Do you struggle with unexplained fatigue, weight gain and inflammation?
Do you find your running performance suddenly be slow, heavy and challenging?
You are not alone.
I know my life changed starting in March 2013 and it has been different ever since- not all bad, just different.
Last weekend I was “running” from Torrey Pines to La Jolla for our “long run”. I use the air quotes or quotes because my “run” today is drastically different than my run performance the last time I was at Torrey Pines. So different that the weekend at the Torrey Pines Hilton for my Todd Durkin Mastermind is actually a chapter in my book “LIFE IS NOT A RACE”. My last long run training for Ironman Canada was in February 2013 when I was performing, moving, and feeling my best until I was obviously burned out and broken. My run last weekend was an emotional one as I reflected on the past years of my journey and transformation.
If I knew what I know now back, then… I was running fast and strong every week and performing well at races. That was 2012 race season. I don’t know if I will ever experience that fitness level again or competitive mindset as a high performing athlete. Somehow, I was able to run a 3:12 Boston Marathon and even run a 3:40 marathon in an Ironman (after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles). Now, I barely can make it over eight miles and my pace is often around a 10-minute mile (as compared to 7:30 minute mile). Running 30-45 minutes two days a week and running “longer” on Sundays for 1hr30 minutes is drastically different training schedule that the old me- even a few months ago!
Over the past eight years, I have worked on many different protocols to eliminate parasites (Blasto Hominos), H. pylori and microbiome imbalance as well as “leaky gut”, liver detox support and HPA Axis support. As I always say, based on my own experience and coaching others, you can’t out supplement poor nutrition or lifestyle habits.
I have been doing all the “right” things with nutrition, intermittent fasting, low carbohydrates, sleep hacks, and more but I continued to test my running performance. As a coach, metabolic efficiency specialist and MAF training experience, I continued to train and attempt to increase my miles as well as speed. Sometimes, from my experience, less is more and more is not better- as all the “right” things we read about in blogs, social media and on podcasts are based on someone else’s experience. We know we are all unique bio-individuals with different genetics, lifestyle habits, microbiome, and more. We are our own experiment and we always need to “Course Correct” on the journey of life.
Something was not working as my pace was not improving and my body revolted against longer runs on Sundays! My speed was not improving with my training as it should with MAF and intervals, or my comfort level running. Running does not feel good on my body. I feel heavy and sluggish when I run – on almost every run. My body prefers to walk and then run… walk one minute and run two to four minutes. I train by heart rate and run by time – but something is wrong if you don’t improve over time, right?
Why do I share my personal struggles with you and my “area of opportunities”? No one is perfect and working on your own personal health goals are not only individual but also an ongoing project. If you are like me and have genetic snps towards processing neurotransmitters and combine that with “living life a a race”- then I am prone (epigenetics) to get my genes “dirty” and relapse into “Metabolic Chaos” or HPA Axis dysfunction.
We all should take ownership for our health and wellness – and “course correct” as we need to on our healht building and transformational journey.
Making the decision to close my fitness studio in 2019, after ten years, was very emotional and stressful for me. Actually closing the studio on September 30th, 2019 was another emotional and stressful time for me! Life happens but its how we react and how we adapt that makes a difference in how our WHOLE body responds.
My excess chronic stressors show up with my sleeping and in my running- sometimes in biking and swimming.
How about you?
I recently retested my hormones with DUTCH Complete, gut health with GI Map, nutrients with OATS test and microbiome with BiomeFX (Microbiome Labs) then we work to clinically correlate my main health complaints or struggles with the test results to put the missing pieces of the puzzle together. When working with clients, including myself, I like to look at StrateGene and DNAFit to learn more about our genetics as well as look at lifestyle habits and external stressors (energy robbers?). Personally, I have learned my body responds well to Acupuncture and I find it fascinating to get my “case” reviewed by an expert in TCM –or Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Remember, as FDN Practitioners, we look at the WHOLE person, and we do not treat the lab results or anything specific. In order to rebuild and restore your vitality- we need to work on the WHOLE you rather than take supplements based on your lab results.
