rubber- legs exhaustion - why?
Mason C
The walk was 8.5 miles with a 1000 foot climb -- severe for my 88 yrs and
no special conditioning. (the "pg&e trail" at rancho san antonio)
I had done that walk three times before with no problem.
Only my legs were gone. My arms and hiking canes saved me.
At the top I drank 12 oz of Gatorade and had a candy bar.
Other than that, at the end I was about eight hours after eating.
It was not hot. I did not have a dry mouth or other signs of dehydration.
My heart was not beating fast and I was not breathing deeply.
Upon sitting in my car at the end, I had no problem.
Could it have been a shortage of glucose?
An adrenal insufficiency? (I am on prednisone.)
Electrolyte -- sodium potassium ??
I need to know the cause so as to avoid it -- it was bad.
Mason A. Clark
http://frontal-lobe.info
D Stumpus
"Mason C" <maso...@XXXfrontal-lobe.info> wrote
>I ended the last mile of a walk with rubber legs -- barely able to stagger.
> The walk was 8.5 miles with a 1000 foot climb -- severe for my 88 yrs and
> no special conditioning. (the "pg&e trail" at rancho san antonio)
First of all, you are in totally amazing shape for your age. My father is
87, and very fit also. He was an age group winner when he used to run, but
now he hikes. How much do you hike per week? Were you in shape?
> I had done that walk three times before with no problem.
> Only my legs were gone. My arms and hiking canes saved me.
It sounds like you hit the wall or bonked, as the cyclists call it. Were
you at all light headed? That is another symptom. When you bonk your blood
sugar gets very low, and you've usually used up most of your glycogen in
your legs.
> At the top I drank 12 oz of Gatorade and had a candy bar.
> Other than that, at the end I was about eight hours after eating.
In my opinion, that is not enough -- You should have a real meal after 4
hours on your hike. Would you go all day with just a candy bar and a bit of
sports drink if you were just lounging around the house? But you were doing
a major 8 hour effort.
> It was not hot. I did not have a dry mouth or other signs of dehydration.
> My heart was not beating fast and I was not breathing deeply.
12 ounces in 8 hours is not nearly enough fluid. Being dehydrated doesn't
help matters. I drink 20 ounces in a 1.25 hour run, and you were out 8
hours. I'd say you should bring two quarts/liters at the minimum.
My experiences of hitting the wall/bonking are similar, low heartbeat, just
zero energy, and often lightheadedness (signifying low blood sugar).
> Upon sitting in my car at the end, I had no problem.
>
> Could it have been a shortage of glucose?
> An adrenal insufficiency? (I am on prednisone.)
> Electrolyte -- sodium potassium ??
My non-medical-doctor guess is that you needed to EAT. And we know that
people slow down after 80, so maybe, just maybe the distance was a bit much
for your fitness?
Mason C
D. Stumpus,
Thanks for your suggestions. I'm suspecting that hiking too long
after eating may be my problem. I had a similar incident at the end of
a five-mile climbing hike while fasting for a glucose test for 12 hours.
A simple matter of running out of fuel? I'm thinking of measuring glucose
before and after long hikes to see what's happening. (and adding fluid)
Thanks again.
pithydoug
> On Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:49:10 -0800, "D Stumpus" <dstumpus.xt...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> D. Stumpus,
>
> Thanks for your suggestions. I'm suspecting that hiking too long
> after eating may be my problem.
Heavens no!!! Please re-read Dan's post. Eating your last meal 8
hours before left your body almost empty of calories needed to get
through this effort. If anything you should have put down some
calories before you started. Your minimal fluid intake was likely a
contributing factor be it salt or some calories from the fluid
assuming a Gatorbarf type drink with some sodium and calories.
If the only aid was at the top, I would strongly suggest you carry
some fluid and something to eat. By the way, this is not an age issue
but an energy issue exacerbated by age. Have you gas tank filled
before you start and sip and or nibble on calories as you go.
> I had a similar incident at the end of
> a five-mile climbing hike while fasting for a glucose test for 12 hours.
> A simple matter of running out of fuel?
Fasting and exercising? A little like trying to put out a fire was
gas. So yes, most likely your last meal 8 hours prior was too far in
advance for this length. In effect you did the same thing again.
By the way, how long did it take you?
> I'm thinking of measuring glucose
> before and after long hikes to see what's happening. (and adding fluid)
How are you going to count glucose? Are you also diabetic? I don't
know what the temperature was but I would also weigh yourself before
and after. Too much of a loss, 3% or more can be detrimental.
-D
Mason C
>On Nov 9, 5:37�ｿｽam, Mason C <masonc...@XXXfrontal-lobe.info> wrote:
>> On Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:49:10 -0800, "D Stumpus" <dstumpus.xt...@pobox.com> wrote:
>>
>> D. Stumpus,
>>
>> �ｿｽ �ｿｽ Thanks for your suggestions. �ｿｽI'm suspecting that hiking too long
>> after eating may be my problem.
>
>Heavens no!!! Please re-read Dan's post. Eating your last meal 8
>hours before left your body almost empty of calories needed to get
>through this effort. If anything you should have put down some
>calories before you started. Your minimal fluid intake was likely a
>contributing factor be it salt or some calories from the fluid
>assuming a Gatorbarf type drink with some sodium and calories.
>
>If the only aid was at the top, I would strongly suggest you carry
>some fluid and something to eat. By the way, this is not an age issue
>but an energy issue exacerbated by age. Have you gas tank filled
>before you start and sip and or nibble on calories as you go.
>
>
>> �ｿｽI had a similar incident at the end of
>> a five-mile climbing hike while fasting for a glucose test for 12 hours. �ｿｽ
>> A simple matter of running out of fuel?
>
>Fasting and exercising? A little like trying to put out a fire was
>gas. So yes, most likely your last meal 8 hours prior was too far in
>advance for this length. In effect you did the same thing again.
>
>By the way, how long did it take you?
Up: 3.7 miles & 1000 feet took 2:19
Down: 2.6 miles & 700 feet took 1:13 -- BONK
remaining to start 1.8 miles & 300 feet took 3:30 (hard lesson for me)
( up and down different routes)
>
>>�ｿｽI'm thinking of measuring glucose
>> before and after long hikes to see what's happening. �ｿｽ(and adding fluid)
>
>How are you going to count glucose? Are you also diabetic? I don't
>know what the temperature was but I would also weigh yourself before
>and after. Too much of a loss, 3% or more can be detrimental.
>
Glucose meters are common. I'm not diabetic but am on prednisone so in
danger of it. I want to build a record before and after hiking and to watch for
any trend. Mostly curiosity.
Sheeez. Being 88 is a lot of fun !
Mason Clark http://frontal-lobe.info
book: Greater America in the Age of Rebellion
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Mason C
Pithydoug:
Sheeeez is right. I hit the "send" too quick -- 88's do that.
Thanks very much for your instructive response helping me
to understand what happened so it won't happen again.