Any runners who follow Keto?

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Hi,

I’m now on day 10 of doing Keto. I’m eating 20g of carbs a day and for the most part feel pretty good. I’m waking up in the morning refreshed (which previously never happened), enjoying the food and having very little cravings for all the processed junk I used to consume.

However I like to run and I’m really struggling with it. I was previously able to run up to 10 miles at around 8 minutes 30 seconds per mile and a little faster at short distances. I have forced myself out for four runs in the last ten days and am really suffering distance and speed wise. It feels like such a punishment, my legs and arms feel like lead and I feel like I’ve got no stamina.

Are there any runners out there that have done Keto? Should I stick with it and it will get easier or I am destined to be fuelled by chocolate biscuits if I want to run properly again?

It's definitely possible. I've not much experience of actual keto but there are loads of low carb resources on Mumsnet actually, check out the Low Carb Bootcamp area.

Low carb is increasingly popular for endurance sport like marathons of Ironman triathlon, for fuelling without crashing.

There's a book that should help: The art and science of low carbohydrate performance, by Phinney and Volek. I'll confess it's been sat half read on my bedside table for months, but that's more a reflection on my current lack of commitment to running than the quality of the writing!

Also I think it can take a bit longer to adapt, especially if you've gone straight to keto from a high carb diet; give it 4 weeks or so.

Yes, I’ve been on Keto for 4 years and run about 30km a week.

I think you just need to push through the adaptation phase - you will be able to get your performance back and hopefully improve it too once your new energy syncs with your body being adapted to burn fat as fuel.

@Rayna37 I’m downloading that book now!

Brilliant! Thank you to you both, I shall persevere with plodding runs and hopefully see my energy reserves pick up over the next few weeks. Thank you for the book recommendation too, I’ll get that ordered.