How to restore homeostasis after extended exertion?
April 21, 2019 3:02 PM Subscribe
I am a runner and I feel like I have trouble recovering after longer runs (~10 miles). My face can be warm and flushed hours later, even returning after cooling in a shower. What tricks have you discovered to help recovery?
About me: mid 40's male, about a 2:05 half marathon pace. In pretty good shape overall, if a few pounds over ideal weight. For as long as I've been running (~20 years) I've regularly had trouble cooling off after some more intense runs. I've always tried to monitor hydration levels, because I do tend to sweat more than the average runner, but urine color has never indicated dehydration.
My experience last weekend is what is prompting me to ask you all about it. I participated in Ragnar Socal, which had me run a total of 16 miles over 3 legs. The way the timing worked out, the weather was warm for my 4 mile leg but it was quite cool for my second and third legs. The course was hilly and overall it was challenging. I ate between and after the legs, for fluids I had some gatorade, some plain water and some water with nuun electrolyte tablets (maybe 4 tablets total). I didn't sleep much during the event. I'm aware of hyponatremia, but from what I understand these circumstances shouldn't be extreme enough to trigger it.
The next evening, after a shower and decent night's sleep, my face became very warm and my hands felt cold. This case was extreme in the time between the exertion and the lingering effects - usually a nap or a night's sleep is a guaranteed remedy for me.
Endurance athletes of MetaFilter - is this something you have encountered? What have you found that works? I know that you are neither my doctor nor my track coach. I will be seeing my GP next month and I will bring it up when we meet, but I'd like to do some homework first. So if there is anything I should try or research I'm open to it. I'm running a half marathon in 2 weeks so there's an opportunity for an experiment.
About me: mid 40's male, about a 2:05 half marathon pace. In pretty good shape overall, if a few pounds over ideal weight. For as long as I've been running (~20 years) I've regularly had trouble cooling off after some more intense runs. I've always tried to monitor hydration levels, because I do tend to sweat more than the average runner, but urine color has never indicated dehydration.
My experience last weekend is what is prompting me to ask you all about it. I participated in Ragnar Socal, which had me run a total of 16 miles over 3 legs. The way the timing worked out, the weather was warm for my 4 mile leg but it was quite cool for my second and third legs. The course was hilly and overall it was challenging. I ate between and after the legs, for fluids I had some gatorade, some plain water and some water with nuun electrolyte tablets (maybe 4 tablets total). I didn't sleep much during the event. I'm aware of hyponatremia, but from what I understand these circumstances shouldn't be extreme enough to trigger it.
The next evening, after a shower and decent night's sleep, my face became very warm and my hands felt cold. This case was extreme in the time between the exertion and the lingering effects - usually a nap or a night's sleep is a guaranteed remedy for me.
Endurance athletes of MetaFilter - is this something you have encountered? What have you found that works? I know that you are neither my doctor nor my track coach. I will be seeing my GP next month and I will bring it up when we meet, but I'd like to do some homework first. So if there is anything I should try or research I'm open to it. I'm running a half marathon in 2 weeks so there's an opportunity for an experiment.
When I started running (started from out of shape mid thirties guy who thought he hated to run, BMI 27) 5 years ago, knocking out winter runs 2-3 hours weren't a problem for me (well, after a year+ where I'd worked up to that). However summer runs killed me. Immediately after the run, I'd feel warm, but crappy. 15-30 minutes later and I'd have the chills and have the worst full body shivers I'd ever experienced in memory. Sitting in the sun, drinking warm liquids while wearing a hoodie and jeans (in shorts weather), or going in our hottub would allow my body to reset.
However, since I've stressed heat adaptation over the last 2 years (after a DNF during a summer event), things have switched. I can now do hill climbing in full sun (with lots of sunblock) from noon-3pm and not need to worry about any body-care afterwords. However, running in less than -5C for more than an hour and I've got chills again that can't be solved with a scalding shower. I need to bundle up with a heat source and hot water and nap for 30 minutes.
Your face was warm, and hands cold, but what about your core? If your core temp felt fine, this might be a thing your body does. You could try wearing gloves/mittens while putting cool clothes on your face to help coax it into homeo stasis immediately after finishing a trigger workout/event.
As you mention that you generally have trouble cooling off, you could try to force "heat acclimatization" (term can be googled). I started by going out (with water, to places that had water fountains to refill, and salt pills) dressed in the same way I would if it were -20C, except when it was 20C. I.E. wicking shirt, thick shirt, wicking shirt, windproof coat with hood and hat. I was definitely going out slower and keeping watch of heart rate. And the first two weeks were miserable, but I definitely adapted. And I do this yearly with the coming of spring (soon) and my body seems to have further adapted each year. I would say that now, I'm average, or low-average for dealing with heat compared to others I train with. No one else specifically does any heat training. Before I was ridiculously poor at handling the heat.
I currently have a BMI of 23.7, which is on the high end of endurance athletes, but the weight loss has also likely helped with heat training (and hindered cold training). However, I can't see myself/frame ever going beneath a 23.0, so I'm pretty close to what I'd consider ideal for me.
