[sistergoldenhair]

During my last two long runs, my fingers and hands have swollen. I did a little research and my coach agrees there's something off with my sodium.<br><br>
I don't shy away from salt at all in my diet (but don't usally salt food), but stick to water as a fluid on my long runs (along with Gu). I do get very salty on my skin during long runs, and feel pretty thirsty so drink every 2-3 miles, maybe 4-5 good swallows from a water bottle. And I drink a lot most days, I would estimate around 80-100 ounces (mostly water).<br><br>
I'm not a typical risk person for hyponatremia as my marathon pace is under 4 hours and I'm not small (5'8", medium frame, weight ~132).<br><br>
So I can add some Gatorade on runs ... anyone else out there dealt with this and have any other suggestions?

 

[radial]

Sounds like you need a little more salt. I lose electrolytes like crazy when I'm exercising so I make it a point to keep myself charged up when I'm going to do something strenuous that lasts for more than an hour our two. I'm sure there are all sorts of fancy pills and potions out there, but just try adding regular salt to the water you drink before/during/after your longer runs and see what happens. Those little packets of salt at the fast food places are perfect.

 

[merigayle]

I do not understand why you do not have sports drinks on your long run? I only have sports drinks on long runs and during races. You can also look into electrolyte capsules as well. I like Succeed!

 

[sistergoldenhair]

The sports drink thing is a logistical issue. Where I do many of my long runs is a 3 mile path that I just repeat as out & backs. At one end there's a water fountain at a rest area. At the other end I park and leave a water bottle out by my car (this is the 6 mile point where I take Gu's). I could put sports drink by my car, but you're supposed to take Gu's with water, I thought.<br><br>
I'll have to think of something to try next week. Maybe an electrolyte tab with water -- how often are they taken?

 

[merigayle]

eh, i always took gu's with gatorade. I use clif blocks now, much easier logistically to eat. You can carry gatorade with you and eat your gels at the water fountain? Please do not tell me you do not carry any liquid with you!!!<br><br>
I carry gatorade mix with me if i am not going to loop by my car and mix at a water fountain.<br>
Depending on the brand of e-cap it varies, but succeed! are 1 per hour in mild weather, 2 per hour in hot, sweaty weather.

 

[sistergoldenhair]

I. do. NOT. carry. liquid. No, no, no. I'm not sure if I would enjoy running anymore if I did that, I despise carrying liquid so. The neverending sloshing sound, the off-balance weight of hand-carrying, the extra weight period, something pulling on my stomach and upsetting it if I try a fuel belt, etc.<br><br>
I plan my routes so I can drink from stashed bottles or water fountains every 2-3 miles.

 

[merigayle]

oh my. I cannot imagine doing long runs and NOT having drink with me!!!!! This is probably your problem. If you lap around to the water fountain every 3 miles or so, that is farther than aid stations at marathons which are usually 2 miles. Right?<br>
Yeah, i would try stashing a bottle of gatorade, or gatorade endurance. (or whatever they will serve at the marathon)<br><br>
Fuel belts made my tummy hurt, camel backs made my back hurt, but the handheld bottle is great, don't even know i am running with it!

 

[Durt]

wow. . .you've definitely got to make sure your drinking the right stuff, freqeuently! succeed caps (and other brands), are buffered, and pretty gentle on the stomach, but you still have to take them with 10-12 oz. of water.<br><br>
i wasn't a big fan of handhelds at first, but after a run or two I got used to mine.

 

[merigayle]

Huh. I take everything with gatorade- i think the e-caps are to be taken with liquid, not sure if it was specified or not, will have to research. I have a pretty sensitive tummy and have been fine with the e-caps and gatorade. Not even 8oz.

 

[fox-runr]

I had hyponatremia symptoms at a race. I basically hydrated for a hot race that wasn't so hot and drank too much water.<br><br>
SGH- I don't carry water either. I do drink 10-15 ounces of gatorade before a long run. (ten minutes). I try to run a loop around my vehicle for water at some point. It seems to work for me for long runs. However, I've found that I need to supplement with salt tablets on race day. I take salt at about 2 hours into right before a water stop and I make sure I get alot of water at that next stop. Once I took salt on a treadmill long tough workout and I must of not taken enough water and I could barely finish the workout due to intestional distress, so the warnings about lots of water are true!

 

[sistergoldenhair]

Hmmm, it may be getting a little late in the game for me to experiment with salt tablets, especially if these things need adjustments based on weather. My race is on March 18.<br><br>
I had had about 15 oz. or Gatorade yesterday right before the long run, too.<br><br>
I will switch to Gatorade this week during the long run and see how that goes. It's so weird, I've been training this way for much of the past year and just now I'm having issues like this.

