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Running Questions?
Without going into the long story and details, I'll put those on my blog later to journal my progress. But I am starting to learn how to properly run. I met a coach who actually, much to my delight, is getting me past any and all of my physical difficulties. Again will put on my blog later. I am used to training very hard I used to swim, dive, bike and fence (foil mostly, some epee) but I have never really had the opportunity/knowledge/coaching to focus on nutrition and do everything right the way I am now. I was rather naive then. LOL.
Anyway first question is when I wake up at 5am I am drinking 1 scoop of whole food optimizer and I eat a couple of dates and sip some water. We go out and walk/jog at 6am. We are up to 6.4 miles and while this last time was not as bad, my stomach really gets unhappy in the middle of the interval jogging. The first time we did it I was sure I was going to throw up along the side of the road.
I know in part my sinuses are draining a lot, but should I skip eating anything other than maybe a banana and a couple of dates? or just the dates? When we are done and I get home all I can manage is to eat a couple of more dates, sip a little water and it takes about an hour before I can even manage to think of eating. I usually eat some mixed fruit, hemp seeds, ground flax, unsweetened shredded coconut, sesame seeds and maybe some pumpkin seeds after my workout and then another scoop of the Whole Food Optimizer.
Next question...I have always heard and see a lot of people here talk about sipping water and I carry water with me when we go out. My impromptu coach picks on me for it. I barely drank any today when we went out. I mostly used it to rinse my mouth out when it felt dry. He says that you don't really need water until about 10 miles or so. I find I get refreshed if I just gargle and spit the water out. I had been sipping and drinking it, but I think I am swallowing some air, which is probably adding to the nausea I have been feeling. I did do a lot better today with it, but I did get nauseous.
Last question, I have reactive airway disease. Not quite asthma, in some ways worse. This is only part of what has been my problem running in the past. I also know that I have a decreased lung capacity as compared to most folks. So when he yells at me to breathe or tells me I am not getting enough oxygen I am a little frustrated because my lungs are spasming and twitching away at me and I am doing my damnedest to not give in and start gasping for breath. But it does eventually happen until they relax and I can push to pick the pace up.
I feel I should clarify that it's not him I am frustrated with when he yells at to me to breathe, I know he is absolutely right. It's that I am trying to breathe from my diagram, which I can do, it's when that is full and the breath hits about sternum level the coughing and feeling that I am trying to move a brick wall that my lungs have become and they stop expanding and fill with mucous.
So my question, I know long explanation, is does anyone know of anything I can do outside of our morning walk/jogs, to help speed up the increased lung capacity. I have tried a million things over the years, breathing through a straw, these horrid little things I had to breath into and elevate the ball to a certain level each time I did it to sitting and doing deep breathing from the diaphragm, but it never seemed to help.
All of the above said though I am not getting the intense burning/searing pain in my lungs when these things hit me that I used to get when I would with other sports before. I have been able to just work through it. Same when I start getting crackling in my ears and start seeing black with white rings in it. My coach is awesome, he just takes my hand, talks to me a lot, keeps telling me to breathe and I get through it. Any thoughts and advice is greatly appreciated.
Oh I wanted to add that while I was in tears for the entire last mile I feel awesome and have no real aches or pains.
Anyway first question is when I wake up at 5am I am drinking 1 scoop of whole food optimizer and I eat a couple of dates and sip some water. We go out and walk/jog at 6am. We are up to 6.4 miles and while this last time was not as bad, my stomach really gets unhappy in the middle of the interval jogging. The first time we did it I was sure I was going to throw up along the side of the road.
I know in part my sinuses are draining a lot, but should I skip eating anything other than maybe a banana and a couple of dates? or just the dates? When we are done and I get home all I can manage is to eat a couple of more dates, sip a little water and it takes about an hour before I can even manage to think of eating. I usually eat some mixed fruit, hemp seeds, ground flax, unsweetened shredded coconut, sesame seeds and maybe some pumpkin seeds after my workout and then another scoop of the Whole Food Optimizer.
Next question...I have always heard and see a lot of people here talk about sipping water and I carry water with me when we go out. My impromptu coach picks on me for it. I barely drank any today when we went out. I mostly used it to rinse my mouth out when it felt dry. He says that you don't really need water until about 10 miles or so. I find I get refreshed if I just gargle and spit the water out. I had been sipping and drinking it, but I think I am swallowing some air, which is probably adding to the nausea I have been feeling. I did do a lot better today with it, but I did get nauseous.
Last question, I have reactive airway disease. Not quite asthma, in some ways worse. This is only part of what has been my problem running in the past. I also know that I have a decreased lung capacity as compared to most folks. So when he yells at me to breathe or tells me I am not getting enough oxygen I am a little frustrated because my lungs are spasming and twitching away at me and I am doing my damnedest to not give in and start gasping for breath. But it does eventually happen until they relax and I can push to pick the pace up.
