nutrition warning signs

i don't think i have ever hydrated too much or eaten too much... i tend to minimize intake as much as possible since you can always take in more if you need to... but getting it out after it's in is a little more difficult.

i typically drink to thirst while riding, but on long runs i have a very structured intake plan: sip of water every 2-3 miles, and a gel every 5 or 6.  sticking to a plan helps prevent over doing it.  i know if i haven't had enough if i start getting muscle cramps or i get in a bad mood.  cramping is usually dehydration and mood is food related for me. 

I know that I've underfueled when I start falling over.  Seriously, I lose all coordination and my knees just start buckling when I run - got some nice scars from landing on the concrete when this happens.  So now I'm careful to actually fuel!!  This mostly happened last summer when I would go for 10-15 mile runs in 100+ degree weather with only a bottle of water (if that).  Yeah, stupid.  Now I eat a gel before I leave and bring one with me for every extra hour I'll be running.

I think losing clarity of mind is another.  You start to lose common sense and easy things start getting really confusing.

Overhydrated?  I've never done that.  But it is a concern when you're out there for many hours.  I will leave that to another poster

Overfueled?  Rarely happens to me, but I will get nauseous and start vomiting.  But this also happens if I'm dehydrated, so you have to be aware of your intake to know which it is.

At times I can be dehydrated and not really feel thirsty.  I've slugged through a run that I thought was just a tough mental or fatigued day, only to get home and not pee for a long time in spite of thinking I also rehydrated after...or when I do pee it's super-dark.  I haven't mastered telling the difference between low fuel and dehydration yet - staying ahead of the curve is a safer bet.

I will say that when my glycogen is getting low - just before my muscles know that it's about to get a lot worse for them - I often get a little inexplicably emotional.  If I'm merrily plodding along and suddenly begin to start choking up like I'm watching Saving Private Ryan, I take that as my first late sign that I'd better eat RIGHT FRIKKING NOW.

In thirty plus years of endurance sports, have probably experienced all of these. Most common would be dehydrated, and underfueled. Dehydrated--thirsty, as in tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth, can't get down any food because you have no way to swallow. It can also manifest more insidiously as cramps, poor judgement, etc. Over-hydration or overfueling=nausea, esp. in the tropical heat.There is also a kind of over-hydration where you take in too much water but not enough sodium or electrolytes--tend to lead to splitting headache, lightheadedness, nausea, and eventually vomiting.

In Sunday's race I suspect under-nutrition may have been an issue. I had struggled with PMS-related nausea prior to the race, and it really hit me in the first part of the bike leg. I couldn't get down more than about half a gu and half an energy bar in the first 3 hours of a race that took almost 4. I felt like I couldn't hit the speeds I'd hoped to on the bike, no matter how hard I pushed, and also found it difficult to stay focused mentally. Kind of a sleepy, woozy feeling. It took me a while to realize it was probably nutrition and then I couldn't do anything about it until I could pick up a different kind of gel in T2. Finally got that down and that probably kept me from a total bonk. I cramped a bit in the last 15 minutes, and the finish wasn't glorious but did remain in running motion!  I can also recall a few races where I've actually gotten hungry in the final miles--probably not taking in enough calories!

For me, thirst is my only warning sign for dehydration.  If I'm not getting enough calories I feel weak (esp on the bike) and start to get spacey mentally.

I've also found that I end up with a headache after long runs or rides if I don't take in a decent number of calories.  I just did a half-marathon and my motto on my long runs was "eat early, eat often."  I'd have a couple of honey stinger waffles and some gummies on 9+ mile runs.  Didn't feel necessary for the run but it did mean I didn't have a headache after.

I don't have a problem digesting except when I''m doing a super-hard effort.  I do wind up overhydrated though and haven't figured that one out yet.  I usually feel like I need to pee during races.  I drink tons of water in everyday life and can tolerate a pretty full bladder but when I'm racing it really feels uncomfortable.

Dehydration manifests itself in me in an elevated heart rate for the pace I am doing, and a feeling of physical fatigue.

Nutritionally it is more of a mental sluggishness.  I see everything going on but just feel out of it and disconnected.

I just suffered a DNF on a 10k race this weekend due to dehydration.  I take medication for an ear condition, and one of the drugs is a diuretic.  I should not take it before races--lesson learned.  Anyway, according to the Garmin, I made it 5.54 miles before total breakdown.  I barely remember passing the 5 mile marker (on PR pace!), and I kind of remember being carried on the shoulders of medical staff to the med tent.  After a bag and a half of IV fluids, I was fine.  They said I was just empty on hydration. 

Wont make that mistake again...