pins and needles after running

Question
Hi, I am training for the Tac. half marathon. On Sunday I ran my slow run of 7 miles.  After I was finished for about 3 minutes I experienced pins and needles all the way up into my thigh area.  That night I had them all through my body slightly.  Do you know what has caused this?  Also, since I've started running it seems as though I can't get enough food, my body feels sick if I am not eating almost constant.  I would like to lose about 5 lbs, but with eating constantly this is not happening.  Is there a web site that can help with a healthy diet made specifically for training for a marathon that won't put weight on your body?

Answer
Melody,

I'm not positive on what the cause of the 'pins & needles' feeling is, other than that it could be nerve-related.  It happened to me once with a lower back impingment on my nerve that affects the same area you discussed. I would seek a doctor or chiropractor's advice on it.

Also, since your mileage is high for the half-marathon preparation, there is more of a need for food/energy to sustain such distances and aid in recovery from your runs.  The weight stagnancy issue can be a concern, but 5 pounds isn't that much to worry about when running for a 1/2 marathon.  It should come in a few weeks, I'd imagine.  You can visit http://fitday.com for a recommended resource on dietary logging, and mileage logging, too, to help you out in obtaining a proper balance of diet & discover how much food you need to help you out with your weight loss goal.

A safe drop of around 500 cals/day will get 1 pound of fat burned off in theory.  1-2 pounds a week is safe and normal with watching diet & exercise closely.

Hope that helps,

Rick Karboviak, CSCS
http://endure.speeddialcoach.com