Headache/nausea after exercise

[Emiliana]

I'm trying to get back into shape after a few months of inactivity (begun by a knee injury, dragged on by laziness and inertia). But I started having pretty severe nausea towards the end of my run or bike ride, sometimes followed a few hours later by a headache that didn't respond to ibuprofen. Two days ago I ran less than a mile and was so sick I could hardly walk the rest of the way home. So I was going to ask the Board: What causes this?

But after reading http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to- ... sea-a88934 and a few other pages, I've decided that my nausea and headaches are most likely related to dehydration. The headaches, I discovered, are actually a form of migraine, which is why none of the medicine I took was helping. So yesterday about an hour before biking the 2 miles to church, I drank 1 full liter of water. Then I drank another half-liter during the hour I was there before riding the 2 uphill miles home. The result? No headache, no nausea! I even made it all the way up one particularly nasty hill where I usually have to get off and walk. Of course, I had to pee like nobody's business by the time I got home, but it was worth it.

[thebigcheese]

Good to know. I'm trying to get back in shape too...the first couple weeks suck!

[Emiliana]

They sure do ... What sort of exercise are you doing? Are you wanting to loose weight or just to be a bit healthier? I listened to podcast #4 this morning and felt inspired to get on the ball.

[thebigcheese]

I'm trying to get back into running. I don't need to lose any weight, I just feel lazy and out of shape. Even though I ran a half marathon last year, I'm currently struggling with one or two mile runs. Use it or lose it, dang it!

One of these days, I'll pull out my bike and go for a ride up in the mountains before it gets too cold for that. I sure miss my mountain biking, but the uphills are cardiovascular murder when you're so out of shape.

[ahem.]

The question they discussed in the podcast actually bugged me a little bit. The one about losing weight? I decided to rant about it over in Reader Response, though, as that seemed like the more appropriate place.

[Emiliana]

I'm trying to get back into running. I don't need to lose any weight, I just feel lazy and out of shape. Even though I ran a half marathon last year, I'm currently struggling with one or two mile runs. Use it or lose it, dang it!

One of these days, I'll pull out my bike and go for a ride up in the mountains before it gets too cold for that. I sure miss my mountain biking, but the uphills are cardiovascular murder when you're so out of shape.

I'd love to run a half marathon, but I'm not sure if my knees will ever really be up for it. I don't know if I'm clumsy, or I don't pay attention, or what, but I've had two knee injuries from falling almost flat on my face while running. I've recently started biking again for the first time in probably 10 years. I live really close to the mountains, so yeah ... it's pretty brutal.

Have you ever used MapMyRun? You can use satellite/road/hybrid maps to trace your routes, and it'll tell you the distance, elevation, difficulty, etc. It ranks the climb on my way home from church at a category 5, which at first I thought meant "really difficult," but I just discovered actually means more like "pretty easy." So now I feel like a wimp. But hey! At least it's significant enough to be rated!

Ahem., I started to comment on the discussion on the other board, but then realized I was just saying things that were already said -- basically, that without knowing more about Espionage's circumstances, it's hard to say whether the advice was useful.

[thebigcheese]

I'd love to run a half marathon, but I'm not sure if my knees will ever really be up for it. I don't know if I'm clumsy, or I don't pay attention, or what, but I've had two knee injuries from falling almost flat on my face while running. I've recently started biking again for the first time in probably 10 years. I live really close to the mountains, so yeah ... it's pretty brutal.

Yeah, half marathons are definitely rough on the knees. If you can find an off-road race, maybe try that. I know they have some off-road races out here in Utah...they basically follow the trails in the mountains. Problem is, you never really hear about them because they don't advertise as much. You have to really seek them out.

Have you ever used MapMyRun? You can use satellite/road/hybrid maps to trace your routes, and it'll tell you the distance, elevation, difficulty, etc. It ranks the climb on my way home from church at a category 5, which at first I thought meant "really difficult," but I just discovered actually means more like "pretty easy." So now I feel like a wimp. But hey! At least it's significant enough to be rated!

I'm not sure if I've used that one specifically, but I have used several different mapping tools over the years. Lately, I've been drooling over those Nike+ sensors, but that's just more money down the hole...I used to keep track of everything from resting pulse to mood to running terrain, but the ones that track elevation are the best! Whenever I'm feeling ambitious, I go jogging up by the mountains and map out the elevation gains when I get home. I think one of my hardest routes goes up like 900 feet in elevation, or something crazy like that. Gotta be in real good shape to tackle that one! It's usually a really good route when I need some humility.