 

[Jensparks]

SGH - <a href="http://www.ultrafit-endurance.com/succeedcaps.html" target="_blank">Succeed!</a> Tabs have a bicarbonate in them to help buffer your stomach. I know about a dozen people who have used them with NO issues whatsoever (and haven't heard of anyone with any issues with them). I think fox-runr was saying to make sure you take enough water, too.<br><br>
They ship Priority Mail, you'd be able to test them out on a few medium-length runs before the race, right? $12, might be worth it!

 

[radial]

These are free for the grabbing at a fast-food emporium near you.<br><br><img alt="" src="http://img.search.com/thumb/a/ab/Salt-packet.jpg/200px-Salt-packet.jpg" style="border:0px solid;"><br><br>
There are a lot of variables in the electrolyte loss scenario. But fortunately, it's not all that sensitive a deal and it doesn't really require a lot of precision. Sure, the people who sell all the electrolyte replacement potions (and their groupies) would have you believe otherwise, but they are trying to sell you something after all. If you are working hard and sweating, then one of these salt packets per hour washed down with whatever you drink should do the trick.<br><br>
I'm a real sweat hog, so if it's hot and I'm really dripping, I can double that dose and do fine. The effects are almost immediate by the way, so you don't really need to salinate in advance. After a century last summer when I didn't remember to get enough salt during the event, I cramping up so bad I could barely hobble to the the post event get-together. When I got there, I unscrewed the top from the salt shaker, tossed back a few pinches with a glass of water, and was uncramped in just a couple of minutes.

 

[witchypoo]

salt packets or tablets... along with gatorade (or, what have you) in hand held bottles. i always have 'em (save for marathons, where i can rely on family/friends to hold those things for me).<br><br>
i use the ultimate [direction] bottles with hand straps - which eliminate a lot of the finger fatigue assoc. with holding a bottle for an extended period of time. one with water, another with 2x strength gatorade. i can refill the water bottle at numerous spots on my route(s), and have enough gatorade to get me through 12-18 miles.

 

[merigayle]

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[roots]

SGH- lots of good tips here. I hope you find your answer to your sodium equation. Just a couple thought to add:<br><br>
1) I've used both E-caps (Endurolytes, by Hammer Nutrition) and S! Caps (Succeed.) Both are easy to carry capsules. As far as sodium content goes, know that S! is about 8x that of the Endurolytes. Comparitively, one Endurolyte cap has a very small amount. If you go with E-caps, I'm apt to recommend at least 2-3 per hour. If going with S!, one per hour will suffice.<br><br>
2) Yes, I believe that your swollen hands are a symptom of low sodium. I would not necessarily say that you suffer from hyponatremia. I suffered simliar swollen hands in a recent ultra and I corrected it fairly quickly with an immediate S! cap.<br><br>
3) You can correct your condition without worrying too much about not training with it beforehand. (What I'm saying is, no need to rehearse using these on a short run.) I've witnessed both my training partners as well as some in my pace group (that I've led) that used endurolytes for the very first time in their marathon race and it worked for them. Unlike carb replacement, I dont think rehearsing sodium is as crucial. When your body needs electrolytes, it will accept it and usually without rebellion. To survive the marathon race, you need to avoid dehydration by getting the proper amount of fluids to get to the bloodstream so it can get to the muscles. The sodium facilitates that.<br><br>
One year when I paced the Detroit marathon, I witnessed a runner with puffy hands and starting to cramp. A gave her 3 E-caps and about 10 minutes later she was feeling good again. She hung with me for the entire race.<br><br>
Lastly, if its any reference to you, I'm 5'6" and 150 lbs. In marathons I use water, GU, and caps. Only in the last 30 minutes of the race do I turn to the sports drink on hand. I use either 1 S-cap or 3 E-caps per hour. Just an example.<br><br>
Best wishes, try not to overthink it, and know that if you add some sodium to your racing that it should only help and not hinder.

 

[sistergoldenhair]

Did you put that "mental toughness" thing in just for me?<br><br>
How would it do that?<br><br><i>It's a very tempting selling point, though ...</i><br><br>
roots -- I will look for those S-caps -- 1/hour sounds better. Should I wait until I get puffy to take one, or take one beforehand preventively?

 

[altoids]

Okay, this made me laugh.

 

[merigayle]

i start taking s caps within the first hour

 

[jrjo]

I'd switch to gatorade for the long runs and fergit the Gu. The gu-effect is all in a person's head, what a marketing stunt they've pulled. A bunch of sugar calories for short-lived energy creates a crutch and artificial "lift". If you train without it, you won't "need" it. Getting through the rough patches in a marathon is really where the rubber meets the road. And it's 99% psychological if you've got the miles in the bank, a little packet of jelly won't make a difference if your head is right. Plus it's one less thing to worry about going wrong.