Running after donating blood

[SnafuDad]

What are people's experiences on running after donating blood. After many years I donated blood for the first time last week.

I'm a graduate of C25K and have been doing 30 minute consolidation runs for a few months. I left a day between donating and running and expected to feel more tired which I did. However I also picked up a sore hip which I'm now nursing but have no idea if it was related to the blood donation or just a coincidence.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Instructor57 Graduate]

It is recommended not to run within 24 hours of donating blood as this is the time taken for the plasma to be restored .I don't imagine for one minute that the sore hip is related , though I'm no doctor 😁

[SnafuDad Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks for the feedback and that's what I was thinking. Easy to blame a niggle on a recent event when it was more likely due to pushing myself a little too hard on the run.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

No experience of this... but this may be a source of useful information?

ukrunchat.co.uk/giving-bloo...

[SnafuDad Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Hi Oldfloss. Good article. Iron levels might be a problem so a great excuse to have that extra pint of Guinness. 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to SnafuDad]

Perfect!

[nowster Graduate in reply to SnafuDad]

There's more iron in an egg yolk. (About one egg yolk's worth per three pints of Guinness.)

And, of course, even more in red meat.

[Sax64 Graduate]

Hi, I'm a regular blood donor, I got my badge for 50 donations last summer. I'm a fledgling runner though in week 6, nonetheless quite active as I'm a keen cyclist. My experience is that it takes me around a couple of weeks to feel anywhere near normal in terms of exercise capacity and I take a day's rest after donating. Also I don't push myself in those recovery weeks as my body is making up for those lost red blood cells which carry the oxygen around the body. Unless you're a vegetarian, eating red meat is a good boost for your body, increasing your iron levels again. Treat your body kindly and personally wouldn't think the hip was related, but I'm no medic. Well done for starting up with the blood donations 👏

[SnafuDad Graduate in reply to Sax64]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm planning to build up to doing a 10K run (likely with some walking) in July so I've booked my next donor appointment after that. Good luck with the C25K, if you're in week 6 you're almost there.