As the Archivist of Mystic Seaport (where the original Schwatka journal lives), and a successful low carb dieter I was thrilled to see your post.

Thank you!

Hi Kelly–

My pleasure.  I really enjoyed the book, and I would love to see the original manuscript sometime.  Is it available for public viewing?  Can the book be purchased directly from you guys?  If so, how?

Thanks for writing.

MRE 

I don’t have “problems with low-carb.” I have enough energy day and day and workout to workout. I even require less sleep.

Low-carb simply doesn’t work for me over a long distance going HARD. On low-carb I’m lucky to be able to run a mile. But after eating high carb for one day I have been known to do up to 5 miles on the treadmill (1 hour).

My personal theory is that when I am exerting myself that much by body can’t convert the fat into energy fast enough to meet my needs. Carbs are a very easy source of energy and so make endurance runs much easier. I even take carbohydrate gel packs on the run to keep my energy up.

The race is the one time a year I push myself as hard as I can to see how I do. In fact, last year (after carbing up) I made a new personal best – 1:29:44 for 12k. My goal was to finish in less than an hour thirty, and I just eeked in.

The race is just a once a year event, but I doubt carnitine alone (which I take) would be able to shave 25 minutes off my time. I haven’t noticed any difference at the gym using carnitine. I’m mostly taking it as a fat loss supplement since I am still above my ideal weight and want to lose a little more body fat.

I think Robert is suggesting that you try some short to medium chain triglycerides in your low-carb diet before you run to see if the immediate energy they provide improves your endurance.

Best–

MRE 

I wonder if the higher fatty content of the seal and bear provided not only long chain FA’s but also may provide shorter chain fats which may be used as quick source of energy. I always thought medium chain triglycerides or just coconut oil would be helpful to one starting a low-carb diet to bridge between carbs and fatty acid oxidation. Carntine as well. I wonder if Victoria would do better in her long distance runs with the help of some carnitine. It would be interesting to do some testing such as urine organic acids on those who have problems with low-carb. Maybe we could see where the road block in the biochemistry is/was and fix it.

Robert

Your idea of the short chain fatty acids at the start of a low-carb diet is a good one. (For those who don’t know, short chain fatty acids are taken up directly by the liver in much the same way as carbohydrates are.  Longer chain fatty acids go first into the lymph, then are dumped into the blood stream without first making a pass through the liver.)

Maybe Victoria will offer to be our test subject.  What about it Victoria? 

I checked my resources on the fats you mentioned.  I found info on any kind of fat you could imagine except for bear fat.  Seal fat contains a small amount of medium chain fats, but no short chain fats.

Best–

MRE 

Hi Cindy–

I got mine through Amazon.com for about 7$.  I just checked, and there are several there ranging in price from $6 to $24.

Enjoy.  It was in interesting read.

MRE

Hi athelstan–

I wouldn’t worry about the loss of fat-burning enzymes on feast days even if you eat a lot of carbs.  It takes the enzymes longer than that to take a powder.

Keep me posted on your IF.

Cheers–

MRE

The next year I carb loaded the day before the race and before and during the race. I shaved nearly 25 minutes off my time! I had tons of energy and felt like I could run forever.

After that experience I decided that while low-carb might be fine for normal life and normal gym workouts, 12k races require a lot of carbs if I want to make good time and feel good.

I can *walk* 12k on low-carb, but I can’t *run* it.

Hi Victoria–

I’ve heard the same from a few others.  I guess it’s a different strokes kind of deal.

Cheers–

MRE

Hi Susan–

Happy Holidays back.

Your case is interesting because most of the patients I have taken care of who are recovering alcoholics or who have had liver damage from it in the past seem to do better on low-carb diets than any other.

You may have some liver damage from chronic consumption of alcohol.  I would recommend some alpha lipoic acid and magnesium.  The alpha lipoic acid to help heal the liver, and the magnesium to reduce cravings and make the diet easier to follow.  Also, i would avoid sugar and especially high-fructose corn syrup like death.  Fructose has been shown to cause fatty enlargement of the liver much like what happens with alcohol.

I hope this helps.

MRE