I’m male 51 and a runner/multisport athlete since 2012. 175 lbs and train most of the year round running one full distance triathlon and many other races each year.
For the past three years, I have shivered uncontrollably after each 140.6 race. I checked in at medical one year and sat after the race in a heated tent and was told my temperature is normal.
Has anyone encountered something like this?
My only theory is that drinking cold recovery beverage is a shock to my system.
The first time it happened i immersed myself in a hot bath for about an hour.
All three times I bundled myself under the covers and stabilized after a few hours.
Next year I’m going to try ambient temperature hydration after the race.
It’s a bit scary.
Totally normal for me, even after Kona 2003 (age 29) and again Western Australia 2011 (age 38) both races in hot conditions. Last time at W. Aust. the temp peaked at 36C (97F) so even in hot weather I ended up shivering. At WA I went to the med tent and everything was normal even though I felt cold in the hot weather.
My theory is my body just shuts down when I stop exercising. I can’t even eat solid food straight after when people around me are stuffing themselves with hot food. Personally seems to be the way my body reacts to a long hard day. I don’t think it has anything to do with a cold drink at the end, just your body’s way of stopping and recovering.
I agree and it happens to me. Age 63, 175 pounds, relatively low body fat. First 6 IMs with no shivering and no effects whatsoever. Just like any other training day. Last 3 IM have shivered. Lake Placid 2012, Lake Tahoe 2013, I shivered uncontrollably for 2 hours, and any wind or draft set them off. Huddled under the covers at the hotel all night. Have no idea what causes or caused them, but I fear they are here to stay.
57 and 170lbs - shiver after most races. I have started doing much long walks to cool down and this seems to really help . . . I mean I REALLY walk for quite a while. Interestingly the sooner I got to massage seems to correlate to more shivering.
Could be related to dehydration. Some people get goose bumps in severe dehydration, shivering seems like a possible related metabolic response.
I shiver just thinking about finishing an ironman
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I believe there is a scientific reason for this, but I cannot remember what it is…lol. Google might help.
Happened to me too. Felt great when I went to bed, but woke up middle of the night cold. Really wierd, but pretty normal.
1st time I had a very cold wet ride then a 90 degree marathon.
Second time cold windy marathon.
This year wet ride, pleasant conditions marathon.
(Swim was wet all three years)
This year it went away faster as I had a pretty good walk to the hotel and stopped drinking when the shakes started.
Don’t stop when it’s over? lol
This used to happen to me. I was told that it is because my body has turned on all mechanisms to shed heat, which is needed while racing, but those mechanisms take a while to shut off. If you just stop when you come across the line, you are no longer producing as much heat, but your body is still trying to shed any heat. This results in your cooling off.
The options are: immediately put on a lot of warm/dry clothes, or do a cool down (slow running, then walk) to allow your thermostat some time to react. I’ve done both, and both worked for me.
This used to happen to me. I was told that it is because my body has turned on all mechanisms to shed heat, which is needed while racing, but those mechanisms take a while to shut off. If you just stop when you come across the line, you are no longer producing as much heat, but your body is still trying to shed any heat. This results in your cooling off.
The options are: immediately put on a lot of warm/dry clothes, or do a cool down (slow running, then walk). I’ve done both, and both worked for me.
This happens to me. Not all races but a fair number. There is an article somewhere about this and it’s as your stating. It has to do with your body attempting to regulate it’s temperature.
I was a running coach for five years and had several trainees that experienced the same thing after long training runs/races. One suggestion, from a doctor, was they needed to make sure to include foods with plenty of good fats as part of their recovery.
This happened to me one time. I spent a long time cuddling with the ms in the shower after the race. Definitely worse ways to wind down!
This happens to me almost every time. It’s reasonable to assume that your body would get very cold after having a high heart rate for however many hours you were out there (for me, 11 or 12 hours), and then dropping down to your normal resting heart rate…
I have encountered this half the time.
Kona 1991 (25yo, 140lbs), no shivering. Walked around a lot afterwards
Canada 1998 (32yo, 150lbs), no shivering. Walked around talking with friends
Pineman 1999 (33yo, 150lbs), no shivering. Had a long walk to the car
IMWisc 2002 (36yo, 150lbs), shivering. Walked straight to medical tent after crossing finish line
Bluedevil 2004 (38yo, 150lbs), shivering. Straight to medical tent after finishing
IMLou 2007 (41yo, 150lbs), shivering. Walked to massage table first and had to cut short because shivering was so bad.
I thought it was age related, but after reading Paul Dunn’s response it does seem that the races I didn’t walk much afterwards or cool down were the ones where I had excessive shivering. Having a good warm down or walking alot helping the body adjust seems very plausible to me.
I’m 54 and noticed a few years back that I was getting very cold after my trail runs (8+ miles) and races. So I started keeping old race shirts (even the old cotton ones) in the trunk and would change into it right away and put on a sweatshirt. PROBLEM SOLVED.
So, at the end of my last Ironman, my wife was there with an old shirt and sweatshirt to change into. I was a happy camper!! Uh, well, other than being exhausted. But was able to avoid the med tent and go out with the family for dinner with a couple of beers !!
Maybe there is a pattern here! I’m 53, and for a few of my more intense IM races (IM CDA 2012 comes to mind) I was shaking like a trout out of water while on the massage table. As well, I almost never eat after a race, if I do it right ~ I have NO appetite for at least 1/2 hour after any race.
As a side note after IMC 2004, I may have over done it with caffeine pills on the run and under did it with salt tablets. I shook and laughed maniacally for two hours after going to bed after the race. (the time Mark Allen did the Nice Race and was given speed on the bike sorta came to mind).
Is it some kind of strange humblebrag or something? Because I have yet to see anyone who feels well right after completing the IM distance. Spending around 10 hours of nonstop swimming / cycling / running, while mentally fighting yourself and eating energy gels may affect your body’s rhythm.
Yup, I’m another for whom this is pretty much standard.
Thanks all for the discussion.
Only happened to me once, after an exceptionally long bike ride. Totally shattered upon completion, started shivering, and only had a tepid and low-pressure shower to crawl into, which didn’t help much. Shivered uncontrollably for ~30’ and was fine thereafter.