbs.html
Supposedly, it takes six months to be fully adapted.
SKA0 -
I've been looking at some of Ben Greenfield's stuff at www.bengreefieldfitness.com on balancing hormones. Seems interesting. May try and work it into my base training.0
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No way it should take more than 2-4 weeks to get adapted.Are you taking in all the supplements.Are you getting in 5000mg of sodium daily.Is your protein take at moderate level.You should be fully keto adapted by now bud0
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No way it should take more than 2-4 weeks to get adapted.Are you taking in all the supplements.Are you getting in 5000mg of sodium daily.Is your protein take at moderate level.You should be fully keto adapted by now bud
I am in 'Ketosis', but from my research, it takes up to six months to be "fully" adapted. Now I am referring to running to PR as fast or faster than I did on carbs..0 -
Thanks for setting this up, SKA! Heh, so 5 days prior to starting LC/keto I busted my right wrist (typing sucks!) mountain biking, so until I get my cast on Fri there has been no exercise (making me crazy, but I am really uncomfortable in a bulky splint). Planning to resume running ASAP and will join a little local gym for a month or two for use of their recumbent stationary bikes. In the meantime I started back on Atkins, as planned 2 days ago and have been in ketosis for >24 hours. Hard to tell with all the swelling and the splint, but I think I have already pee'd away ~5#s in just a few days. Some of that is diet, some injury swelling clearing out.
Years ago I did Atkins for 2 years and lost 60#s. Eventually I fell off the wagon and regained 20#s. 6.5 years ago I took up running in hopes of re-losing, but have managed to gain ANOTHER 10#s. I tried doing "lower" carb (100-150g/day), but for obvious reasons that is the WORST scenario for an endurance athlete (in addition to running I LOVE any time spent on bikes...road, mtn, cyclocross, fat bikes).
I am especially intrigued by the recent winner of Western States 100, who trained and ran while ketogenic. I know I likely cannot stay in ketosis for cyclocross and some mountain biking (too anaerobic), but for Winter base-building it makes perfect sense.0 -
5 days prior to starting LC/keto I busted my right wrist (typing sucks!) mountain biking.
Man, that really sucks! When I first started my low fat diet, I was injuried too. I thought it was the best time to start though.I am especially intrigued by the recent winner of Western States 100, who trained and ran while ketogenic. I know I likely cannot stay in ketosis for cyclocross and some mountain biking (too anaerobic), but for Winter base-building it makes perfect sense.
Me too! I think it will be a tipping point in ultra running world. Well Maybe ? . . . If they can run for 20+ hours, they can stop eating carbs . . . it is just their mentality.
And yea my buddy is a cyclocross athlete and we both agreed it wouldn't be an best time of the year to go low carb.
Good luck.0 -
I am a runner with 2 marathons in the last two years. Oh, and I am overweight and diabetic. So, got started on a keto diet. Just a week in and liking it so far. It's a big change. I am kinda worried about training season. I am so used to carboloading and recovery meals etc, stressing the carb replacement. Going to have to learn a new way I guess.0
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I see this thread is older...but I am training for my first ultra. Keto for 23 days now and I can safely run 13 miles at my normal race pace. I do notice I feel "heavier' than I did with a high carb diet and I drink more water because I feel dry faster, but other than that, I think keto is definitely safe for endurance athletes. I look forward to proving some non-believers wrong that you can run ultras without carbs!!!0
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I'm not sure if you would consider backpacking an endurance activity, but I'm completely keto adapted and regularly take 8-10 hours a day to go 20-25 miles, gaining up to 5000' in elevation, with a 40-50 lb pack, for several days in a row. Instead of carb loading I protein load the night before with a heavy amount of fat. Usually a baked chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese and spinach smothered in blue cheese dressing. Morning meal of a taco meat omelet with cheese, sour cream, and an avocado. I find that my muscles will "burn" more and legs feel heavier without that increase in protein. I only stop once mid-day and eat not nearly as often as my carb eating counterparts who eat hourly thus interrupting my heart rate consistency.
I have noticed that I drink 2-3 more liters of water than them as well making my pack heavier, haha. I take less than 50 carbs/day usually in the form of dark chocolate, nuts, and the cure used to smoke dry the meat/fish. The most difficult thing is trying to actually eat 3000 calories/day. When I return from my trek, my husband always has a 3-5 lb. pot roast waiting for me. Sometimes I even share... 
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I'm just starting out on this Keto thing. I've been recently diagnosed with Type2 diabetes (not fair because I'm not overweight and very, very active) with hyperinsulinism and my doctor put me on a 50 carb/day diet. And it seems that to be a long-distance runner you need to either eat all the carbs or none of the carbs.
So, chock me down the none of the carbs camp. ;-) I'm getting over having a knee injury so will be slowly ramping up my distances while trying to run with my husband who is a total newbie runner (who has no idea that our run/walk cycle has me doing interval training, kinda mean of me to make him run an 8 min/mile right off the bat.)
My next race is a half marathon in October. I'm hoping to PR.
I've ordered a book off of Amazon, but not sure if it's a good one. "The art and science of low carbohydrate performance." It touches on my ailments, so I figure it's appropriate for me. If anyone has any good book recommendations or blogs, I'd love to get them.
SKARunner, I've been reading your blog and following you out on the real world, so this is totally awesome that you're on MFP.
Friend me, because I'd love to see your food diaries to get some ideas. :-)
Thanks!0
