Running doubles to lose weight/get into racing shape, now I'm waking up at 3 in the morning. Why?

Because you're an animal.

Keep up the good work, you'll be in pr shape/weight soon.

/thread

Sleep is a deep anabolic state, and it takes a long time after waking for metabolism to shift into a catabolic state for exercise. You're probably adapting to those early runs by waking up earlier to be ready.

Take melatonin and valerian root at bedtime. If you wake up at 3am, take another melatonin. You can get these supplements over the counter at any drug store, supermarket, WalMart, etc. They're very common and easy to find.

Melatonin is a natural substance produced by the body. The good thing is that if you need to be awake quickly in an emergency, you can do so. It won't affect your ability to get up in the morning even if you take it at 3am.

Valerian root is a mild... not sure of the right word... google it, I'm too lazy. Anyway, it is widely used to help people get to sleep. I've never felt groggy after taking it. You could try taking it as well at 3am and see how you feel. It doesn't seem to have any negative effects on me, but YMMV.

I also have a prescription for Ambien. When I'm traveling and absolutely must go to sleep early to get up at 4am or whatever, I'll take a half tablet. Thirty 30 tablets lasts me about two years. I would NOT recommend Ambien for regular use. It makes users groggy. It's almost like being drunk. A flight attendant tells me stories of passengers who take this and they can't wake them up when the flight arrives.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Sleep is a deep anabolic state, and it takes a long time after waking for metabolism to shift into a catabolic state for exercise. You're probably adapting to those early runs by waking up earlier to be ready.

There's no doubt I feel far less terrible running in the morning than when I first started, so this makes a lot of sense.

Does anyone know if taking melatonin, Valerian root, etc. would set my metabolism's timing back, such that morning runs would seem more difficult again?

fisky wrote:

A flight attendant tells me stories of passengers who take this and they can't wake them up when the flight arrives.

I find gently pinching someone's nose closed while they are sleeping is the most subtle way for waking people up. They don't know you are doing it (if they are really asleep) and you also get to have a bit of a laugh as you watching gasp for air through their nose and can't :)

Sounds like a 3rd workout at 3 a.m. may be the answer.

ghostoftergat wrote:

Sounds like a 3rd workout at 3 a.m. may be the answer.

more is better

Jorge Washington wrote:

Bad news: I wake up at 3 am, completely alert, and unable to go back to sleep.

You aren't eating enough.

Poo burr wrote:

You aren't eating enough.

The winner!!!

Bad Wigins wrote:

Sleep is a deep anabolic state, and it takes a long time after waking for metabolism to shift into a catabolic state for exercise. You're probably adapting to those early runs by waking up earlier to be ready.

..What nonsesne is this?

You are ketotic and your body provides a jolt of adrenaline which wakes you up. Also common in untreated diabetes.

Yeah, I'd put money on you not getting enough recovery, whether it's sleep, calories, or whatever. I remember doubling a bit like you and I'd either be up because of increased heart rate or else something like legs wanting to cramp. I still felt ready to run, but a bit more recovery would have made the running more sustainable. It wasn't so much that it made me slower or hurt the quality of my training, but that it would eventually lead to injury every time because my body wasn't getting enough recovery. My wager is you can keep training through the bad sleep for a while, but shortly after your mileage peaks a tendon, bone, or muscle will tweak. Careful.

Overtrained.

no dietary bs wrote:

Overtrained.

What do you think "not eating enough" means?

Itj wrote:

no dietary bs wrote:

Overtrained.

What do you think "not eating enough" means?

Not eating enough means you are not eating enough. It doesn't imply overtraining.

LetsFish.com wrote:

Itj wrote:

What do you think "not eating enough" means?

Not eating enough means you are not eating enough. It doesn't imply overtraining.

Yeah, I'm definitely not over-trained. Actually, I have been feeling better and better on my runs, as one should when you begin to get into shape.

Perhaps I'm not eating enough at night... I'm learning a lot on this thread, just from googling terms like "ketogenic" on google scholar. I wish I had paid a little better attention in high school chemistry. Maybe I should eat more fat.

Please continue with the observations or suggestions, I am finding this thread pretty interesting and useful.

Jorge Washington wrote:

Yeah, I'm definitely not over-trained. Actually, I have been feeling better and better on my runs, as one should when you begin to get into shape.

Yeah, in the short term over-training makes you feel like superman. That's why so many people fall into that trap. Scenario one is you feel great right up to the day you get injured. Scenario two is all your training turns bad and no matter what you do you cannot get out of the hole. Pay attention to the non-running indicators.

BTW, losing 5 lbs in 2 weeks is not safe, especially when training. Try for no more than 1 lb in 2 weeks.

"Alab" was me.

Jorge Washington wrote:

LetsFish.com wrote:

Not eating enough means you are not eating enough. It doesn't imply overtraining.

Yeah, I'm definitely not over-trained. Actually, I have been feeling better and better on my runs, as one should when you begin to get into shape.

Perhaps I'm not eating enough at night... I'm learning a lot on this thread, just from googling terms like "ketogenic" on google scholar. I wish I had paid a little better attention in high school chemistry. Maybe I should eat more fat.

Please continue with the observations or suggestions, I am finding this thread pretty interesting and useful.

First, good job on doing the smart thing by running doubles. As for the sleep thing, you might try the "live like a clock" approach for awhile; go to bed at the same time each night, and get up at the same time. And maybe try to get your evening meal at the same time each day.