In theory, I could try to force both cold, and heat adaptations, but 1) I primarily only do events in summer, and 2) I fear any cold adaptations might subtract with my still continuing cold adaptations. 2) might be a completely irrational fear.
posted by nobeagle at 5:05 PM on April 21, 2019
However, since I've stressed heat adaptation over the last 2 years (after a DNF during a summer event), things have switched. I can now do hill climbing in full sun (with lots of sunblock) from noon-3pm and not need to worry about any body-care afterwords. However, running in less than -5C for more than an hour and I've got chills again that can't be solved with a scalding shower. I need to bundle up with a heat source and hot water and nap for 30 minutes.
Your face was warm, and hands cold, but what about your core? If your core temp felt fine, this might be a thing your body does. You could try wearing gloves/mittens while putting cool clothes on your face to help coax it into homeo stasis immediately after finishing a trigger workout/event.
As you mention that you generally have trouble cooling off, you could try to force "heat acclimatization" (term can be googled). I started by going out (with water, to places that had water fountains to refill, and salt pills) dressed in the same way I would if it were -20C, except when it was 20C. I.E. wicking shirt, thick shirt, wicking shirt, windproof coat with hood and hat. I was definitely going out slower and keeping watch of heart rate. And the first two weeks were miserable, but I definitely adapted. And I do this yearly with the coming of spring (soon) and my body seems to have further adapted each year. I would say that now, I'm average, or low-average for dealing with heat compared to others I train with. No one else specifically does any heat training. Before I was ridiculously poor at handling the heat.
I currently have a BMI of 23.7, which is on the high end of endurance athletes, but the weight loss has also likely helped with heat training (and hindered cold training). However, I can't see myself/frame ever going beneath a 23.0, so I'm pretty close to what I'd consider ideal for me.
In theory, I could try to force both cold, and heat adaptations, but 1) I primarily only do events in summer, and 2) I fear any cold adaptations might subtract with my still continuing cold adaptations. 2) might be a completely irrational fear.
posted by nobeagle at 5:05 PM on April 21, 2019
The fact that you're feeling bad not during, but long after your run also makes me think that you're not eating or drinking enough fluids afterwards. A conservative estimate for your two hour run is about 900 calories- or another meal and a half in addition to what you normally eat. Two hours will completely deplete all the glycogen in your liver, so try to eat some simpler carbs in addition to protein and fat so your body can start repairing itself immediately.
Usually when I go out on a long run, I'll plan on picking up a burrito or something significant afterwards. If I don't do this and there's nothing in the house, I can plan on being lethargic for the next day or two.
posted by meowzilla at 5:36 PM on April 21, 2019
Usually when I go out on a long run, I'll plan on picking up a burrito or something significant afterwards. If I don't do this and there's nothing in the house, I can plan on being lethargic for the next day or two.
posted by meowzilla at 5:36 PM on April 21, 2019
Response by poster: You two raise good points about food. I do generally allow myself to eat more on days that I have a long run, but the timing may be important. Race days involve time in the post-race areas, waiting for friends to finish, etc. before a proper meal. I do take advantage of whatever is available to finishers (bananas, etc), but maybe I should be more purposeful about it. Do you think it's just a matter of calories, or is there something particular I should focus on, like carbs or protein?
posted by Horselover Fat at 5:55 PM on April 21, 2019
posted by Horselover Fat at 5:55 PM on April 21, 2019
I really can’t see how this is exercise-related if it is occurring 24hrs later.
I can see how it is exposure-related though - are you completely sure it isn’t sunburn/windburn? Which would also give you the shiveriness... Are you wearing waterproof sunblock, and are you applying it regularly? Most people aren’t outside for hours at a time on a regular basis, and you say this is only happening on your long runs...
posted by tinkletown at 8:56 PM on April 21, 2019 [1 favorite]
I can see how it is exposure-related though - are you completely sure it isn’t sunburn/windburn? Which would also give you the shiveriness... Are you wearing waterproof sunblock, and are you applying it regularly? Most people aren’t outside for hours at a time on a regular basis, and you say this is only happening on your long runs...
posted by tinkletown at 8:56 PM on April 21, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have always had problems with overheating during exercise. My face gets very red, which runs in my family and may be related to rosacea (I’ve never been diagnosed). But it made a big difference when I started drinking only electrolyte water during exercise. I skip plain water and only drink water with nuun tabs.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:07 AM on April 22, 2019
posted by bluedaisy at 12:07 AM on April 22, 2019
This sounds like a hot flash to me. Have you had your testosterone tested? You're at the age where men can have symptoms of low testosterone without knowing it, and sweats/ hot flashes are a really common one.
posted by pintapicasso at 9:36 AM on April 22, 2019
posted by pintapicasso at 9:36 AM on April 22, 2019
I would try kicking things up caloriewise (and macros) at least a couple days beforehand and see how you feel after the big run. Whether you eat beforehand on running day is up to you.
posted by rhizome at 7:23 PM on April 23, 2019
posted by rhizome at 7:23 PM on April 23, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rhizome at 4:37 PM on April 21, 2019