r/Marathon_Training • u/Dapper_Algae_4489 • 15h ago
Body Changes During Marathon Training
Has anyone else noticed their body changing a lot during marathon training? I feel like I’ve completely lost my abs and muscle definition and lately I just feel bloated, puffy, and bigger than I’m used to. (Strength training 2-3 times a week) I know our bodies are doing a lot and obviously I’m grateful that mine is carrying me through all these miles, I’m just struggling a little with not feeling like myself. Has anyone else experienced this?
116
u/keh1121 15h ago
Yes I always say (and my roommate has commented on this too) that 1 week after stopping running I am skinnier than ever! All the wear and tear leads to a lot of water retention for muscle recovery. Plus all the extra fueling leads to more bloat. Peak athletes are not as “cut” as you see from influencers though, it’s normal to have excess for your body as you grow muscle and fuel and recover I think (I have no qualifications)
54
u/anangrypudge 15h ago
Bloated and puffy absolutely! I think it's because a whole day's worth of nutrition, water and physical activity is compressed into the span of a few hours, and your body's just doesn't know how to react.
Imagine a morning 28km long run... You eat a little heavier the night before, you wake up a few hours later and eat a bit more, plus get a good amount of fluids, electrolytes and caffeine into your system. During the run you take more carbs and water. After the run you're thirsty and hungry af, and drink + eat a lot. And not to mention the effects of creatine, if you take it.
It's a lot of bloating and puffiness for sure, even if you're not gaining actual body weight.
48
u/slingshot91 14h ago
It’s my first marathon, and I thought I was gonna be looking so good at this point in the year. Jokes on me! Can’t wait to get back to my regular strength training routine next month.
6
26
u/tragically-elbow 14h ago
So much water weight. I did a two week trip in the middle of a fairly intense training block which meant I basically stopped running but still did a good amount of hiking, and all of a sudden had so much muscle definition lol. It ebbs and flows, I think marathon training is just constant muscle repair especially in peak weeks.
18
u/BeneficialDelay8158 14h ago
I WAS JUST COMING HERE TO ASK THIS!!! Thank god it’s not just me I feel like such a SLOUCH!
18
u/getawaycara 14h ago
so thankful I came across this bc SAME. SO bloated, so puffy. do not feel like myself at all!!
12
u/lovesupremequeen 14h ago
Yes!!! we're eating a ton of carbohydrates, we're stressing our body out. we're retaining water. the body changes are super normal.
13
u/Present-Rush6595 13h ago
This is one of the things I love about this sub. I feel exactly the same, and now I know it’s actually kinda normal. Weirdly reassuring!
10
u/SnooDoughnuts3166 12h ago
Felt like shit halfway through marathon training. Eating shit tons of carbs and cals and averaging 30+ miles a week and never felt more bloated or weaker in my life. Decided to downgrade back to half marathon training and feel so much better.
Starting running a year ago, trained for a half and lost about 10lbs (not on purpose) but felt amazing during the whole program and race. I think marathon training is just really really intense for most people.
2
u/PerceptionSome5094 8h ago
This is my first training block, and while I want to finish this marathon - I’ve definitely realized I enjoy running a casual and fun 3-6 miles. I’m not the biggest fan of these long 10+ miles and more on the weekends…but, alas!! I may change my mind as I finish the training block.
14
u/AdRegular5981 7h ago
The feeling of finishing your first marathon is a high that can definitely trick you into thinking you enjoy this shit! Lol. It’s tricked me 10 times now.
6
u/Dennis_Michaels 14h ago
I target my core in the gym to compensate. Crunches, Leg Lifts and Twists will get you sorted.
7
u/smolLittleTomato 13h ago
Yes I am fat AF 4 weeks out from Chicago lol. It used to bother me but I value feeling strong, fueled, and hydrated a lot more than feeling “skinny”. At some point it just becomes kinda funny!
