# Warm weather running and BG levels



## dplay (Sep 5, 2012)

I'm a regular runner doing around 25miles a week, in a couple of 10k races recently I have suffered with flucuating bg levels and felt drained mid race. My levels are usually well controlled and stay within a decent range whilst racing just wondered if anyone else is affected by 'hot weather' whilst exercising?


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## Medusa (Sep 6, 2012)

yes most definitely, if i know i am going to be doing serious cardio ie fourty minutes minimum i will reduce my insulin greatly for the meal before.... the heat makes my need for insulin even less when exercising, have you done a test when you feel you are flagging, it could be high sugar? possibly post hypo rebound, i know you said you tested but do you test during race? or it could be down to what you eat beforehand, i found if i tried to run on cornflakes i would be like that cos of the spike but with porridge it gives me a better release of energy (this was running after breakfast but illustrates point i hope), also could be dehydration, that can totally screw everything up for me if i havent had enough fluid not just during exercise but before and after too.


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## dplay (Sep 7, 2012)

I had porridge for breakfast as the slow release suits me, pre race my BG was low (4) I had a jelly baby before the start when I finished my BG was 9 so no massive variance. My levels normally rise during races so I take a few units of insulin (Humalog) pre race and find my levels are not tooo high when I finish and gradually drop lower so I have carbs post race. I haven't tested during a race as I run light and wouldn't consider carrying a tester with me during a race. I suffered with dehydration lasy year and it was not like the symptoms I had this time so its a bit of a mystery!I always make sure that I'm well hydrated in the days leading upto a race and immeadiately afterwards. One strange thing is I generally sweat a great deal in this race I seemed to stop about half way into the run?


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## Medusa (Sep 10, 2012)

hmmmm not sure then, have you tried the runsweet site? someone on there may be able to shed more light on it?


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## Copepod (Sep 10, 2012)

dplay said:


> I had porridge for breakfast as the slow release suits me, pre race my BG was low (4) I had a jelly baby before the start when I finished my BG was 9 so no massive variance. My levels normally rise during races so I take a few units of insulin (Humalog) pre race and find my levels are not tooo high when I finish and gradually drop lower so I have carbs post race. I haven't tested during a race as I run light and wouldn't consider carrying a tester with me during a race. I suffered with dehydration lasy year and it was not like the symptoms I had this time so its a bit of a mystery!I always make sure that I'm well hydrated in the days leading upto a race and immeadiately afterwards. One strange thing is I generally sweat a great deal in this race I seemed to stop about half way into the run?



If you stop sweating, I'd guess that's an indication that you're dehydrated. Do your 10km races have water points? Most do, so I assume so. 

www.runsweet.com as mentioned by Medusa is a great resource, both for background info about physiology and case studies for specific sports / activities. 

A blood glucose tester, finger pricker and a couple of strips should weigh less than 100g and probably much less, depending on model, and if you stitched case to a strip of elastic, it wouldn't be too difficult to carry - might be worth trying some tests during runs to get to the bottom of what's happening.


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## dplay (Sep 11, 2012)

thanks I'll have a look at that site, I seem to have settled down a bit now, ran Parkrun saturday in hot conditions faster than ever, 20m09s, and done a couple more runs and seem ok now.


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