Bartimus 1 Report post Posted April 21, 2015 Hi all I'm not to the forum. Found it by way of Google. Anyways.... I'm looking for some advice on training for a half marathon (and eventually a full one). I've been diabetic (type 2) for 6 years now, but I've had gastric bypass surgery which significantly helped. I can say that I'm in remission (not cured). The surgery keeps me off medicine, but despite this, I still have to be mindful of what I eat. So this brings me to the forum. I used to be a long distance runner back in my high school/Army days, but have been sedentary for nearly 20 years. Back then, when you competed, you carb'd up. As diabetics, this is a bad thing. Where is the middle ground? What can I get away with? How do others manage the 'fuel'? I've only recently started actively running again. I've done quite a few 5ks in the past year. All walking with family with an occasional jog included, but just this past month, I completed a full 5k non-stop in just under 30mins. My training has been pretty exponential, but I'm trying to moderate myself but at the same time I want to go further faster. I want to "compete" (not just finish) in a half marathon I've signed up for in December. Sorry if this post is a bit of a ramble. I want to ask lots of questions and speak my mind, but I'm not fully thinking fluidly. I'd appreciate any advice anyone has. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stl-T2 1,995 Report post Posted April 22, 2015 I've seen some stuff suggesting that if you are fully ketoadapted you body can run off of fat just as well or maybe better than carbs. I'll see if I can find a link to the video. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stl-T2 1,995 Report post Posted April 22, 2015 Here's a good one: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caravaggio 998 Report post Posted April 22, 2015 Hello Bartimus. Just ask what you want to know. There are runners in this forum who are willing to share what they know. As for fueling, experiment. Some runners swear by very low carb and ketogenic diets. I've tried. Did not work well for me, once I got beyond a certain training load. Basically I still tanked towards the end if I ran longer distances at a faster clip. I had to give it up. But that could just be me, and there could be a top runner who is winning medals while on a ketogenic diet. On the other hand, I don't need all the carbs that most sports experts advocate either. I don't carbo load and don't eat/drink all those carby gels/bars/goos and what-have-you during races that coaches say I need - if I do, my BG goes way high. How do you know what will work for you? Experiment. Do not be afraid to experiment - that includes fueling, running gait, running apparel, what time of day to train, how much water you need to drink during your run and all other aspects of running. One general advice I can give - avoid running too fast, too much, too soon. Another advice - do not wear cotton shirts, shorts and socks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
graham44 176 Report post Posted April 23, 2015 Caravaggio is right on...experiment. You'll find what works and you'll do great. But, as you all know we are all different and metabolize carbs differently. If you talk to 10 diabetics about their fueling/bg levels during a race and post race, you're going to get 10 different results. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
graham44 176 Report post Posted April 23, 2015 hmmmm upon further thought i would avoid the "carb loading" before the race and try to go with consuming some carbs during the race. I'm sure you've read some articles but this one is pretty good http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/many-carbohydrates-burned-running-11542.html The cool thing with burning fat is they say you can only store 2000 cal of glycogen for fuel, but even a marathon runner with single digit body fat % has over 100,000 cal of fat on their body Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bartimus 1 Report post Posted May 6, 2015 thank you for all the feedback. some things to think about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rfrankr 133 Report post Posted May 7, 2015 Have you checked your BG before, after and several times during training runs to see what it does? I tend to use several strips when I run. That helps me figure out fueling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nickm 12 Report post Posted January 27, 2016 I'm 55, type 1, and recently did 21km after 20 years of no running. Detailed comments on low carb running are on my blog. t1diabetesafter55.blogspot.com.au Posts of 19 and 21 dec 2015 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
