Day 31---still sluggish runs!!!

[superkmom]

I have completed the 30days and hope to continue. I've lost 10 pounds, am feeling and sleeping great. My only problem that my runs are awful! After about 2 miles (sometimes less) my muscles feel like they are made out of lead! I can't even finish a 5k! I've tried a variety of pre-workout meals as recommended, but have had no luck in improvement . I usually run in the early morning and (prior to whoke30) would grab a yogurt beforehand. Not sure if I should go back to that at this point, or if I need more time adapting my body, or if anyone had any other ideas?

I miss enjoying my runs.....it's been torture!!!

Thanks!

[LucieB]

Just to be sure, what were you eating pre and post? And how much starchy veg and fruit are you eating?

[superkmom]

I tried......

Grass fed beef stick and nuts

Just nuts

1/2 Lara bar

Banana and some cashew butter

Hard boiled egg...with and without nuts

Prob a few more that aren't coming to mind.

Not sure about the starchy fruits....in general or before the run?

[LucieB]

Wow lotsa nuts. I can't eat nuts anyway, but when I was a few years ago they left me feeling terrible in a run. Bloated, heavy, burpy. Maybe try knocking out the nuts and focusing on more starches night prior or meal prior? And extra carbs in postWO meal is helpful in helping the next workout. And hydration, you drinking enough?

I train 10+ hours a week, lotsa miles! I roll out before a run on just an egg usually. Post workout a small steamed tater or small fruit and egg white (I add yolk to next meal, it doesn't get wasted!). Night before a workout I get an extra tater and/or piece of fruit. I eat low fructose fruits like oranges mostly. Fructose isn't bad for you, too much of it is, and glucose is the better sugar for this purpose.

How does this fit with what you've tried already? Takes some experimenting. How far you typically run?

[superkmom]

Thanks, LucieB! Maybe I'm not getting enough starches the day before. I can try that. I had been running 3-4 at a decent pace..... But I haven't been able to run more than 2 at one time since starting the whole30. My muscles just won't cooperate!

[LucieB]

Keep testing, sometimes it takes more tweaks to find what works for you. There's nothing special in yogurt (unless it was a sweetened variety, or with "fruit" on the bottom in which case it's the sugar) that is missing from the foods you are trying now.

 

One other consideration is that given you lost 10 lbs you might be trying to run in a calorie deficit. It might be too challenging on your body to both lose weight and run like you used to, so you might need to eat more overall.