Forums > Racing > How not to pee during a race?
Best Present Ever
I doubt there is really an answer to this, but just in case, I'll throw it out there.
I've yet to run a marathon without stopping to pee. In ordinary, non-running life, I'm not a frequent pee-er. I can go all day without peeing sometimes. I don't drink a ton. In fact, I probably consume less liquid than most people. Before a marathon, I'll drink a cup of coffee and maybe another cup or two of liquid, usually several hours before the race. I pee before the race, usually several times, yet I almost always find that I need to pee in the first few miles. During my last marathon, I deliberately tried to drink very little during the race. Probably drank 3 times, for a total of 6 to 8 ounces tops, yet by mile 20 I had an overwhelming need to pee. The time before that, I actually stayed in the portapotty line after the race started so that I could pee one last time, figuring it would be better to start late (given chip timing) than stop during the race, and I STILL had to stop twice.
Any ideas out there?
It's not like it matters all that much. I've trained for my upcoming race using the "gain 5 pounds & run less, almost all easy" plan. My expectations are low, but I figured I'll use the race to practice various things (not peeing, keeping to the planned paces early on, etc).
I think part of it is race jitters.
The face that you drink a cup of coffee and maybe another cup or two of liquid, several hours before the race and still have to pee, throws me a bit.
Consider having just the coffee several hours before the race, a few sips of a drink right before, and then drink (really) to thirst along the way.
If we don’t try we’ll never know. At least I can find out how good I can be. I can have an answer at the end of the days, and have a hell of a good time with the process. -Desi Davila
Also, not drinking during the race to minimize peeing is probably not a good idea.
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasn't tired and kept running anyway" -- Ennay's 7-year-old daughter
A Saucy Wench
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds" - Captain Hammer
"I don't care how old I live! I just want to be LIVING while I am living - Jack LaLanne. "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7I failed the 12 minute run at 15...BQ'd at 38
You get the answer, publish it to the world.
My last marathon I had to stop four times in the first 13. This is with me drinking nothing in the morning but eating a couple of bananas and downing a bottle of Saki and a couple of glasses of water the night before. Sheesh. I figured it cost me at 3+ minutes and my goal time.
she runs like a girl
Also, have you ever tried to ignore the feeling to see if it will pass? (I know this can cause bladder infection if you are peeing a lot when you go but sometimes it's just nerves)
For me, it never matters how many times I pee pre-race, I ALWAYS have to go when I am waiting for the gun to go but it's usually nerves for me. However, I usually race 5ks so I don't have to wait nearly as long to hit the john afterward
“Once in a while you find yourself in an odd situation. You get into it by degrees and in the most natural way but, when you are right in the midst of it, you are suddenly astonished and ask yourself how in the world it all came about.”
—Thor Heyerdahl, Kon-Tiki
We've Got Big Hills
An easy solution, which I can't bring myself to try.
I was just going to point this out. Apparently it is common among distance cyclists. I cannot physically do this. Running, er, restricts my sphincter.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
I du! (+CX +Mtn.)
I lost a PR during my last marathon when I had to pee by about the 7 mile marker (I'd been hoping I could just ignore it--ha!)...first time ever in any race. Kinda t'd me off, but I wasn't about to let fly if I'm not in any sort of award contention. Had the race had more port-a-johns at the start I could have gotten in one last tinkle and been good to go. Hrm.
Kirsten
'07: 1324.5 ••• '08: 1561 ••• '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike ••• '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike ••• '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike
run 750 mi
bike 3500 mi
• more off-road
• gain proficiency @ CX mounts and dismounts (ie stop leap-frogging w/people who ride slower after every obstacle -- finish further up the field)
What does Tunis make?
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
On On
It's not like it matters all that much. I've trained for my upcoming race using the "gain 5 pounds & run less, almost all easy" plan.
This sounds eerily similar to some of my past marathon training plans. I never did gain the five pounds but my plan was beer, pizza and couch. I did that for months before my marathon. You can imagine the amazing PR.
elle aime courir
800m PR- 2:36
5k PR- 21:00 (road); 20:15 (trail)
10k PR- 49:00
10mi PR- 1:23:27
Funny, after childbirth that was a solution I couldnt stop myself from trying. Totally involuntary when I got really really tired. I didnt even know I had to. Sucked.
mamma - read the article though. They are not kidding about the chafe. It's one thing if you are at mile 22, it is quite another if you are at mile 4.
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