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26 posts for 26 miles
26 posts for 26 miles
5/24/2017 0 Comments MILE 4: DIETS AND NUTRITION4 miles into a marathon a runner should begin to implement their nutrition plan to keep their body from bonking later in the race. The bonk in a race is defined as a condition of sudden fatigue and loss of energy which is caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. The body will not let you know when to begin replenishing nutrients, but it will give you plenty of pain and struggles later in the race if you do not start early enough. Ironically, the goal of a ketogenic diet is to deplete muscle and liver stores of glycogen. For a person struggling with epilepsy, a ketogenic diet can reduce their glycogen levels, one of the major triggers for seizures. Diet and nutrition is something new to me. I was always the person in the group who enjoyed fast food. I looked forward to a McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and some hot fries. My constant running allowed me to not see the impact that a diet can have on a body. Having a son with epilepsy shattered my perception that the body can consume whatever it wants. I soon learned that the body requires you to consume what it needs. Freeman had excellent medical care while we lived in Phoenix. They prescribed medications that I discussed in prior posts. They monitored, scanned and imaged him to insure he had the proper diagnosis and prescriptions. However, the best advice we were given from his doctors was to research the Ketogenic diet. There are cases where a strictly administered ketogenic diet has reduced and sometimes eliminated a patient’s seizures. Leanna and I noticed that Freeman’s sugar intake would usually lead to seizure activity. Freeman was on a strict ketogenic diet for 9 months. We noticed that seizure activity was controlled but did not completely go away. The diet was difficult for Freeman. It required us to measure his daily intake to only 15g of net-carbs! Freeman was in a state of Ketosis, where his energy was coming from ketones in his blood versus blood glucose (glycolysis). Research has shown that the energy released from a glycogen reaction is higher and more volatile than that of the slow and steady release from a ketogenic reaction. A person suffering from epilepsy may have less triggers in their cerebral regions if the fuel for firing is ketones based vs. glycogen. Freeman’s ketogenic diet would consist of eggs, coconut oil, meat, jerky, pork rinds, and lots of bacon from his Great Grandpa’s pig from Montana! It was a difficult diet to administer. Freeman was lethargic and was unable to eat enough food to keep himself full. After 9 months, we stopped the ketogenic diet but continued to avoid high glucose foods. Since high school, I always followed a strict pre-race dinner of Spaghetti, bread sticks and gallons of water. It is by-far the most widely recognized carbo-loading plan. However, that spaghetti will only go so far in a race. I have learned there are other tricks to keep your body running at your desired race pace. While running the 50-mile Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim at the Grand Canyon in 2009 I experienced how a lack of electrolytes can impact your body. At 40-miles I realized I only had 6 ounces of Gatorade remaining. I decided to save the remaining fluids for the last 5 miles. Boy, did my body smack me back to reality. At 43-miles my body began to experience a lack of balance, as if I was leaning backwards at a 45-degree angle. I nervously begin drinking my remaining electrolytes. Within 1 mile the extreme balance sensation stopped. Now I strictly plan the amount of electrolyte replacements I bring with me on any run. I have settled on a plan to take 1 Goo/Gel every 15 minutes. The sudden release of sugar and electrolytes helps my body maintain an even level throughout a race. I will also alternate Gatorade and water at the hydration stops throughout a race. The key message at this 4th Mile marker is to always be aware of the nutritional needs of your body. The impact that a diet can have on seizures is well documented. Freeman is now aware that his food choices can cause him to struggle with seizures. He moderates those foods that he knows can trigger his seizures. Likewise, when I start a marathon, I know exactly when and what I will be taking to maintain my bodies nutrients throughout the race. Be smart. The chemistry of the body is impossible to fully understand! Have a good plan for your diet and nutrition to prevent seizures or “bonking”. And avoid McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounders… damn they were tasty!!!!
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