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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Iron Deficiency in Distance Runners

Iron Deficiency in Distance Runners...as found in the Appendix of Ultramarathon Mom: From the Sahara to the Arctic


I was recently diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. When I tell this to my friends they say sarcastically, ‘Are you surprised?’
Actually, yes and no. Since I turned vegan almost two years ago I’ve been eating healthier than any other time in my life. Breakfast is a kale smoothie, then come the grilled veggies with buckwheat, sweet potatoes, nuts, bean burgers, sorghum, almond milk, avocados, mangoes and anything and everything that is colorful and fresh from my local vegetable market. I love to cook (see photos below) and create a whirlwind in the kitchen, whipping up a meat lasagna for my family and a veggie lasagna for myself. Five-course all-vegan dinner parties are the norm. I snack on nuts, hummus and veggie/bean salads. So, although I wasn't eating iron-loaded red meat, my diet was well-balanced and diverse, how could I possibly be lacking a vital nutrient?
Quite easily. And there are three main reasons:
(1)   Diet: I eat no red meat, nor any other animal product
(2)   Gender: I am female and lose blood monthly through menstruation
(3)   Activity level: I run more than 50 miles per week.
Several months ago I began to notice fatigue while training. After 10km at an easy pace, I’d be struggling to keep up with the group. Interval training times weren’t where they should be and then the clincher: my 10km race time seriously deteriorated.
Something was wrong. I knew it. I just wasn’t sure what it was.