Well, what do you think?!
It’s awesome! In addition to no longer having to carry my phone with me while running, it has so many features that I still haven’t fully tapped into yet.
2 Likes
1/23
Six-mile run in 52:00. Did some 400m intervals
1/24
Front squat 105x4x5
Press 57.5x4x5
KB swings 24kgx50,40,30
1/25
Six-mile run in 54:34
1/26
AM
Pull-ups 8,6
Front squat 100x3x5
Press 52.5x3x8
Four-mile run with some 200m intervals sprinkled in
PM
Six-mile run in 52:10
1/27
Dips 18,16,15
SA BB row +45x2x12
BB curl 45x18,15
Three-mile run in 26:49
Five-mile walk/shuffle with dog
1/28
15-mile run in 2:25:22
1/30
AM
Pull-ups +10x2x4, BWx7,6
Push-ups 12,10
Front squat 100x3x5
Press 52.5x3x8
Deadlift 190x3x3
BPA 2x25
PM
Seven-mile run in 1:01:39
1/31
Six-mile run in 54:51
2/1
AM
Ran 8.59 km in total to and from work.
PM
Pull-ups 10,8,6
Push-ups 11,11
BPA 2x20
Front squat 105x3x5
Press 57.5x3x5
Weighted plank +25x60s
Still bad at logging. Oh well. I’ve been working a lot lately. A deload may be good in a couple weeks. I also just found out that I have to watch my friend’s dog again for two weeks while she and her parents travel abroad to attend her grandpa’s funeral. I’m not super happy about it (even though we will have a little bit of fun) for various reasons, but there are some things in life that you cannot decline.
11 Likes
Yay!
Oh 
I hope you will have fun with the pup. It seems like this friend was not at a point in their life to have a dog… I’ll see myself out. That is as keyboard warrior as I care to get.
So, I take it you aren’t coming to Ithaca to watch Winnie for a week 
I think we will still have a little bit of fun. I won’t sleep very well, but it’ll be okay. My friend and I got into an argument earlier this week, so I’m not in the mood but can’t really do anything now since her grandpa died and someone needs to watch the dog. Thanks for the words!
I think he’s more energetic than she expected. I’m happy to help her out with that, of course. The only dog she had a long time ago was quite mellow. Granted, this dog does actually have some psychological problems. Haven’t been able to get him to therapy because my friend has been out of work for a while. 
Unfortunately not 
I would love to meet Winnie though!
3 Likes
2/2
10-mile run including six hill sprints
2/4
Pull-ups 10,9
Push-ups 12,10
A little over 17 miles in 2:37:17. I ran the last two with the dog.
2/5
Three-mile run in 28:01
2/6
Pull-ups 9,8
BPA 25,20
Kneeling ab wheel 35,25
Deadlift 195x2x4
Press 60x3x6
Five-mile run in 44:50. Ran the last two miles with the dog
2/7
Six-mile run in 47:48 including four miles at tempo pace. Ran the first four miles with the dog.
I’ve been feeling exhausted and burnt out again. I’m not sleeping well this week. I think it’s the added stress from watching the dog, lots of work, and wearing myself out physically. I’m taking time off from lifting for several days and am cutting my running mileage way back for the next week or so. I also got blood work done for the first time today in a year. Honestly, I am a little scared for some reason.
I think I’m going to try a different lifting program next. Maybe WS4SB. Full body programming is becoming stale. Clearly, lifting isn’t my main priority right now for whatever reason, but such is life.
12 Likes
2/9
Did seven rounds of 1:00 on/3:00 off at the track. Ran a little over 15k including warm-up and cool-down plus a couple extra miles with the dog.
I’m taking the weekend off. Totally drained. Just going to take the dog on long walks.
Most of my bloodwork came back. Thyroid and vitamin D are in range but not optimal, but I’m not as concerned there.