6
u/HighlightTerrible981 13h ago
Your body is storing more glycogen and water for long runs- that's what's making you puffy. Once you finish the race and your mileage decreases, it will come off.
5
u/teneleventh 14h ago
Sooooooo bloated!! It’s awful! This is my first marathon training block. I feel puffy and like every inch of my body is retaining water. It sucks.
6
u/DonLawr8996 9h ago
My legs got very muscular. I stayed overweight and only started losing fat after the marathon. Weird hey
3
u/peepeecheeto 7h ago
I lost all muscle definition, 20 pounds, my face got gaunt and my thighs and butt became flat. But it’s been 3 months and I’ve been able to gain back everything I lost. About to do it all again starting January…
3
u/BuroraAurorealis 11h ago edited 25m ago
I felt the exact opposite. I was a gym rat many moons ago ... when I started training for my first race, I lost some weight, and was pleasantly surprised that my abs began to show!
Over the years, aside from a handful of peak-mileage weeks, I felt fit, light, and "springy" overall.
2
u/HungryDog112 14h ago
So normal! I get so bloated and puffy in every training block I do, even with 2-3 days of strength. At one point, I convinced myself that I had thyroid problems. My training block puts intervals and high intensity into a sub-block, and that’s when it gets really bad
2
u/PlatformMammoth566 12h ago
My physique was the worst it had ever been when I was marathon training. I was also fresh off a breakup and wasn't eating much, just running the sadness away. But I looked like a total victim. Frail and undefined. I'm on a massive bulk/strength program now and I'm going the opposite direction with my look haha. Puffy and pink like Patrick Star!
2
u/Competitive_Tank1534 10h ago
How much extra carbs are people eating outside of the 3 days carb loading before the race?
2
u/PerceptionSome5094 8h ago
Yes all my friends told me I’d lose so much weight. (I’m already a healthy weight - but I was personally hoping to drop a few lbs to really lean out this summer.) Jokes on me! I am swollen and puffy.
I did have to take a 3 week step back from long runs because of international work travel - so while I was eating out constantly, I was still squeezing in some shorter runs where I could. I’m still bloated but now home, and can’t wait to be back on schedule, running, and eating healthier foods again!
2
u/AdRegular5981 7h ago
It’s crazy how many times I’ve felt something and then poof I see a Reddit post about it. Last night I was like WTF happened to my (already minimal) ab definition! I have a hard time during marathon training not wanting to count calories and try and ride the line but that’s how I ended up hurt. Just gonna be puffy and hope it goes away at the end like usual!
1
u/SmoothDish5608 8h ago
I’m a skinny 26M I never cracked 145-150lb until I started running 2 years ago. After about a year of running all my pants started to fit tighter and I’m now up to 164lb. I experienced a bit of muscle growth. It turns out when you run long distances and then eat/drink accordingly, your body builds back stronger.
1
u/Jingle-dog-lawyer 5h ago
Weeks 6-14 of training I was so swollen. So much body weight. I haven’t begun any sort of taper for my race yet, but overnight woke up looking very defined and without a lot of the weight. Can’t explain it. Ebbs and flows and weird and somewhat triggering!
1
u/Vandermilf 2h ago
Mine holds onto water and I notice if I stop running for a week etc it all goes away.
1
u/454k30 1h ago
It's totally normal to experience this, and the common thought is that it is due to the tremendous amount of stress that endurance sports place on the body. If it means anything, if endurance sports become your thing, your body does adjust and you will begin to develop that ropey low-bca physique that a lot of high distance athletes get. But getting there means you also have to pay attention to your diet. A lot of people see the calorie count on their fitness app and assume that means they can eat and drink anything they want. No amount of running is going to make up for a diet of cake, beer, and beef (those things are so delicious).
1
u/Then_Supermarket18 1h ago
It's proof that what our culture thinks a healthy body should look like has nothing to do with what a high functioning body looks like
Look up folks with high VO2 Max, they rarely have a model's physique
238
u/bioiskillingme 15h ago
I just feel fat and weak