You must be swift as the coursing river (as long as it's the Lazy River) - comments welcome

[WillRunForPizza]

My ferritin was 11 when I got it checked a couple of years ago, and I've read the same literature about endurance athletes should shoot for 50. Everything else for me was in the normal range. I noticed a dramatic difference within 2 weeks of starting a supplement.

My all-knowing internet mom group (from my babywearing days....so we've all been "together" for 15-20 years at this point) recommends "blood builder" or "floradix" both of which can be found on amazon. I take a slow-release supplement (slow Fe) so that I don't get any GI issues that iron can bring on. Our XC team coaches are somewhat obsessive about the runners, especially the girls, getting their iron tested because it can make a difference of minutes in a 5k depending on how low they get. Of course, teenagers tend to be poor eaters when it comes to micronutrients, but low is low and should be addressed.

Good to know! I'll look into these. I have been taking ferrous bisglycinate because I've heard that's absorbed better than other forms and doesn't usually cause GI issues. I definitely do not feel dramatically better after one week of supplementing (not that I was expecting to, but if anything I've felt worse this week). But there is still...some time?

 

[avondale]

I had kind of forgotten that you hadn't written about your HM race yet! I know you weren't happy with it, but I'd give a kidney for a time like that, LOL. It was a great consistent effort.

I noticed a dramatic difference within 2 weeks of starting a supplement.

Lucky you! Hopefully things work quickly for @WillRunForPizza , too, but that was definitely not my experience.

I never had any GI problems from the Vitron-C, but maybe I'm just lucky. I did/do eat it with breakfast.


@WillRunForPizza - don't let the whole anemia thing get you down. It would be easy for this to get into your head and become "I can't do it" and then you don't. If you hadn't had the blood test, you would have just kept going with the training and making (hopefully) sensible decisions and adjustments about it. You have a fantastic marathon in you that's waiting to come out! You still have a nice taper to give you some rest time and you may end up feeling a lot better than you think you will.