Excuse my rant:
Turns out that my MCHC is low (though only 0.1 g/dL out of range, so probably means very little). And even though it is “in range,” my ferritin (23 ng/mL) is quite low based on what I’ve been reading. I guess this is due to all the running I’ve been doing since last year because otherwise I don’t know what it is. I definitely don’t shy away from red meat. I haven’t been eating it every day like I used to, but I am not intentionally avoiding it and still eat beef several times per week. I also eat a fair amount of other “iron-rich” foods, though maybe the amount of tea I drink inhibits my absorption quite a bit. I don’t know how long this has been going on because my blood and ferritin haven’t been tested in probably eight years or so…
In any case, I think this might be why I’ve been feeling so awful for several months. I’m not experiencing as much hair loss anymore, but it’s thinned so much in the last 8-10 months that it still distresses me. Hair growth is slow. I also am sometimes short of breath in unexpected situations, but I didn’t think there was a connection. I thought maybe I was just tiring myself out too much. And to be honest, training, especially lifting, has been difficult for me for a while. Of course, I am still lifting, but it’s been a slog to just go down to my basement and warm up. Not to mention my general fatigue. Everything has felt overwhelming for a while. I have some other weird anecdotes that I won’t write out here.
Now, some of this may be confirmation bias, and I didn’t get a full iron panel. Just ferritin and a regular blood panel. Hemoglobin and all that is normal. But from what I understand, ferritin levels should be closer to 100 ng/mL. So, I suspect that I have iron deficiency without anemia.
Of course, I’m not a medical doctor and should probably speak with one, as tinkering with iron is risky. But I understand scientific literature and think it’s safe enough for me to experiment with an iron supplement for a little while and reorder my own blood tests in several weeks. I want my hair to get better, damn it! 
/endrant
12 Likes
I don’t know if you follow Dani’s log, but there has been a bit of iron deficiency conversation there recently.
Starts on the post I linked, might be helpful?
https://t-nation.com/t/dani-chats-fitness-rants-hobbies/280747/1735
3 Likes
Thanks @unicornsandrainbows! 
I’m so sorry to hear what you’ve been dealing with! You know more than I do about MCHC (I should probably be testing that) and you’re so wise for staying on top of your ferritin levels.
This is the part that concerns me:
That’s miserable! It happened to me last week too. I couldn’t catch my breath one morning and all I had done was fixed the dogs breakfast. It just felt like I needed to lay down and catch my breath. I started re-supplementing with the iron prescription I’m supposed to be taking, and within the day that symptom went away.
I’m still iron deficient and always will be most likely, but just try to keep it raised to a level that doesn’t make life harder than necessary.
It seems like you’re doing all the right things and are on the right track toward raising it. One option would be to talk to your doctor about iron infusions.
3 Likes
Thanks so much for sharing! I just read a bit of it, and it’s quite validating.
I just got a whole panel of things done because it had been a while since I got bloodwork. Honestly, I thought maybe my thyroid was off. I always have that suspicion 
I really should have done a full iron panel though.
It’s so weird! At first I wondered if I was “overtraining” or something, though that seemed like bogus. But I was feeling really bad on Friday like you’re describing. Couldn’t catch my breath and felt so panicked for no reason.
Not sure exactly which ones you’re taking, but on Saturday I bought a couple of iron supplements, Vitron-C and Blood Builder. I’m taking one of each once per day, so I think it’s about 90 mg of elemental iron total. I don’t know if you’ve heard of The Iron Protocol, but there’s an equation to determine how much to take based on bodyweight. I’m a little afraid to increase it, but so far I’m (surprisingly) not experiencing any major side effects from either supplement. I felt some hot flashes last night, but to me that’s a sign that they’re working 
I was reading your log and yeah, unfortunately simply eating more liver isn’t enough to raise really low ferritin levels. And I love liver!
Do you know what your ferritin level is? It seems like it’s not uncommon to experience symptoms when they’re under 50 ng/mL.
I am really torn about this. I can easily get referred to a hematologist, and I feel like it’s something I should try. But I don’t trust my health insurance and wonder if I’ll end up paying a lot out of pocket for an infusion. I also fear that a hematologist won’t listen to me because my ferritin isn’t in the single digits. At the same time, I fear that supplements won’t increase my levels enough for me to see a difference in a reasonable time frame.
