Runners - Do you have the energy to train/race close to normal during weight loss?

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phil230532
phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I am in day 13 and seeing steady weight loss results. Big picture is 2 half marathons in November and December. Should I train at normal paces during this time? If I jump into a couple of low key 5k races before then, should I eat a little more a couple of days before these races? Curious about others experiences. Thanks.

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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited October 2014
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    How large is your calorie deficit?

    I have no problem training in a deficit, but I do have to plan my cals/macros a bit more carefully than when in a surplus. IMO, 5ks shouldn't require anything special on the nutrition front.
  • madrose0715
    madrose0715 Posts: 463 Member
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    I run 5ks routinely on a deficit and performance is not impacted at all. Adequate rest days are what I find more important...
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    Eat plenty of carbs before any race. Normal pace training sounds fine.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    Carb loading generally isn't required for shorter races (5k) especially if you are in the middle of training for much longer ones. A 5k should pretty much just be a normal training day if you're training for a half.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    You posted in the LDR group a few days ago...

    You should probably have a smaller deficit since when you posted there late last week, you had lost 5 pounds in the first 10 days.

    You called it a "yuchhy" run which very well might be you aren't fueling properly.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10001754/10-days-on-this-plan-good-results-but-first-yuchhy-run-today#Item_2
  • r_kraft
    r_kraft Posts: 27 Member
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    I just did a 1/2 last Sunday and have one in Nov. I still run a Cal deficit every day. The Friday before a Sunday race eat real close to my 1900 cals goal, and on Sat I just ate a little lighter and earlier. The morning of the race I had some water, a cup of coffee, and two FRS chews just before the Start and I was fine. Same with my long training run yesterday with out the FRS chews and a normal eating pattern Friday and Sat. My shorter runs I don't worry about my eating habit, just eat as normal. My short runs are 5K or 4 miles. My long runs are about 10 miles. Yesterday was just 8.2 miles but I was pushing a faster pace than I had been used too.
  • throoper
    throoper Posts: 351 Member
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    I run 15-30 miles a week and have done 7 half marathons. Right now I'm trying to lose a little weight, so I'm eating at a calorie deficit and relatively low carb, and I'm still able to run just fine. I do bump up the carbs for a couple days before a long race though, and I eat back most of my exercise calories in general. For a 5k, I wouldn't change your nutrition... not really necessary for a short race.
  • phil230532
    phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
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    Just got in to see these great responses. My eating plan calculates a 2 pound per week weight loss, but as pointed out above in the first 10 days, I lost 5 pounds(too fast). This is where I got a little concerned because after this I had my first bad run since I started this program. I think this is primarily because on my Tue. and Sat. hard/long run and weight training days I have a much bigger calorie deficit. Not eating enough on those 2 days. Will have to work on that. My wife coaches a Girls on the Run team and thanks for the comments on not changing my nutrition too much and still being able to run hard in their upcoming 5k Race at the end of October. Thanks for the half marathon eating strategy because I know that I have been over carb loading the night before a long run and before my last half marathon race. On those runs, 10-12 hours after eating, I still felt full for half of the run. I am taking these recommendations seriously and making adjustments as I get a better understanding of this program. Thank you.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    2lbs per week is 2lbs per week regardless of whether or not you're working out. Your calorie goal should take that into account.

    And based on your pic, 2lbs per week might be a little aggressive. You should still be able to do shorter runs, especially if you plan your cals/macros properly, but I could see you having problems with longer runs, especially as the energy deficit builds on itself over time.
  • r_kraft
    r_kraft Posts: 27 Member
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    Also as you try things out do not be afraid to changes things up a little in training to find out what works best for you. Each persons body will react a little differently.
  • phil230532
    phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
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    I really like the details of logging food and exercise, and comparing to results. Will use that strategy on all of these replies.Thanks again.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
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    I eat at a small deficit, as I have about 5-10lbs to lose before my goal weight. My weekly goal is set to 1/2lb per week, though I usually don't even lose that much. Very small deficit, basically. I weight lift on my non-running days. Currently running 15-20 miles a week.

    I have no problems with fuel for training or my races. I'm currently training for a half in mid-November. I make sure I've eaten at least one meal within a couple of hours before a long run (yesterday was 9 miles). I never have an issue as long as I've eaten something. I don't fuel during the runs, either-with the exception that I'll be testing the fueling on my next long run of 10 miles.

    A couple of days before a half, I will eat at maintenance and have slightly more carbs than usual, but that's the only adjustment I make for a race. No changes for a 5k race.
  • phil230532
    phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
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    I have similar lbs to go to reach my goal weight. Other discussions have indicated that my loss goal of 2 lbs. per week is too fast. If I reduce that to a lower weekly amount such as yours, there is a better chance that my training paces may not suffer. Thanks.
  • phil230532
    phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Okay, after using much of the recommendations above, ran 10 miles with my daughter this morning, of her 16 mile run. Took an extra rest day. Upped my daily calories from 1740 to 2300(mostly healthy carbs) the day before the run. Resting pulse rate before the run was lower than before I started MFP. Cool morning. No comparison to my previous Yuchhy run. Legs felt great from beginning to end.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I'm a cyclist, and I found that it took me a few weeks to adapt to drawing more on fat stores during my rides up to 40 miles. (Beyond 40 miles it doesn't matter as much, since you have to eat on the bike anyway.) Alex Hutchinson recently wrote an article on low carb high fat (LCHF) diets, which some endurance athletes use to force adaptation to fat oxidation even if they aren't on a calorie deficit. He summed up some of his findings in his blog.
  • phil230532
    phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
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    Interesting article and comments.

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