Blood thirsty

Hi two consecutive runs now about 4.30pm, after a decent pasta meal at midday, Ive experienced sudden crash of energy and can think of nothing else but stop running and walking and needing to eatjelly babies. Assuming this is a blood sugar issue, Ive had recent checks and im tip top, no diabetes or glycaemic problems ..

As the distance is between 5 and 6 miles should I take on the run some energy food, like dextrosol/lucozade tabs? anyone have any advice?

Are you just setting out too fast? you certainly shouldn't be out of fuel after only 5 - 6 miles. How long have you been running up to that distance?

I know the feeling, used to happen to me if I had eaten a sensible evening meal about 2 hrs prior to a run, You literally run out of steam and crave sweets.

I just leave it longer after the meal before I run or run before the meal.

Also my bloods are fine so no diabetes etc issues.

sorry cant be more help.

Why not try something 2 hours before running and see if that helps? Are you properly hydrated? What do you feel like that forces you to walk (e.g. light headed, out of breath) etc.

As WiB says - 5-6 miles should be no issue.  I can get up to 10 miles easily without eating/drinking anything (on an empty stomach)

definitely set out too fast yesterday but i feel in my body a difference between early exhaustion and energy drop. During this weak episode, my breathing is normal but legs a little weak but not quite wobbly but this crushing desire for a sugary sweet

im a bit heavy at a bit over 15st but 7 miles isnt a problem, although any more than 10miles is bodily painful. The energy loss yesterday was 2miles distance at 8.15min/miles pace as part of 6mile route. The hyrdation is a good idea EmmyBug, have started drinking about 300ml of water before a run without tummy problems and it feels good but didnt yesterday. Im wondering if well, using up 16 calories per minute, for 60minutes = 1000 calroies, maybe eat a 500calorie rapidly fuelling food just before running ... not pasta in case the timing is wrong??

Is it a very large meal you are eating? You might just need a little more time to digest it, or eat something lighter instead and then re-fuel after your run.

You certainly don't need to be loading up on carbs/calories for these runs. If anything that will make the issue worse as you become dependant on it. Maybe start by leaving slightly less time between your meal and your run if possible, but energy loss at just 2 miles in suggests you more likely ran yourself too hard.

As emmy says, if you are not running yourself hard you should be able to go a lot further without needing fuel during your run.

hello WiB im tending to agree, reduce loading, lighter food a bit closer to the run, and take the bigger picture that energy saved for first two miles can be used for the last two. I was running hard because body felt free and strong .. and from school cross country days the best times were always when running hard and holding on!

I agree on race days especially events as short as XC it is worth the go out hard and hang on approach. For a race you are typically rested, well fuelled and you don't mind hurting a bit for a result.

If you train day to day with the approach of flat out and hang on you will lose quality, increase your chacne of injury and as you have found out just run yourself out of energy. Training is about overloading, adapting and most importantly recovering to allow those previous 2 phases to sink in.

You sound like you have a handle on the moving your food around a little bit, give that a go and don't feel every run has to be a record breaker. Still do them, certainly, but don't smash yourself into the ground on a daily basis!

For me this is one of the weird things that hit me now and then after say 30-40 mins running, just couple of times per year. But when It happens I feel really shit and drained. I can only link it possibly to a hard session the day before plus not much to eat in the day leading up to the second session, or bad timing of a snack before. I can't really pin it down. But for such a recovery session I've started taking just one gel with me, in case it happens. It did a few weeks ago, and the combination of a gel and making the pace really easy (no more than 70% max HR) got me home no probs with 10 km in the bag, so I think I learnt the way to tackle it there.

You should have plenty of stored energy for a run of that length: Indeed, you may be crashing because the blood is being diverted to your stomach to digest the big lunch. A normal lunch (sandwich, fruit etc...) at about 12 with a snack e.g. rice cakes and a cup of tea, or toast and jam, at 2.30 should see you through fine.