I just want to feel better though. 
I think I’ve downplayed how bad I’ve been feeling for a long time.
Sorry, lots of rambling, but clearly this has been tormenting me all weekend. It’s especially frustrating as someone who eats plenty of meat, including red meat. This shouldn’t happen to me!
Thanks for making me feel less alone.
5 Likes
Been there too! The low iron symptoms are so weird that they can trick you into thinking you’ve got a ton of things wrong with you.
Okay this is really interesting. I wasn’t sure if the low iron symptoms were the same for everyone or if people experienced different things. So this is very affirming.
The panic is so bizarre because you feel like you’re going crazy. The best way I can describe it is a form of agitation that you have no control over no matter how positively you think or how good things are going in your life. You feel physically unsettled and anxious. It’s the worst.
You might be onto something with the training though. Whenever I do high intensity cardio, metcon, or even longer duration stuff, that’s when I’m most at risk of those low-iron symptoms.
I just scrolled up and saw that you’re basically super human. WOW! So you might consider easing up a bit until you can clear away some of those symptoms. Especially the breathlessness; that one scares me.
Okay that’s really good to know! Now I don’t feel so guilty for not eating it!
Oh I’m interested in this protocol! That all sounds great; especially the lack of side effects. I take a prescription called IronSpan 24/6 and it’s said to be very bioavailable but I suspect it causes constipation, so I take a lot of enzymes too.
When it’s really low, the numbers are just above the single digits, somewhere between 11-13. The highest it’s ever been tested at was in the mid-30s, and my doc said that’s nowhere near where he wants it. His goal for me was 60-70, but I’m never going to get there and am okay with it. The symptoms tend to go away as long as I supplement consistently.
I know the feeling!
They might though! You could find a professional who’s adamant about getting it up to super high levels.
Keep doing what you’re doing and maybe consider pulling back on workouts until you start to feel good again. You ran 15k and started feeling even more drained than usual. I think your body is sending you the message that it needs a break.
That can be very tough to do when someone is as dedicated an athlete as you are. But maybe now is the perfect time to temporarily shift your focus to something that challenges you in a different way. You’ve got this. I’m rooting for you!
5 Likes
I agree with this! With the amount of running you’re doing there’s a fair amount of foot strike hemolysis, so this is probably a pretty significant factor for both the depressed MCH and Ferritin levels. Iron supplementation can help, but you also need to be careful with not going overboard, because too much iron is very much not a good thing for your heart and liver.
I’ve worked with runners where supplementation didn’t work to increase ferritin levels, but not running for a while and then running less, did.
I’m not telling you what to do, but just giving you some food for thought. @Bagsy and @Dani_Shugart if there’s anything I can do to help either of you, or you’d like to have a call to talk about this or anything else, I’m here!
3 Likes
Yeah! I was under a lot of stress when I first started experiencing symptoms, so I thought it was that. But everything felt like the end of the world, and I think it’s because of my iron.
For a long time I kept asking myself if I’ve just become mentally weaker or something… so this is also reassuring for me.
Thanks, I’m taking this week more or less off. I’m not even really trying to fight it at this point. 
I hope you don’t find yourself in this position too often.
It looks like IronSpan also has 65 mg of elemental iron. The Iron Protocol is a Facebook group, and I’m not on FB. I’m also not a medical doctor, and I am not giving medical advice, but apparently you’re supposed to multiply your bodyweight in kilograms by 2 and 5 to get the lower and upper limits of elemental iron (mg) to take per day in order to boost ferritin levels.
Yikes. You definitely sound like a candidate for an infusion. I know some people are afraid of the side effects and/or finances, but it seems life-changing for many!
I made an appointment to get a referral on Thursday, so I might give it a go. Still kinda mixed feelings about it, but I think that will only cost $10, so why not.
Thank you for your support!
