Distance: 14 miles
Pace: 10:36
Wine: 3 glasses of Zinfandel
As I write this, I am ecstatic.
I just finished a 14 mile run. I
have no broken parts and did not cry (did not even want to cry). I successfully ran at a sustainable pace in
real shoes. This is the
first time I’ve run more than 13.1 and my body still works.
(Yay for a functioning body!)
As I write this, I am also nauseous.
And this has been a consistent problem for me on runs over 10
miles. As long as I use gels, my stomach
is fine during the run. It is fine when
I finish the run. Then 45 minutes to an
hour after the run, nausea sets in. I
just ran 14 miles! According to
MapMyRun, I burned 1,933 calories and I’d like to start replenishing them. The problem is that all food has suddenly
become unappealing. That’s some serious
bulls*** right there. I had the same
problem during pregnancy. I was so
excited to have cravings and “eat for two,” but alas, throwing up almost
everything I could manage to get down in the first place ruined that
dream. I was sick from the beginning
right to the end, to the point I had to take medication to keep even water down
sometimes. So here I am again, entitled
to eat because I’m burning calories left and right and my stomach is preventing
me from well-deserved indulgence. Do I
just have a wimpy stomach?
(My stomach is not pleased with being called a wimp. I say, stop being a wimp and I'll stop calling you that.)
Perusing the Internet, I learned that I am not the first runner to
experience GI issues. And I also learned
that my GI issues (nausea after running) are far better than GI issues
experienced by other runners. Take, for
example, this very graphic blog sent to me by my friend Dr. Runner, who is
presently training for her first half marathon despite repeatedly insisting she
is not a runner. I’ll not detail the GI
issues in that blog, feel free to click if you yourself are not nauseous. Aside from the gore, the Internet also taught
me that there are myriad theories about GI distress in runners: too much water, not enough water, not enough
electrolytes, eating before runs, not eating before runs, eating protein before
runs, eating fiber before runs, not eating immediately after a run, eating
protein too soon after a run, too much exertion. Trying to sift through all the advice is paralyzing.
(I face similar overload paralysis when faced with too many choices of wine.)
Here is my morning routine: wake
up at 5:05 am. Make a small latte with
organic milk from grass-fed cows (lest anyone think coffee is the problem, this
has been my breakfast for years of early morning workouts and I ain’t changing it!). Make smoothie from fruits, veggies, light
coconut milk, and (sometimes) chia seeds.
The whole family eats the smoothies for breakfast. I then work out at 6:00 or 6:30, depending on
the day. Aside from wine and the
occasional slice of pizza, I eat really well.
Whole grains, lots of veggies, mostly vegetarian, organic yogurt and
other dairy, home-cooked meals almost every night. There’s not much more health-tweaking I can
do to my diet. Okay, I could eat less cheese. Couldn't we all? But a life without cheese is not a life worth living (this is the Wisconsin girl in me talking).
I followed this routine today and before my other long runs. Today, my smoothie had oranges, carrots,
bananas, pineapple, and coconut milk. I
drank a slightly smaller portion than usual and set a whole glass aside for
post-run. I ran 14 miles, taking a gel
at miles 5 and 10 (I have learned during other runs that too many gels hurts my stomach on a more immediate basis). Over my run, I drank
about 16 oz. of water. Immediately upon
returning from my run, I drank the rest of my smoothie (previously, I waited to
eat and thought this might be the cause of my nausea) and 16 more oz. of water. Through all of this, I felt fine. Then, an hour after my run, nausea set
in. I’m hungry, but nothing sounds
good: crackers, bananas, pizza, cheese,
bread, apples, yogurt, NOTHING!
Dammit! This is pregnancy all
over again. It is all I can do to get a
few whole wheat crackers down. Slo Jo
forwarded me this link, aptly describing my feeling as a long run hangover.
I can’t figure out what is making me so sick. I’ve
ruled out most eating-related theories and I’m at a loss. I know it’s not exertion (I’m well-acquainted
with exertion-related nausea and this is not it). I do know I am a salty sweater (I finish runs
with serious salt streaks down my face), so maybe that is related? I’m certainly not over-hydrated, and I did
lose three pounds on this run, even with my fluid intake. So
maybe I need to drink more? (Though I am
reluctant to incur the additional pit stops that go along with more water.) Dear readers, please tell me what has worked
for you because I really want to pig out!
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