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Post by scott on Mar 4, 2008 23:18:20 GMT -5
Im having a rough time with running and overall health right now and i was wondering what you guys thought the problem could be. For the last 4-5 weeks i have noticed a general drop in my energy and motivation to run. At first i thought it was over training (something i am known to do) but after 3 weeks of backing off the mileage to 55-60 i still feel tired right from the start of the run. I sleep from 12-15 hours a day. I eat very little for the amount of running i am doing and I am moody and unmotivated. I have several ideas after some research on the internet (mono and anemia). I seem to have more symptoms for anemia, but i honestly have no idea. I have a planned blood test for this friday and i should know what is up. I am just looking for some advice from you guys. Thanks, Scott
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Post by dan on Mar 5, 2008 6:42:57 GMT -5
scott- ive never dealt with anything like mono or anemia, but it seems as if you are doing everything you can- my first suggestion would be to get a lot of sleep, but you are already getting more than i thought humanly possible- my only other suggestion would be that maybe instead of seeing each run as a burden, try to view it as an opportunity to get out and clear some stress- appreciate the simple act of moving, and don't worry about your teammates, racing, school, or anything else during that time- running in itself is a pure act, and when the other clutters of life get brought in, it is easy to lose sight of why we do it-
i know that your problem is not merely mental- i also know that changing your outlook is unlikely to bring back your energy levels- but if you can capitalize on the time you are able to run and make the most of it, your moodiness and general irritability may improve
scott, we've all known and we all still do know that your future is bright- whether you discover that while running in college or out on the roads somewhere as a marathoner is something that remains to be seen- but despite whatever setbacks you've faced in the past few seasons/years, keep faith in the fact that your best years are still ahead of you-
my personal view of collegiate running is to soak as much of it in as possible- im fairly certain my greater accomplishments lie in distances longer than 3k and 5k, but im doing my best to enjoy the time i have- dont lose sight of your goals, but at the same time, enjoy your time with your teammates and friends and take it for all its worth- we are only 20 years old once
again, i know next to nothing about how to cope with your symptoms- i just dont want you to become overly discouraged by this- you made some very positive strides this winter, and if you really are sick, then it is something that would have happened regardless of the training you were doing
call me if you want to talk more-DAN
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Post by frojoe23 on Mar 5, 2008 8:09:52 GMT -5
This is an easy question - BEER an d GIRLFRIEND. Elimate those two things and your life will be back on track!
Actually, just kidding. You need to have that blood test done. I'd really put my money on overtraining, but that is just being optimistic since that is an easy fix. Remember, how quickly you have progressed from injury to now. That means you can fall from that twice as fast if you pushed it a little too much.
However, anemia looks like it could be the culprit. There are a host of things that could be making you feel this way and the blood test will be able to show deficiencies in a lot of things. I'd almost start a journal of what you are eating everyday and how much - then from this you should be able to figure out if you are getting the right amounts of vitamins and minerals. You could be lacking in any of these and it will just make you drained.
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Post by Justin on Mar 5, 2008 12:44:30 GMT -5
I agree, it sounds lilke anemia to me. One thing about sleep though, it sounds like you are getting a ton of it, and this is not always good. I had a semester in college where my schedule allowed for me to get a lot of sleep each night. I was getting 11-12 hours each night and thought it would help me out a lot. I started to run badly and feel generally out of sync all the time. I told my coach about it and told her how much sleep I've been getting, she said for me to try for a week to just get 8 hours a night to see what happened, low and behold by the end of the week I felt a lot better. I do think it's possible to sleep outselves into a rut. I'm nto saying that is your problem, but if the blood work comes back normal it may be worth thinking about.
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Post by baldisbetter on Mar 5, 2008 14:05:33 GMT -5
Scott: I agree with the anemia. But two other things to research are the thyroid and vitamin B-12. A number of years ago, I had some similar symptoms and anemia was the cause. The Dr put me on an iron supplement and had me change my diet. I needed more beef in my diet. It lasted a good six months. I thought I was going crazy but in the end I just need more beef.
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Post by frojoe23 on Mar 5, 2008 14:31:11 GMT -5
Good point there by Rob. I have noticed that Dave is running a lot stronger and I am pretty sure it is due to his massive meat intake!
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Post by QCS Admin on Mar 5, 2008 15:29:45 GMT -5
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Post by wvrunner on Mar 5, 2008 18:36:42 GMT -5
Scott,
I sure hope you get feeling better soon. I think many of your symptoms do indeed sound like anemia. The blood test will confirm this if it is. Your symptoms sound very similar to other runners I know who have dealt with anemia. Iron supplements, increased intake of foods with iron and avoiding tea will help. I had a girl I coached once who consumed mass quantities of tea, she developed anemia. After some research it was determined tea contains tannin, which inhibits iron absorption. A once a day vitamin supplement may help too. Endurance athletes have different vitamin and mineral needs compared to the normal person. Good Luck!
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Post by scott on Mar 5, 2008 21:03:05 GMT -5
Thanks to all you guys, Ill let you know about the results. It is always nice to have such a knowledgeable and supportive group at home. I read about how calcium can limit absoption of iron. To recover from my stress fractuce i was taking 2000mg a day, doctors orders. He also instructed me to continue with the dosage because i dont get enough calcium from my diet. I wonder if this would have anything to do with iron level...just a thought. Thanks, Scott
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Post by jordan on Mar 6, 2008 10:08:56 GMT -5
scotty boy, I've been there. several times. Most of the time it was just plain over training. It's very difficult to mix high mileage with track work. It is a tricky line to be on... A couple weeks ago I saw a great A.R.T.( Active Release Therapy) guy. ONe of the best in the country. We chatted for an hour about diet. I now take a mulit, iron, calcuim-magnesium-zinc, vitamin c, and pro-biotic pills everyday. The Electrolytes help with recovery. He also recommended consuming more "dark" fruits. like blueberries, cherries, blackberries. They help with the free radical oxygen our bodies create (anti-oxident). Since than I haven't felt better. It's worth a shot. And it can't hurt.
The other thing is the mental aspect of being in a slump. No matter what the cause. Keeping a positive outlook on getting better is a huge in recovery. I know it's hard, but it does help recovery. I went from being injured, getting better, now I'm sick. But as long as I keep a positive outlook on it I can still get out there everyday and run, workout etc.
You will come out on top little buddy.
JD
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Post by marc on Mar 6, 2008 19:32:30 GMT -5
If it is iron related then it would be sideropenic anemia. It make it tough to say though because it isn't really common in males (only about 2% of anemia related cases are that kind of anemia). Anti-oxidants are always a good option. Really the information everyone has given you is the best information you can get without going to a doctor. Anyway hope it doesn't amount to much more than a just a down period in your running. Hope everything works out.
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Post by scott on Mar 8, 2008 13:52:49 GMT -5
Well i got the results today. It is anemia. Both the iron and ferrotin levels were 4 times lower than the average for men. I forget the exact lvl but that is what the doctor told me. So a change in diet and iron supplements is going to happen. Thanks for all the advice and support guys Scott
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