Nov 7, 2007

getting my ducks in a row

so i've started to get my nutritional ducks in a row. i figured now was as good a time as any to go to my doctor for a yearly checkup - which is usually not so much a yearly thing for me, but more like a twice in a decade thing. but i think a near collapse on a sidewalk and winding up in ambulance with an oxygen mask on suffices for a trip to the doctor. just to make sure everything is all kosher and it is indeed a nutrition/race day fueling thing and there aren't any underlying issues.

i tell her the whole sad sorry story of me on the sidewalk. then me in the ambulance. she wants to know what the glucose level was. i say 66. she says there's no way that level would have put me on the sidewalk. there must have been something more. she wanted to know what they found out when they took my blood in the ER - what were my electrolytes, potassium & other stuff that i forgot what she said. i laughed and said i never made it to the ER. finish line was more important. so, the poor woman didn't have a lot to work with. i was worried that she would just think i was crazy for running a marathon in the first place. i love her, but the last time i went to see her, i didn't feel a lot of love over the running thing. i mean ok, ok, i was in to see her for bronchitis and i actually ran to the appointment. and ran home. and hacked in her office in between. she didn't seem to thrilled about the fact that i ran there. but this time, i was thrilled that she took such an interest & seemed genuinely determined to figure it out. so she took a bunch of blood. i go back in two weeks.

in the meantime, i have been devouring nutrition books. with highlighter in hand. and a calculator, so i can plug in my weight and figure out how many calories i need to just sustain myself vs. how many calories i need to run 6, 10, or 26.2 miles. i wonder how many calories are in a horse. cause that's what i think i'd need to eat.

it's all a bit mind-boggling and i really wonder how i'll figure this out on my own. and i think because the whole coach thing works so well for me in that he tells me what to do and i do it - i needed to find the same thing for nutrition. i need a food coach. you know where this is going, yes? i am beyond excited to say that i have indeed found a food coach. we've already started. she sent me a huge questionnaire which i have already filled out & sent back. it was long and detailed. of course i had to divulge all the unpleasantries of my GI issues. she'll review. we'll chat. she'll make a plan. we'll work together on getting this right. i've already heard back. she's not afraid to talk poop. this is going to work out great.

love how the ducks are just starting to line up so nicely.

9 comments:

Vickie said...

So where is this nutritiion person? Sounds interesting. I'd be interested in asking a few things myself. Oh, and a very tentative plan here to come and run the Derby 1/2 at the end of April, provided either gas prices don't go totally through the roof or airfares aren't manageable either. Its a race I have wanted to do since the first year, so maybe it will happen next year!

MiaStella said...

So...who'd ya find? Here in town?

Unknown said...

66 isn't *technically* a fall-over blood sugar level, but it's not a level I could run at very long, particularly after so many miles.

Similarly, symptoms of a low blood sugar can be more pronounced if its fallen quickly... in other words, going from 150-66 over 4 hours doesn't feel as bad as doing it in 30 minutes.

But yes - I'd agree that nutrition is more than just blood sugar.. it's electrolytes, etc. etc.. one more thing to manage on the long road. :)

Frayed Laces said...

Good for you for getting a food coach! I tried to do that on my own and it nearly consumed me. I'm interested to hear if you have any "aha" moments with her...keep us posted!

Anonymous said...

someone local? i am so interested to find out more about this.

Nancy said...

Funny, I was thinking you'd have to eat LIKE a horse. But I guess eating A horse would work too.

Anonymous said...

Good for you! Your nutrition coach sounds like a great addition to Team Zanne. :)

Gotta Run..... said...

Need more details on the food coach. Did you find her online?? Love a person who can talk poop. You know I am all about that(insert giggle).

A full panel workup is a good thing to have done. I had one following my fainting thing and it helps in finding out problem areas.

You are a smart planner!!!

Laurel said...

Aw that's great! I'm glad to hear you found a nutritionist. This seems to be the first step to smart training and I'm sure it will help you out a lot. I have been thinking about getting one too. But not so much for racing, but more because I eat too much.

Oh wait, I guess the first smart step was going to the doctor. ;)