I was reading about that and think that it’s the culprit. I think I started killing all my blood cells after I started running a lot more last year, and whatever amount of iron I was consuming not only did not compensate but also probably was not absorbed because I drink so much tea. 
I wonder if I also almost passed out over the summer when I rolled my ankle because of this. Ugh, I digress.
Yeah, that’s also scary and why I’m being somewhat conservative. It seems like it takes a lot to get to that point, especially for those who menstruate, so that’s why I felt okay to start on my own at least.
Well, that’s depressing
Thanks so much. I’m hoping to be someone who starts to feel a noticeable difference after supplementing for a few weeks.
5 Likes
This is all such amazing advice! Thank you for dropping the wisdom girlfriend! 
2 Likes
No advice, but reading along and wishing you relief.
I’m glad you’re taking a break from the running, sounds like that’s the right first step. Though I get that it’s hard, and understand why.
2 Likes
Rest assured you’re not becoming mentally weaker. This is all relatable and I think it’ll even make you mentally stronger. Eventually you’ll get to a point where, as soon as you feel these symptoms coming on, you’ll be able to identify them as just a warning sign from your body. There’s comfort in knowing that it’s a nutrient deficiency and that you’re not going crazy.
I kinda like to talk back to those end-of-the-world thoughts.
“Hey body, I hear you. You need a break and possibly some supplementation. This won’t last long.”
Good! I hope you fill it with things that bring you joy.
That’s really good to know. I’m not currently on FB either, but there are a handful of groups that I’ve wanted to connect with. That would be one of them. However I trust @QuadQueen on this, and if she’s warning us about liver damage, I’m all ears!
Right?! I definitely need to do some more homework on it. It would suck if the iron delivered via infusion also caused liver damage. 
Excellent to hear. I hope you start feeling better soon. Keep us posted!
1 Like
My best advice would be to make sure you check with your doctor before supplementing in any form at doses considerably over the RDA, and have your iron levels monitored. It’s not a “don’t supplement” rule, it’s just a “proceed with caution”. I take a prenatal vitamin with iron, and have found that it’s helped stabilize my levels pretty well, if you’re low going in, you may need a little more to get back to baseline but don’t go crazy without physician approval and monitoring. There are definitely more fun ways to ruin your liver than ODing on Iron. lol
4 Likes
That’s absolutely hilarious! (AND TRUE.)
Fortunately(?) I’ll never be able to use that level since I can’t even take my doctor’s prescription iron as prescribed. It messes with my stomach too much. I get tested regularly and it’s always way too low. But at least I won’t be damaging my liver with excessive supplementation. LOL silver linings. 
1 Like
Another rant:
I (clearly) had a lot of anxiety about this over the weekend, which didn’t help things.
After being hit this morning by a wave of tiredness that I attribute to the supplements, I’m now feeling really good. So, I’m taking two Vitron-C tablets per day (130 mg elemental iron) without side effects besides fatigue that makes me go to bed 60-90 minutes sooner than usual. To be honest, it feels nice to be able to fall asleep quickly. I’m also taking vitamin D more consistently because my levels were lower than I’d like. Only thing is that my Garmin says my HRV has been very uncharacteristically low over the past several days, which is kind of weird. I have been undergoing a lot of stress lately and barely slept on the weekend, so that could be why.
Anyway, I know it will take a long time to raise my iron levels, unfortunately. I don’t think some of the difference I feel now is just placebo though. There’s a lot more color in my face. I didn’t realize how pale I looked before. I also noticeably feel less down.
I lifted for a few minutes this morning, and I’m going to run a bit today. However, I realize that I’m not going to be able to run like I have been over the past few months if I am adamant about getting to a point where I feel decent and stay that way. So, it will just be about training a bit to keep myself sane.
I’ll still go tomorrow to the health center on my campus for a referral because it can’t hurt. For the next while, I will keep supplementing, taking things a bit easier, and eating steak more often (can’t complain about that). I’ll retest my levels in a few weeks. Hoping to feel even better by then. I’m also planning to go on a big trip in April, so I definitely want to feel good for that!
8 Likes