[Emiliana]

So, what do you do about the misery of the first few weeks of training? Do you have any advice on how to tell when you're training too hard and need to back off, or when you just need to push through it?

[Marduk]

So, what do you do about the misery of the first few weeks of training? Do you have any advice on how to tell when you're training too hard and need to back off, or when you just need to push through it?

I definitely would be the worst person to ask about this. (I know you weren't asking me, just randomly interjecting here to talk about myself with little relevance.) I wrestled for six years, and every season start was basically what we're talking about here. I always just pushed through.

[thebigcheese]

Well, most of the time I just push through it because I'm stubborn like that, and I know that discomfort is inevitable in the beginning. But I think it's time to back off when you start feeling truly, genuinely sick. If you feel like you're going to throw up, back off. If you feel like you're going to pass out, back off. If you somehow injure yourself, back off and don't resume until you're healthy again. But if you're just out of breath and your muscles are a little sore, you're probably fine. There is a distinct difference between feeling tired and feeling sick.

They say you're not supposed to increase your mileage by more than 10% per week, but I've never actually followed that rule...it hasn't come back to bite me yet, but one of these days, I'll probably regret it.

[Emiliana]

I nearly got outrun this morning by a couple of six-year-olds on their way to school. Of course, I was already winded from the uphill part of my route that I'd just finished, but it was still a bit embarrassing. Kinda fun, though, to have running buddies for a few minutes.

[thebigcheese]

Haha, it happens. Hills are tough! Whenever I see somebody running a little slower, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and imagine that they're finishing up a 20-miler. I know that it's probably not true for most people, but I'd rather think that than spend my time concerning myself about the neighbors being out of shape.

Speaking of being outrun, I was just thinking about my fear of neighborhood dogs. I haven't had as many issues with that since I've been in Utah (thank goodness!). Back home, I would just be casually jogging in my neighborhood, when all of a sudden this huge thing with teeth comes sprinting after me. Those were some of the more terrifying moments of my life...

[Emiliana]

This weekend I took a vacation at 8000 ft above sea level, and was very proud of myself for going on a decent 1-mile run.

[thebigcheese]

Ha! Very nice.

Last week, me and my husband finally pulled out our bikes, repented for our neglectful ways, and cleaned them up. So yesterday, I got all adventurous and went on a 12-mile road ride. It was fun, but I'm frustrated that I can't ride as fast as I used to. (Not to mention the saddle sores! Oh, the saddle sores!)

Baby steps...

[bobtheenchantedone]

Ha. Last time I tried to ride my bike I couldn't get out of the neighborhood.

[thebigcheese]

Hmm...that's less effective. Are there lots of hills in your neighborhood?

Me and my husband went on a 4-mile mountain ride yesterday. And...I pretty much fell head-over-heels in love with mountain biking all over again, even though it was hard for me. Or maybe because it was hard for me. It stretched my muscles in a way that they haven't been stretched in a long, long time. Felt amazing. I'm going to be gloriously sore later today!

[bobtheenchantedone]

No. No hills whatsoever. Completely flat.

Also, Marduk made me go running yesterday. Or "running." Out of the mile and a half (or so) we traveled, I ran for about 1/10 of it.

Yeah. I need to do some work. : P

[thebigcheese]

Oh wow. So...you're a little out of shape. That actually reminds me of when I very first started running...a really long time ago. I couldn't run a whole lap to save my life. I'm glad I didn't give up though.

[Emiliana]

I've been walking several miles a day with a friend who's also trying to get into shape -- I figure even if I don't train as hard as I would by myself, at least I'm doing something pretty much every day. And some of the hills around here are rougher than some hikes I've done in the States. You know how generally steep uphills are switchbacked so you don't have to go straight up? Yeah, this city missed the memo on that.

Also. I live on the equator. I've lived on the equator for over a year. I should know by now that sunscreen is NOT optional. Ugh, my shoulders are fried to a crisp.

[thebigcheese]

My sister-in-law (Whoa! I have in-laws now! Still not used to that...) has been calling me up to go jogging lately. It's fun to go with her because we just jog slow and talk the whole time. Really helps to get my lazy butt off the couch.

Lately, I've been paranoid about exercising because me and my husband are in-between health insurance policies, and I'm not totally sure when our new one starts. So that's another excuse for my lazy butt to stay on the couch...dang it.