When we last spoke I had just finished the Surf City Marathon and was ready for an epic Super Bowl feast! But, before I relaxed I knew I should take an ice bath – and that’s where someone super scary happened (and not just because the idea of me taking a bath is scary).
Straight from the race I hit up Ralphs smelling like a disgusting mess for ice and those Tostitos Rolls chips I’ve been waiting all week to eat.
Scary Runner Story
I didn’t even get that much ice – in the past when Ben has bought me ice for a bath he buys two of those bags (because part of him liked to torture me).
Anyway. I put the ice in the tub, filled it with cold water and set the timer on my phone for 10 minutes. Then, I got in and obviously gasped because it’s wildly unpleasant.
The water wasn’t high enough to go all the way over my legs so it really felt concentrated and painful on my ankles for some reason.
Suddenly I started to feel nauseous and dizzy – like I was going to pass out. Since I was home alone I decided I shouldn’t wait and see if I pass out in a bathtub of water and got out. I laid on my bed for a few minutes until I felt better and then just took a hot shower and called the ice bath cancelled.
But what the heck?! That’s so weird because I’ve taken ice baths before. Not sure why that happened, but yeah. I almost died and what really pisses me off is I could have died before eating the Tostitos rolls which would have been the real tragedy of the day.
Luckily, I survived and went to my parent’s house for a feast.
Note: No one was home when I got there, so I literally made all this food solo and ate most of it solo too.
Since most of the food was gone when my brother got there I heated up some teriyaki meatballs too. These are soooo good!
Also, there was a lot of cereal consumed.
Question: What was the BEST thing you ate yesterday?
Have you ever taken an ice bath?
Yum! I’ve never done a full on ice bath, but have done my legs/shins. That is scary, good call on getting out and not passing out in the tub!
Yikes! That sounds scary! Did you every find out what the problem was?
Yikes!!!! I’ve never taken an ice bath either … and now I don’t EVER want to! Seriously though, so glad you were smart and got out when you did. I wonder what happened? Weird, eh?
Did you make those meatballs? Recipe, please!
No, they were the Aidell’s brand.
I know this sounds stupid but next time wear a hat when you take an ice bath. Like a knit winter hat to keep your head warm while you ice your lower half. I don’t know why but it helps with lightheadedness.
No, that doesn’t sound dumb I know my friend Bobbi does that – I have drank something hot in the past while taking one before.
I haven’t had an ice bath in a really long time. That’s weird that happened to you. Hope you are feeling better.
Try my ice bath technique….lol…..I sit in an empty tub with hot coffee or apple cider and turn the clod water on…..my body adjusts slowly to the cold. Once it’s almost dull I add the ice and finish my hot drink of choice:)
Gah that’s scary! Don’t do that by yourself next time!
That WAS scary. I am glad you are okay and it looks like there are some helpful theories on what happened and how to prevent it.
I will never be able to take an ice bath. I have allergic reactions to cold! The amusing part of this is that I live in Maine and run outside all winter. I just need to wear the right gear.
The best thing I had yesterday was vegan chili and prosecco, following a 10-mile race!
I am seriously allergic to the cold, like I have painful reactions to cold weather (not normally ice baths though). Ah!
That’s scary! I do ice baths from time to time, mostly after races or long runs.
The best thing I ate yesterday was Kalemole from Stu Leonard’s – guacamole with kale in it – I need more.
Holy scary! Glad you are OK and got out when you felt funny. I keep hearing about Whitney Houston’s daughter being found face down in her bathtub so your story freaked me out.
I’ve only done an ice bath twice and I don’t think it made me feel much better than when I don’t take them? I do try to walk a lot and stretch after long runs though.
Best thing I ate yesterday………gosh so much to choose from! Vegan potato skins made with portabello mushrooms I think!
Yep, see no ice baths here! You probably had a blood pressure drop…
“I could have died before eating the Tostitos Rolls which would have been the real tragedy” … I’m crying
Ha!
Oh man that’s scary, I wonder if maybe your body was in shock but you have taken ice baths before and ran marathons before. Who knews. Glad you are okay!
Best Super Bowl food was these little pretzel bread things filled with cheese and jalapeno bits. Seriously amazing. And I need to find a way to recreate them!! (p.s. Glad you’re alive)
I’ve done a few ice baths before. Much more fun when it’s hot outside than when it’s cold. My toes hurt really bad when I did one last week but I’ve never felt dizzy (maybe during a hot shower after a run, but never an ice bath). Hope all is ok!
I ate a quarter of a giant dulce de leche cupcake. It was amazeballs (and it was so rick that was totally enough).
wait, so how were the tostitos rolls?? hopefully worth living for:)
i’ve taken ice baths before, but i havent done one in a long while. i stick to shorter distances though and dont think they are really necessary.
Eeehh! Scary! So glad you’re okay. Maybe your blood sugar or pressure randomly dropped right as you were ready to take a bath? So strange. Now my irrational fear of passing out in a bathtub doesn’t seem so irrational, LOL.
That sounds really strange – I’m glad you’re ok! And I think you might just have turned me off having an ice bath ever.
I am glad you are OK. THat would be a scary experience. You probably started to send your body into shock!
ah that’s really scary! I’ve never taken an ice bath (can’t stand being cold haha) but now I especially never want to, haha
Sounds like you had a vasovagal episode (Im an ER nurse)…which is what happens when your body is shocked or scared-the same thing that happens when someone faints at the sight of blood! Your blood pressure probably dropped when you hit the ice! This is sometimes how we get babies to strain(ice on the face)….you can cause a similar thing by blowing through a straw or straining for a bowel movement! Hope you haven’t been scared of ice bath’s forever-may have just been a little too cold for you-too much shock to the system too fast!
wow that sounds awful — glad you’re okay. i’ve never even considered taking an ice bath as the thought of it horrifies me. the best thing i ate yesterday was a dark chocolate & sea salt nut Kind bar. so good.
