W4 R3 feeling sick: This is a new one for me... - Couch to 5K

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W4 R3 feeling sick

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate
18 Replies

This is a new one for me. Just under halfway through the last 5 minute run I started to feel nauseous.

I thought it may either pass or if I slowed down I would struggle through for the last couple of minutes - but no. The longer I carried on the closer I felt like I was going to go. I had to slow back down to a walk with just over a minute left of the final run.

It then passed as quickly as it came on and I felt OK again. I almost considered re-winding the podcast (re-winding! Showing my age!) and re-doing the run but thought better of it - stick to the routine.

Now, herein lies the rub - what do I do......do I continue onto W5 hoping that it was just an odd occurrence or do I just have 1 days rest and repeat this session?

I am not going to use the fail term. I am dissappointed though as the last run was fine and I was looking forward to moving on.

I wonder whether I was going too fast again. I kept having to slow myself down as I found my pace creeping up.

I know it is all relative but does 7.46 minute/km seem too fast, about right, sqabbling tortoises would say 'get out of the way!' as they came past? This is the pace for the entire podcast from walking out the door to the end of the walking cool down.

Also, I ran at about 11am, which is different to usual. I usually run early morning or late afternoon. And I had not had any breakfast, just swig of water before I left - could that be it?

Feeling a little stressed too, few personal things afoot - nothing terrible just in the mix too.

Any advice extremely welcome as feeling a little low.

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Idolitorus profile image
Idolitorus
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18 Replies
roseabi profile image
roseabi

Could well just have been a bit of hypoglycaemia, since it was 11am and you'd not had your breakfast yet! I wouldn't worry. Maybe stick to your usual running times in future?

Arrietty profile image
ArriettyGraduate

That pace sounds like greased lightning to this snail!! I'd say it's probably just a bad day and not to worry about it too much.

I'm a bit of a control freak so I'd probably do that one again just so I ticked it off in my head as properly 'done' but in reality I wouldn't think you need to!

Anyway, chin up, don't be down, you're doing brilliantly!! Put it behind you as a bad day and move on remembering how far you've come already 😊

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to Arrietty

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

Sound advice as always. Run slower and a snack before leaving seems the order of the day.

I am type 2 diabetic so low blood sugar is not usually a problem, type 2s normally go high not low - but no breakfast and exercise was probably too much.

Thanks again. Feel better already.

Anaverageman profile image
AnaveragemanGraduate

Never seen that much about nausea and running on these forums.. so I guess most likely to be a one off.. since we ARE discussing 'bodily functions' ( and apologies in advance for this) I did once get half way round a ' run' and suddenly have an immense desire to ' do a number 2' ! it was extremely hard trying to run AND keep your buttocks clenched at the same time... Needless to say a hearty pre-run bowel evacuation has been my watchword since then.. which is all a long pre-amble to saying I think the ' shaking motion' of running may well ' mix up the stomache' a little.. ( not in the sense of confusing it.. 'hey whats happening? you are EXERCISING!!??) more ' give it a good shake up.. so any underlying bodily functions are stimulated.. ( i want this out of my body and i want it out NOW!!) .. the ' low sugar' point roseabi might be worth considering, but unless you know of any reason WHY you should become 'hypoglycaemic' perhaps an outside option... I'd put it down to , more likely, the dodgy curry you had the night before.. or the prawn cocktail sandwiches you had for breakfast.. rather than an intrinsic.. ' running makes me sick' .. although overdoing it CAN do obviously..

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to Anaverageman

I've heard about this before!

It must be an age thing, 'cause I get about half way round and need a wee!

I'm a good boy though and just like my mum said, I go before I leave. 'Never pass up an opportunity' as some of my older and more learned associates have told me.

Oddly, I get home and feel fine and don't need to go. Too much jiggling methinks.

Breakfast.....that's all !

dottiemay profile image
dottiemayGraduate

If that time includes your walks, then I think that you are maybe going too fast. Sorry, I can't do the maths, but your walking speed must be lowering your average pace so 7:46 sounds quick to me.

