Marathons.

[stephanie34]

Hey all, I just want to know who here runs marathons while trying to be very low carb. I just ran 13.50 miles and it was my worse run ever. It was ridiculous. I was over a minute slower and I thought my legs where going to fall off. I just started low carb on MOn. My marathon is may 31st.

[Margot 65]

Something else you might like to read about carbohydrates and switching to a ketogenic diet where physical endurance is concerned.

The entire study can be found HERE

I included this snippet to whet your appetite:

The leader of this expedition, Lt. Frederick Schwatka, was a graduate of both West Point and Bellevue Hospital Medical College. His summary of the expedition was published as a news article in the New York Herald in the Fall of 1880, but his written diary was lost for 85 years until its discovery and publication by the Marine Historical Association of Mystic CT in 1965 [6]. This fascinating 117-page saga describes how Schwatka, a frontiersman and U.S. Army surgeon, collaborated with his Inuit guides to accomplish a remarkable feat of physical endurance.

In one notation, Schwatka provides an interesting insight into his weaning from their initial supply of carbohydrate-containing food.

"When first thrown wholly upon a diet of reindeer meat, it seems inadequate to properly nourish the system, and there is an apparent weakness and inability to perform severe exertive fatiguing journeys. But this soon passes away in the course of two or three weeks."

This observation, written a century before the current author first came to grips with the issue of "keto-adaptation", offers an early clue to resolve the dichotomy between impaired performance with low carbohydrate diets in the laboratory and their lack of debilitating effects when taken among people practiced in their use. That Schwatka was not impaired by his prolonged experience eating meat and fat is evidenced by his diary entry for the period 12–14 March 1880, during which he and an Inuit companion walked the last 65 miles in less than 48 hours to make a scheduled rendezvous with a whaling ship and complete his journey home.

[stephanie34]

Thanks. I will check it out. It has only been 5 days low carbing. My body probably still needs to adjust. I also ran 32 miles this week so far. Which is great. still did it and did not die

[Margot 65]

That is beyond AWESOME!! I could barely make it out of bed the first week I went back to LC.

Charles is an amazing athlete, his journal is a great read! Good luck!

[sugarless4life]

I've run 2 marathons on LC, and over 8,500 training miles since November 1, 2003, ALL on LC.

You can train your body to run on whatever fuel you consistently give it. And its FAT not carbs that is the athlete's fuel of choice. Read this link and all the parts of it listed at the bottom and you'll understand how it works.

The Correct Nutrition for Athletes - Second Opinions, UK

Keep your fat and protein HIGH and limit your carbs to non-starchy veggies and an occasional piece of fruit. The key is to stay well hydrated, and consider taking an electrolyte replacement if you're running in the heat/humidity (like I do!)

Good luck with the marathon. And remember, if it were easy, ANYONE could do it.

Betty