I feel I should clarify that it's not him I am frustrated with when he yells at to me to breathe, I know he is absolutely right. It's that I am trying to breathe from my diagram, which I can do, it's when that is full and the breath hits about sternum level the coughing and feeling that I am trying to move a brick wall that my lungs have become and they stop expanding and fill with mucous.
So my question, I know long explanation, is does anyone know of anything I can do outside of our morning walk/jogs, to help speed up the increased lung capacity. I have tried a million things over the years, breathing through a straw, these horrid little things I had to breath into and elevate the ball to a certain level each time I did it to sitting and doing deep breathing from the diaphragm, but it never seemed to help.
All of the above said though I am not getting the intense burning/searing pain in my lungs when these things hit me that I used to get when I would with other sports before. I have been able to just work through it. Same when I start getting crackling in my ears and start seeing black with white rings in it. My coach is awesome, he just takes my hand, talks to me a lot, keeps telling me to breathe and I get through it. Any thoughts and advice is greatly appreciated.
Oh I wanted to add that while I was in tears for the entire last mile I feel awesome and have no real aches or pains.
Views: 8
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cheryl on -
Have you visited with an asthma/allergy specialist to discuss the issue? One could probably be of great help to you. My husband is a runner with exercise induced asthma. He uses one of the brochial dilators (inhalers like albuterol) before he starts to run and occasionally will need to take an additional puff during long runs or certain weather conditions. He never uses it outside of running and otherwise does not suffer from allergies or asthma.
In terms of running and eating, that very much depends on timing, your needs, and your tolerance levels. If you eat and run right out the door, keep it small and simple - banana, sports drink - some quick, easy to digest carbs. Most people will have a tough time with high fiber / high protein foods too close to a run. You'll typically need more than an hour. (The Vega WFO is high is fiber and protein. Mix it with something else if you use it immediately before or after runs to get a better ratio of carbs / protein - fruits, oatmeal, greens. And, quite frankly, your coach doesn't sound too informed on good hydration techniques. Would you really run 10 miles in heat without drinking water?
Drink when you feel the need to do so. Even a little dehydration reduces performance - especially speed performance - and makes you feel crappy. There are tons of good resources out there on both nutrition and hydration for runners. Do some legwork and find what works best for you! There is no one size fits all but there are some good general guidelines that will help you. -
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Permalink Reply by Dora on -
Thank you Cheryl, switching to a banana and fruit beforehand did the trick. No more nausea. I read this about the protein/fiber and somehow it didn't click with me even though I know the WHO is indeed high fiber and protein.
I am trying to avoid using my inhaler. I prefer natural methods to control it. Eucalyptus will clear it right up when it happens and I am carrying that with me now after the last time out.
I do carry water and will continue to do so.
Thanks for the information it is appreciated. -
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Russell on -
Dora,
It is great to hear Cheryl's nutrition advice worked in regards to your nausea and gastro issues.
One thing to consider regarding breathing and lung capacity is your running form. Often when we are fatigued our core weakens and it begins to collapse. This can cause your breathing to become shallow and more rapid because of the restrictions now set on your diaphragm and lungs.
Try to focus on keeping your spine elongated (think long neck) and neutral (think hips forward). Hopefully this will keep your airways from shrinking. Get your coach to give you a core routine to strengthen these areas.
Lastly a breathing technique that might help with capacity is this:
Exhale entirely
Inhale full and deep
Hold for 20s
Repeat to 5 times
Hope this helps -
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Permalink Reply by Dora on
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Andrew,
I think you hit my problem on the head. I needed to lift my Transverse Abdominis more and keep the hips forward like you said. I never realized I was leaning in like that. We also discovered my pelvic bone is literally rotating around the vertical axis.
It seems I have a rare genetic condition called ehlors-danlos which the connective tissue is very loose and very unstable in all of my joints. I haven't been allowed to run or do much else, other than physical therapy since mid-November. Hence the long wait and response to you here. The doctors have literally said the best thing I can do for myself is become a body builder and get the core muscles and joints strengthed up.
Will be working on the breathing technique though to help with lung capacity overall. -
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Russell on
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Dora,
glad you have found the root causes, now that you know them it makes it so much easier to work towards clearing them.
The core is so important in everything we do and most of us don't know when and or how to use it. Up until this year I ran without my core. I got great advice from my girlfriend on one run one day and from then on I have made a conscious effort to strengthen and activate my core as much as I can.
Getting on to a good overall core strength program is the key. Make sure your working front and back as often we under develop our low back/ gluts when focusing on the core.
Probably the biggest way to constantly be improving your core is through your posture. It helps so much! -
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