I had a scare myself during the half marathon. A couple of the hills I was pretty dizzy by the time I reached the top. Even though I kept my arms up and pumping as I have been instructed my hands swelled terribly and the last three miles my arms became numb and swollen from the elbows down. Is this just a matter of being dehydrated? It is definitely something I want to get taken care of, it really slowed down my pace and I could not concentrate on anything else. I have also been told I have low iron, could that be part of the problem as well?

NewWalker

NewWalker, did you try drinking some Gleukos or water or anything? If so, did it make a difference? I'm prone to heat exhaustion, which is related to dehydration, and when I start to get a little goofy and dizzy it's time to hit the Gatorade and maybe throw some water over my head to cool down quickly. I've learned to keep myself very well hydrated, and keep the electrolytes coming as well.

The half marathon was a longer distance, and later in the day than we're used to working out. I alternated water and electrolytes (Gatorade then Gleukos) and also had a Gu and some Sport Beans, which is a lot (then again it took me 4 1/2 hours). That approach -- water and gatorade and energy -- worked for me in training, and continued to work for me in the race. Hope this helps!

Unless you were on a tire swing this could warrant an in-person visit to a professional. Arms and hands aren't supposed to swell up. Dizzy = bad. Fluids can help it's only lack of fluids but some of it seems allergic.

How hard and consistently were you pumping your arms? Ever hang upside down...blood rushes to your head? How you swing the arms could be a factor.

I get dizzy when I'm really tired and worn out. I need fluids and rest. If I'm not done with the race/run it's usually a sign I was pushing too hard early on. Especially going up hills.

I have been told that walkers need to keep their elbows bent and pump their arms like the runners do. This is what I have been trying to practice. Of course this also helps with momentum when pulling the hills!
I assumed that the dizziness was caused by the fact that I just began this training this year and have not done anything like this before, so I am still trying to get into shape. The hills are definitely difficult at times and I find myself breathing very hard and this I believe is what is causing me to be light headed and feel like I am going to pass out at times!! I am hoping with further training that I can over come this. Does this sound right?

New Walker--

Congratulations on your half-marathon finish -- you should be very proud of your accomplishment!!!

My biggest concern with your reported symptoms is the swelling. Swelling is a symptom that can mean several different things that range from benign to serious, so that's worth getting checked out. Nowadays we coaches worry lots about hyponatremia as a condition -- we are told that anyone doing endurance events of longer than 4 hours need to be watchful of it. Swelling in the fingers, wrists and ankles is one of the signs we watch for. So I'd recommend you consult your doctor on this one, especially if you have any other medical conditions or history that relate to the swelling as well as the other symptoms.

As for the low iron, I'm sure that lots can be done for that involving supplements and diet. Blood iron has an impact on the oxygen-carrying capacity of your blood so if you can bring that up you should see a benefit in your performance.

The dizziness isn't too unusual but it probably means that you were pushing too hard on those hills ... sounds like you were using good form but it's often wiser to take it easy on those hills so you have something left for all the flats and downhills that come later in the race. You will definitely improve your conditioning by practicing those hills so hang in there and take care of yourself.