In FDNP, we call our indiviudalized rebulding and restorative protocols, the “D.R.E.S.S. for Health Success” protocol – which is 90-days or longer.
Now personally, my health building journey, has taken some twists and turns as occassionally I test my fitness level and ability to race again. I love training and miss racing but I also love my new life without a rigid training schedule and more time to explore new adventures.
My acupuncturist/TCM teacher explained to me why running is one of the worst things for my body… good thing I cancelled Lavaman, Honu 70.3 and Ironman Canada this year (prior to Covid cancelling the entire race season)…
“Running is much harder on your body than biking. Anatomically it activates the musculature associated with fight/flight/freeze and is really taxing on the adrenal glands. In the Western model, we think of stressors being the cause of adrenal fatigue, but not all stressors are equal. Running is truly one of the worst for that part of your health and I’d really encourage you to avoid it as much as possible. That said, I know it’s very addictive in nature for people and hard to give up. In general, long distance is the worst for that process. Stairs are probably the best and short sprints followed by long periods of resting while laying down are in the middle.”
What do I do to heal and rebuild my body so I can feel my best everyday- thrive instead of trying to survive the day? Change my mindset that I am healing and rebuilding my body to race my 16th Ironman Triathlon once again in 2021 (for my 50th birthday- crazy to write that for my first time). I need to just let go of running non-stop and enjoy the journey or process of doing run/walk intervals.
This morning we went out for a four mile run, (which is always funny to me as I would never run less than five miles at a time and a long run on Sunday would always be 12 miles or more), and I listened to my body and ran 2-3 minutes then walked 1 minute. I felt great and I was actually faster than if I ran non-stop for four miles. My body felt less taxed and more energized as somedays when I try to push through the “red flags” with a slow jog- I can feel that I am not benefiting from the workout but actually causing more stress.
Do you thrive each day in your workouts… or are you just trying to survive the workout?
We should be energized when we finish a workout while running happy and enjoying the process- not dreading it. I never hate running – I just struggle with how my body is responding to the stress of running. Instead of trying to run non-stop and run longer … I need to enjoy the process of running as well as be able to run at all!
My mantra: Positive Attitude-Positive Vibes-Positive Energy.
What about you? How does your workout session leave you feeling… exhausted or exhilarated?
Next, I will work on report on the hormones tested on the DUTCH Complete test that influence our ability to recover and repair from a workout session or race – as well as our ability to create energy for the workout as my running. High or low levels of each main sex hormone and how it will impact your performance and recovery.
- Cortisol:
- DHEA
- Testosterone
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
Also, I wil work on a list of other markers that impact our athletic performance, recovery and repair including
- Histamine contributes to the sensations of pain and discomfort as well as loss of muscle strength associated with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.” PMID 27741023
WHY do I share this story with you?
I don’t want you to spend five plus years trying to rebuild your health and athletic performance because you couldn’t slow down, press pause and take time to reset.
I don’t want you to be stuck in the cycle of trial and error.
I don’t want you to do what I did back in 2013… take lab tests, get results, take supplements and try training or racing again.
I don’t want you to take one step forward, and two steps backward.
Learn from my mistakes and learn more about my WHY in my book – which I wrote to help create awareness to other ambitious, high performing individuals who always like to do too much in life and thrive in chaos or busy-ness.
You can order your Life is Not a Race book here and order your The WHOLESTIC Method Manual here
Talk soon!
Schedule a call with me here to discover more!
Debbie Potts
Health Coach, Author, Speaker & Podcaster
Host of ‘The Low Carb Athlete’ Health Building Podcast
Creator of ‘The WHOLESTIC Method’ Coaching Program
FNTP, FDN-P, NASM CPT, CHEK HLC, Kion Coach
BURN FAT. OPTIMIZE HEALTH. IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.