Once, a long time ago, I got dizzy (or something like it on a run) and I had to sit down on the curb — about 5 blocks from my house — and lay back while I recovered. I had a phone, but who was I going to call? (My coach, who lives 30 miles away?) Anyway, I lay there for awhile until I had the same sensation…what if I die lying here on the grass between the sidewalk and the curb. I got up and walked slowly home. And it’s never happened again.
Scary! Glad you were okay too. I feel like the combination of feeling faint PLUS being scared is makes it worse.
I just took an ice bath yesterday after my 20 miler. It was wholly unpleasant, but I feel great today, so I think it’s worth it! I would have jumped out of there too though if I had experienced what you had. How scary! I ate a whole lot of chocolate chip cookies yesterday and I feel a-ok about that.
Im too wussy for ice baths, but I know in the past if i’ve whacked my knee or elbow really bad i’ll have a wave of nausea and get woozy, then i wait a bit and it goes away. Not sure the science of behind it but i figured it had to do with the pain.. maybe the ice caused you enough pain to have side effects?
Yowza, that sounds like low blood sugar coupled with the racing heartbeat that comes with an ice bath – no bueno! I always have some chocolate almond milk or Gatorade before my ice baths because I’m prone to blood-sugar related fainting.. Also because sipping my sugary drink in a plastic wine glass in the tub makes it that much classier 😉
Umm….I definitely thought your bowl of cereal was a giant bowl of teriyaki meatballs and Tostitos rolls with milk! It took my brain a minute to process the caption and the photo…haha!
Ha! That is something I would do…
I made balsamic glazed cauliflower “wings”…so good!
I know I’m nuts but I like Ice baths after hard workouts. They really speed up the recovery process.
These are just a guesses, but 1. your body might have moved a lot of blood to the areas exposed to the ice to warm them (typically if your entire body is cold, blood rushes to your core, and if this happened too quickly, it may make you feel faint).
2. If you hadn’t replenished your calories from the race and then ask your body to deal with the cold (you might have been shivering), your body may have severely “stressed”over this and sent your body into shock. I hope these theories help.
I used to have that happen occasionally – it was from my blood pressure suddenly dropping lower due to the temperature. You wouldn’t die but it is very scary, especially if you’re alone. My Dr. said there is nothing that you can do to prevent it but (since I was prone to it) just to get out and sit down when it happens and the feeling should pass shortly. Hope it doesn’t happen to you again!
I only take ice baths after super long runs – and I’ve only tried it the way you did it (fill the tub with icy water) one time. Works better for me if I fill the tub with warmish/coolish water (not turned all the way to cold from the faucet, but a tiny bit warm), then I get in, THEN I put the ice in. It takes a bit of extra ice (2 or 3 bags), but its not nearly as shocking or awful. its still cold, though – trust me – and it does the trick. I aim for 10 min, but try to get to at least 7. I also keep a sweatshirt, and sometimes a hat on, but that’s because I live where its cold. On a hot day, I wouldn’t do that.
I’ve never taken an ice bath, and I think I’ll be skipping them! Sounds like all the blood rushed to your feet to keep them warm, so it made you lightheaded and fainty.
The best thing I ate yesterday was pulled pork with a black bean cornbread topping. The recipe is from Reluctant Entertainer. It was amazing!
That’s crazy about the ice bath! I went to a place in London called Insider Tart – holy goodness is it incredible! Delicious, decadent homemade treats served with spot of tea! 🙂
That’s probably your body going into shock…
Totally random, but that weird pass out feeling during an ice bath has happened to me too!! I’m so glad to know I’m not the lone crazy person. And it’s only happened once, and I never figured it out either. So if you find out a reason, I’d love a follow up! Good news is, that was a couple years ago and I’m still kickin’ so you’re probably all good.
Great race, and yummy eats! I had nothing as delish yesterday…. bummer.
Good to know I’m not the only one. There are some good comments on this post about what readers think happened.
I’ve only done a few ice baths and I hated them. This is a sign that the Pacific Ocean is your very best bet for the ice bath! WERD.
OK, let me say that the cereal picture looks like you took those meatballs and poured milk in the bowl. Weird, huh?
I thought the same thing about the meatballs/cereal! LOL
Ah that is scary. Glad you’re ok and the Tostitos rolls made it too!
That’s crazy! I hope it doesn’t happen again! I have no other advice or info for you about that, so it’s really a meaningless comment.
The best thing I ate yesterday was Blue Apron’s buffalo chicken meal they sent me. That plus some 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies for dessert.
My favorite thing that I ate yesterday was crab jalapeño dip that our local grocery store makes fresh. I had it on toasted garlic sourdough bread. So good.
And no, never could force my body into an ice bath. I know that I probably should, but I have found that my favorite post half marathon ritual is to get an hour long massage.
I have never been brave enough for an ice bath and you just convinced me to never attempt it! I faint too easily as it is and there is no worse feeling than feeling dizzy and about to pass out…I glad you were okay, it’s really scary! I would have eaten all of my family’s food too, they have come to expect it from me, especially after a race.
I have never taken an ice bath. A cold shower is painful…I can’t imagine….Glad you were smart to get out of the tub when you felt dizzy.
Yesterday morning I had delicious french toast drizzled with raspberry sauce and sugar.
Tasted just like a jelly donut. OMG I just realized I told you about these in your last post (favorite run, eat, and repeat). I had the same french toast both Saturday AND yesterday…..I was at a bed and breakfast. It was so good on Saturday I just had to get the same thing again the next day lol.