Giving blood - Health + Injury

Sutton Runner

17/10/2002 at 09:35

I will be giving blood today. When can I resume running? I was hoping to have a jog later in the day. I will also be doing a 10 mile race on Sunday, will it have any effect on my performance?

Michelle

17/10/2002 at 09:39

Well, I always leave running for a couple of days after giving blood.. as it does tend to make me really tired. This is probably due to my only just being on the borderline of the minimum weight and sometimes I'm actually below the weight when I give blood (depending on how well my training/eating is going!). I'd say, give the running a miss today and see how you feel tomorrow. I'm sure everyone feels differently when giving blood - my Mr. has no ill-effect whatsoever, but then again he's 6' tall and weighs about 14 stone!!
Michelle x

LizzyB

17/10/2002 at 09:51

Oddly enough, I was reading about this very subject last night ...

Although you´ll replace the fluid lost very quickly, the restoration of red blood cells can take up to three weeks (or longer). According to Tim Noakes´ The Lore of Running, you shoudl avoid hard competition over any distance for three to six weeks after donation to allow the hemoglobin levels to return to normal. Your VO2 Max will also be down by 10-15%. But he says its OK to resume training after a couple of days.

Maybe not what you want to hear ... but I´m only quoting what the book said!

Velociraptor

17/10/2002 at 10:04

People vary a lot - I give blood regularly (although, like Michelle, I tend to flirt with the weight limit a bit) and definitely notice a drop in my exercise tolerance for a couple of days afterwards but am fine again thereafter. Having said that, I wouldn't be very keen to donate blood immediately before, or when recovering from, a long race.

Mr A

17/10/2002 at 11:22

Excellent, Sutton Runner - you might want to ask them about going on the bone marrow donor register at the same time, if you feel up to it, as they can now do this at the same time as taking your donation.

There's a thread kicking around somewhere called "Anthony Nolan" which will give you all the info you might ever require (and more besides!).

Sutton Runner

17/10/2002 at 12:04

Thank you for your input. It seems my expected time for the race will need to be adjusted!

Scotty.

17/10/2002 at 13:10

Good for you Sutton Runner.

Please let us know if you felt your performance was affected on Sunday's race. From a previous thread, it does seem that a lot of us are put off from donating near races. My personal experience is that I am ok to train after 3 days rest and ok for racing within a week.

Sutton Runner

17/10/2002 at 13:21

Will do. It will be my first attempt at 10 miles, also I’m new to running and getting on a bit! My expected time would be around the 90/100 mins.

popsider

17/10/2002 at 13:49

A friend of mine gave blood and felt it affected her running for several weeks afterwards, not scientific evidence but it ties in with what LizzyB said above.

Nessie

17/10/2002 at 13:57

I think there are a few things that will affect it, mostly to do with the fact that the red blood cells carry the oxygen to the muscles to make them work.

If you have a good supply of red cells anyway, you will be less affected than someone who is, say, borderline anaemic, as you will still have plenty red cells left to do the job. If you run as slow as me, chances are the amount of oxygen the muscles need to propel you is a lot less than someone who can do 10 miles at eye-popping speed/effort. If your lungs and muscles are well trained to be as efficient as possible in transferring oxygen, you will feel less effect than someone who has trained less.

To sum up, suck it and see. The worst that will happen is that you will be slower than normal and be a bit more breathless.

Fluffa

17/10/2002 at 14:26

i'm usually fine for running the day after giving blood, it does lower your vo2 max, so your heart rate will be higher than usual for the same effort, for a few days, but as long as you're aware of this and just train at a lower intensity it should be fine.....weirdly enough, i usually find that a few weeks after a donation, my performance is actually better than usual.....maybe it's training at a higher heart rate....maybe a bit like altitude training !
good luck
alice

Dangly Spice

17/10/2002 at 14:53

I usually reckon -
don't give blood in the two weeks before a race as it will slow you down
Don't run after giving blood in the same day
Take it easy for the next 2-3 days after giving blood (So no speed sessions)
After a race, i am usually a bit aenimic so they won't take my blood the week after.
Racing this weekend - blood doning if they'll take it on the Thursday after, or the month after that.
As one of my running mates has just been diagnosed with leukemia, we're all making a special effort to make sure there's blood in the bank for him.

Plodding Hippo

17/10/2002 at 17:02

They woant take your blood unless your blood count is 12.5 (normal 11.5)
anyway

Highlandmalted

17/10/2002 at 20:33

Never have any ill effect from giving blood except I tend to put on weight by overdoing the biscuits and tea afterwards even though I don't strictly need it.

A couple of hours off work and a whole heap of biscuits... why do they only let you do it once a quarter!!!!

Sutton Runner

21/10/2002 at 09:55

I was pleased with my time for the 10 mile race on Sunday. I did it in my estimated time of 90 mins. However it could have been so much better! After just one mile I felt discomfort in my left knee (it had given me problems recently but has been ok in my last two runs). After 4 miles it was very painful and a couple of times I had to walk for a few yards. Perhaps foolishly I went on to complete the race. Almost immediately after the race it stiffened up and was painful to walk on.

I will start a new discussion on the forum on my problem! I hope with rest it will soon heal.

The Evil Pixie pirate

pirate

21/10/2002 at 21:07

I've always wanted to donate but always chikened out ....how can I find out when the mobile units are next near me?? benz?

Scotty.

22/10/2002 at 10:34

Well done Sutton Runner. No excuses for us now !

Evil Pixie, Check out www.blood.co.uk where you can search by postcode for the forthcoming sessions.

Velociraptor

22/10/2002 at 10:48

EP, you must! Please! It's painless and leaves you feeling as if you've done something good - it's also an excuse to eat extra red meat for the next week or two.

The Evil Pixie pirate

pirate

22/10/2002 at 10:59

Ok looking now

The Evil Pixie pirate

pirate

22/10/2002 at 11:02

OK found this
Thursday, October 31, 2002 14:00 to 15:55 and 17:00 to 18:45

Someone remind me please or I will chicken out again!