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RUNNING WITH HYPOGLYCEMIA
Cross-country
Dear Coach Ed,My name is Megan. Last year I decided to join cross-country. I loved it. There is something about it that excites me and relaxes me at the same time. I know I have the heart to run but I don't have the talent. My coach helps me train in the summer but it isn't really helping. I love to run and my world evolves around running but, my health doesn't allow it. I am going to be an 8th grader and I am hypoglycemic (a form of diabetes or low blood sugar) and that interupts with my running. Also I was forced to drop out of track because I hyperventalated 3 times during the practices. I really want to run but how can I shape up for it. Do you have any advice? If so please reply to this. Megan Megan, I'll tell you Megan, this is one of the toughest questions I ever received. I don't know what to tell you about running and hypoglycemia but I have coached adult athletes with diabetes. With patience, a good diet, and proper medical care they achieved their running goals. Some of these athletes even competed successfully in triathlons. So my first advice is to consult with your doctor about your athletic goals so you do not cause any harm to yourself. You may need to consult more than one expert in the field of hypoglycemia and athletics. I strongly urge you to get in touch with a nutritionist specializing in your medical condition for additional help. My running advice to you is to not care about speed at all during the summer. Run at a conversation pace and slowly build mileage into your weekly schedule. Eventually build up to a five mile run once a week or once every other week (depending how you feel) plus 3 or 4 days of 2 to 3 mile runs. I really want to caution you about running fast. Don't do it. Use the summer to build strength and endurance so you will be ready to try some fast running once the cross-country season starts. If you can do the steady easy pace running without medical complications that may be a big step toward reaching your long term running goals. Occasionally I have had beginning runners on my youth track team severely hyperventilate in practice. In all cases it was trying to run too fast too soon. Their bodies were not up to the same level their brains thought they were. I do see hyperventilation in kids with asthma also but again with proper conditioning (steady easy running for a period of time), and proper medical care they seem to overcome that. The sentence you wrote about running "exciting you and relaxing you" tells me you are a runner. You have a lot to figure out and it will take some time before this all comes together but it will. This is not going to be easy but so what! Easy is too overrated. By the way I'll take heart over talent on my track team anytime. Good luck Megan and thank you for writing me. Coach Ed
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Ed Poirier, "Coach Ed", recently was invited by the United States Olympic
committee to attend a workshop and training seminar at the Olympic training
center in California. 