Oh my trots: Four problems assosiated with runners

If like me, you’ve not really ran before then hopefully this will be a good read for you, and also you’ll not have experienced the awful symptoms that I’m about to explain. (thankfully)

I have been suffering from all of these over the few weeks, since starting my #runforfun blog and campaign, so I thought I’d share a bit more information on each one, hopefully then you won’t suffer the same fate as me.

Since I run in the morning normally around 2 degrees, my body goes into shock which causes hyperthermia (over heating), which leads me to the first on my list.



Overheating:

Hyperthermia is elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation that occurs when a body produces or absorbs more heat than it dissipates. Extreme temperature elevation then becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to prevent disability or death.The most common causes include heat stroke and adverse reactions to drugs. The former is an acute temperature elevation caused by exposure to excessive heat, or the combination of heat and humidity, that overwhelms the heat-regulating mechanisms.

Personal experience: The most frequent for me is the overheating, running on cold days in just a tank top and leggings feels like it will be fine, as I heat up quickly my muscles don’t get too hot. This is the problem, however, I’m getting too hot in the blood and my skin is freezing, causing dizziness and nausea once I slow down.

Runners knee:
Runners knee is a common occurrence in most runners, as the pressure of the foot hitting the surface impacts on the knee over the course of the run. This is why having the right running shoe is so important as it will take some of the impact from the ground away from your foot/knee.

Personal experience: I get this least frequently, normally after long distance runs, for me, that’s over 5 miles. My legs ache and my knees feel a bit sore, it normally eases after 24-48 hours and I can normally prevent it if I stretch properly.


Runner’s diarrhea: From wiki:
“often termed “runner’s trots”[1] or “the gingerbread man”,[2] is a condition that often affects distance runners, and is characterized by an urgent need for a bowel movement mid-run. If the runner can find a suitable toilet or bush, the resulting stool will be on the higher end of the Bristol stool scale. Whether the stool can be considered diarrhea or a clinical expression of ischemic enteropathy is under debate.[3]

Personal experience: Eek! so, this is a really rare one for me, but still the most memorable.. I’d not experienced it before, until last week where it caught me unaware.Luckily I was only a mile and a half away from the car so I hobbled back, clutching my stomach and grunting through the pain. 


Fatigue:

Often an underplayed symptom as we have been programming ourselves to push harder and over-achieve so once we are tired, we assume it’s from all the hard work we’ve put in and ignore the symptoms. The rest is important, jogging daily is fine, as long as you’re maintaining a good amount of calories and resting your legs and joints appropriately.

Personal experience: I can’t think of a time when I don’t have this after a run, particularly after a 5 mile run, I almost always HAVE to have a power nap to keep awake throughout the remainder of my day.

Video link will be live here on the 30/04/2015

Remember: I’m running a half marathon in october,
 please suport my charities (multiples) by donating here.

Pop a comment, let me know what you think..

Post Navigation