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Blood Donation and Triathlon
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 2008-06-10 6:25 PM |
Sensei  Sin City |  Subject: Blood Donation and TriathlonI saw the "bloodmobile" out and about today and decided to donate. However, with a race this weekend, I thought better of it and changed my mind. What ARE the ramifications of donating blood and endurance training? I have my own answers, but they could be dated since I learned them back in HS about a zillion years ago. |
| 2008-06-10 9:21 PM in reply to: #1458203 |
| Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon From the RedCross FAQ: How much blood is taken — won't it make me weak? A blood donation equals approximately one pint of blood. The average adult body has 10-12 pints. The vast majority of people will not feel any different because of the donation. A very small percentage may experience temporary dizziness, but some rest and fluids will help you feel better quickly. Your body will replace the lost fluid within 24 hours. |
| 2008-06-10 9:22 PM in reply to: #1458203 |
Champion  8936      | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon The red blood cells are replaced eventually, but you would certainly have decreased performance this weekend. You just don't have the same oxygen carrying capacity until your RBC's are back to where they were before. |
| 2008-06-10 9:32 PM in reply to: #1458203 |
Veteran 303 Auburn, Alabama | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon as a recipient of multiple blood transfusions during chemotherapy treatment, i can attest to the power and necessity of giving blood. Thanks to all who have done so. You never know who it might help. On a side note, it would have been great to get some dank, hemoglobin-rich, triathlete blood, so keep on givin' BT'ers. sam |
| 2008-06-10 9:33 PM in reply to: #1458203 |
| New user 97 | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon Not sure of your fitness level. BUT MY EXPIERENCE with blood donation and down hill sking in COLORADO DID NOT MIX. I was not feeling to well . my fitness level was not very good at that time. much better now. |
| 2008-06-10 10:18 PM in reply to: #1458203 |
| Regular 206 | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon Well, you definitely wouldn't want to swim for a day or two afterward I would think. I give blood every eight weeks like clockwork (I'm O- and one of a very small percentage that can donate for neo-natal). I think you'd be ok after a couple of days but haven't been doing heavy training yet so not speaking from a lot of experience. |
| 2008-06-11 7:51 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Extreme Veteran 502 Woodbury, | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon A couple summers ago I donated blood the day before a sprint, and ended up donating my stomach contents to the roadside bushes halfway through the bike (I never puke while biking). That said, I think blood donation is one of the easiest, most impactful things we can all do to help the well-being of others and I would make the same choice again in a second. |
| 2008-06-11 12:47 PM in reply to: #1458699 |
Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon Wolfhound668 - 2008-06-10 8:18 PM Well, you definitely wouldn't want to swim for a day or two afterward I would think. I give blood every eight weeks like clockwork (I'm O- and one of a very small percentage that can donate for neo-natal). I think you'd be ok after a couple of days but haven't been doing heavy training yet so not speaking from a lot of experience. I'm O neg as well. I should donate more - I get requests all the time to do so from the banks...... I think I will wait till a couple days after the race, then do it. |
| 2008-06-11 10:42 PM in reply to: #1459981 |
| Regular 206 | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon Aikidoman - 2008-06-11 12:47 PM Wolfhound668 - 2008-06-10 8:18 PM Well, you definitely wouldn't want to swim for a day or two afterward I would think. I give blood every eight weeks like clockwork (I'm O- and one of a very small percentage that can donate for neo-natal). I think you'd be ok after a couple of days but haven't been doing heavy training yet so not speaking from a lot of experience. I'm O neg as well. I should donate more - I get requests all the time to do so from the banks...... I think I will wait till a couple days after the race, then do it.
That's the nice part about doing it on a regular schedule. I schedule my next donation before I leave the facility. No phone calls about how the blood supply is critical and they really, really need O neg this week, etc. The neo-natal was a nice bonus. For the last year or so all my blood goes straight to a NICU. My best friend's son was several weeks premature so it's like giving back. |
| 2008-06-11 10:48 PM in reply to: #1458203 |
Veteran 263 | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon So you're anti doping huh? It's like the opposite of EPO! Instead of making your body create more red blood cells than normal you want to take them out and make it harder huh? I would just until wait a day or two after the race  |
| 2008-06-12 7:24 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Master 1219 Sachse | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon Thanks for the reminder! I really need to get back on a regular donation schedule again. And come to think of it, I haven't had a reminder call or email in a while... hmmm Anyway... this thread also had me looking up some numbers. Pretty intersting stuff. Kenny |
| 2008-06-12 7:35 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Master 2638 | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon When I was younger (college) and not training as much, I had absolutely no effects from donation. I donated two weeks ago and found that I felt a little slower/less fit than I had felt prior to donation. Running was harder - my heart rate was higher at a slower pace. This effect lasted about a week (worst in the first 2 days post-donation) but was probably compounded by the heat wave our area experienced at the same time. After 1 week, I was completely fine and I'd say that I'm 100% now. So, to echo what the other posters said - I wouldn't donate right before your race or any key training but otherwise, you should be fine. Drink lots of water. |
| 2008-06-12 10:31 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Lethbridge, Alberta Bronze member | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon I've donated regularly for quite a while now, except for a recent year's break after a vacation trip had briefly entered a 'malaria risk zone'. In my experience, donating did not stop me from easier zone 1 or 2 type training. It will affect my hard training efforts for a few weeks, and I'd probably allow at least 4 or 5 weeks before an A race. It's probably a good idea to take the rest of the day off after donating though, to replace fluids and to make sure the donation site doesn't open up again. I've been able to swim, bike, or run the next day after donating if I don't try to push too hard. |
| 2008-06-12 10:52 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Elite 3488 Lakewood, CO | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon I didn't know that about O-. I am too I usually notice a difference in my workouts for about a week after donating, so I try and make a donation schedule fit in the summer time, but it is tough. |
| 2008-06-12 10:58 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Expert 937 Traverse Cityish | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon For most folks it takes a week or two after donation to come back up to full speed. I know that my times in everything drop off a bit for the first couple days afterwards. I just give in the fall and winter rather than in the spring or summer. |
| 2008-06-12 11:30 AM in reply to: #1461493 |
| Master 1277 | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon J_Cow - 2008-06-11 10:48 PM So you're anti doping huh? It's like the opposite of EPO! Instead of making your body create more red blood cells than normal you want to take them out and make it harder huh? The true definition of HTFU (: |
| 2008-06-12 11:32 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Expert 1202 Montana | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon Aikidoman - 2008-06-10 5:25 PM I saw the "bloodmobile" out and about today and decided to donate. However, with a race this weekend, I thought better of it and changed my mind. What ARE the ramifications of donating blood and endurance training? I have my own answers, but they could be dated since I learned them back in HS about a zillion years ago. I donate every eight weeks, as well, and it wipes me out for a couple of days. I can still get my workouts done, but I'm droolin' by bedtime. I sure wouldn't donate that close to a race. |
| 2008-06-12 11:55 AM in reply to: #1458203 |
Member 239 Apex, NC | Subject: RE: Blood Donation and Triathlon My rule of thumb is to donate no closer than a week prior to a race or at least several days after a race. That's for a sprint. Longer events would require longer safety zones. A few weeks ago I posted my results of doing a run the day after donating. My 5 mile run was a little slower than normal but my HR was 10-15 bpm higher than normal. |
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