Feeling faint during a run

[Anonymous]

I run first thing on weekend mornings and on today’s run 2-hr run, there was a minute when I felt faint. I know I have low blood pressure and knew to stop and get some blood into my head.

If I’m running as soon as I wake up, how do I fuel the night before to prevent this? I know to hydrate before bedtime and when I wake up. But I think I need something else besides hydration.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Can you eat anything before you run? I am personally ok to eat oatmeal

[Anonymous]

Two hours is on the edge of what I’m able to do comfortably even eating something small like a banana or a solid energy product like a stroop waffle. I honestly don’t know a lot of people in my circle that will do a long run like that without eating, even if it is on the lower side of intensity.

If you are intent on doing it, I would just plan to take something in during that run and eat well the day before. Sometimes for a big morning workout I’ll actually eat my morning oatmeal meal the night before, as odd as that sounds.

[Anonymous]

I’d have a tablespoon of peanut butter before heading out.

[Anonymous]

OP here, I could but this happened the first half of my run so not sure if those foods would be effective immediately.

Trying not to take those gu packet. They’re effective but tend to bother my stomach afterwards.

[Anonymous]

OP here, meant to respond to the oatmeal comment.

The peanut butter and oatmeal the night before are somethings I will try.

As I’ve gotten older, my stomach has been more sensitive so while it could work during my run, I may get a gurgly stomach all day.

I’ll try some stuff right bed and then of that doesn’t work, I’ll try some prerun foods too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, meant to respond to the oatmeal comment.

The peanut butter and oatmeal the night before are somethings I will try.

As I’ve gotten older, my stomach has been more sensitive so while it could work during my run, I may get a gurgly stomach all day.

I’ll try some stuff right bed and then of that doesn’t work, I’ll try some prerun foods too.

Sounds good! I am the PP that mentioned eating breakfast the night before during the week. I started doing that last year the night before a big speed/intervals based bike workout the next morning of between 1-2 hours. It seemed to help, along with maybe a banana or the stroop waffle, and some fueling during that effort. Everybody is different.

I load up the night before my long bike sessions on Saturday as well. This cycle those will be up to 4 hours, usually with a run afterwards, though it will all be nearly at zone 2 power / pace outputs. I don't feel the need to do that for running for some reason, usually because the training stress overall for a long run on Sunday in my program is lower than the bike+run on Saturday.

This whole nutrition thing was a challenge for me after coming to this from losing a ton of weight. I think you just need to experiment and expect to have some stomach issues along the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I run first thing on weekend mornings and on today’s run 2-hr run, there was a minute when I felt faint. I know I have low blood pressure and knew to stop and get some blood into my head.

If I’m running as soon as I wake up, how do I fuel the night before to prevent this? I know to hydrate before bedtime and when I wake up. But I think I need something else besides hydration.

Thanks!

A 2 hour run requires nutrition. Your pick on what you take, but you have to consume calories, whether it be by gel or fluid. Also, the world of sports nutrition has evolved well past gu's and powerbars. There are tons of options out there, even for the most sensitive stomach.

[Anonymous]

I agree that you need to experiment

[Anonymous]

Also I never eat gu

[Anonymous]

I have to eat before a long run (anything more than 4 miles). And take in some nutrition every 4 miles or 45 minutes, which ever comes first. I like Gu, plus I take SaltStick brand electrolyte capsules with lots of water.

[Anonymous]

One of those little astronaut packets of unsweetened applesauce gets the job done for me - any run longer than an hour and I suck one of those down before I go out. Might be worth a try.

[Anonymous]

I drink a glass of soy milk

[Anonymous]

Yes, please start experimenting with food. I like the applesauce pouch idea. If I'm running 6 miles or more, I have a piece of toast with almond butter beforehand. If that seems like too much, you could try a banana; a small amount of oatmeal (I can't eat oatmeal before running, but lots of people can); a sheet of graham crackers; a couple of dates.

[Anonymous]

I think this is heart issue and had nothing to do with what you did or didn’t eat.

I’d go to your dr and let them know you were feeling faint while exercising. They’ll take it from there and order the necessary tests.