Try timing just your run and see how that compares but also slow it down a little. I know I often get nausea when I'm pushing really hard. It might simply be one of those runs. If you want to re-do it, then go for it but I think you can say that you completed 99% of it and move on! ;-)

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to dottiemay

Thank you to you guys too.

It's funny, seeing someone else say what you think/believe to be the case makes it seem more real.

Two days rest then week 5 sounds OK. If I struggle again, then re-evaluate but otherwise take my own advice and slooooooow doooooowwwwn!

davelinks profile image
davelinksGraduate

I had this when I hadn't had any breakfast on week w8 mixed with walking, and sprinted/upped the pace to the finish line on a Parkrun.

So now I always have breakfast 1-2 hrs before running, and maybe the pace was to much at the end..so maybe slow down a tad..start w5

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to davelinks

This is sound advice. I rather think my runs are 'tacked on' to my day rather than being planned or integral. I need to plan it out a little better rather than being swept along by circumstance and opportunity.

mcgurranhouse profile image
mcgurranhouseGraduate

I had the same problem at Parkrun on Saturday - couldn't even collect my chip - went behind the nearest car and threw up! Delightful. I did however get a pb of 27.39 which fits in with the running too fast suggestion - that and not a bite in my stomach!

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to mcgurranhouse

Oh, I feel for you.

I was very close this morning. Even as I slowed down I thought 'this is not going to work, I'm gonna go'.

It's mortifying.

The embarrassment factor makes it even more likely to happen. A right catch 22.

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate

Oooh yes ! I get this when I try to run fast, ( not that running fast happens often for me , of course)

Glad you felt better after :-)

Good Luck and keep going, youre doing great ! :-) xxx

PS l like your new pic :-) xxx

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to poppypug

Thank you!! *recovers from girlie grin and gruffly utters* 'I'm Batman'

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate in reply to Idolitorus

Ha ha ! :-D xxx

mfamilias profile image
mfamiliasGraduate

It sounds like a one-off, I'd put it behind you and keep going regardless. You seem to spend undue amounts of time analysing everything, particularly your speed - why don't you just find a speed that's comfy for you, and bugger the numbers? After all, there's no such thing as the 'ideal' speed - your legs and mine aren't the same length, we don't carry the same weigh or frame, bla bla bla.. they all have an effect on your speed. Just run at a speed you're comfortable with!

Make sure you eat before running, but not right beforehand and not in huge quantities or you could be in line for a stitch or a heaving tum. Varies for everyone but it's the case for me. Also, maybe watch out for your posture when running - if you slouch you could squeeze your guts?

Idolitorus profile image
IdolitorusGraduate in reply to mfamilias

The speed analysis is not to make me go quicker, it is actually to ensure I am not speeding up. Each run over the same podcast, I am covering a slightly longer distance. Not great amounts but they are increasing, hence my concern about speeding up, if only slightly.

Getting a good, natural pace and sticking to it seems really hard. I either start too fast and have to make myself slow down or I go too slowly and end up speeding up a little.

Going too slowly feels almost ungainly and adds to the effort whilst going to quickly is just silly and defeats the object of the session.

But I think you're right. Ditch the app. Having a voice popping up now and again stating distance covered and average minutes per mile is certainly no help.

This is the quandry - do I lengthen my strides which naturally slows them down or keep them short but when I do, I find I tend to 'bounce' more which Laura said to avoid.

I know a lot of this is unanswerable and I may just find that rhythm naturally.

I'm also glad I am not the only one this has happened to.

mfamilias profile image
mfamiliasGraduate in reply to Idolitorus

I reckon that if you're covering a longer distance it's just because you're running more often (and better) and walking less. You're calculating over the walking and running periods, so it's difficult to know how fast you are actually running. The only method I have found to run at a regular pace was when I discovered by chance that I my most comfortable pace fitted the beat of the Gorillaz "Clint Eastwood" track. I checked out the number of beats per minute and downloaded loads of songs with the same beat (in my case, 165 bpm). You could try out the same idea and use that playlist with some C25K apps? If you're not using the C25K app (could be hard for timing purposes) try "Rock my Run", which is excellent (I may have said all this before, if so, sorry for repeating myself. There's nothing worse than new converts, or so they say).

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