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How Many Times Do You Stop to Pee During a Marathon? (Read 402 times)

mab411


Proboscis Colossus

    I finally think I got the hydration right at my last marathon, but I had to stop a couple of times, which may or may not have had anything to do with missing my goal by 1:51 (took me a bit to settle back into my pace after each stop).  Wondering if this is something that is commonly avoided, and if so, how.

     

    MTA: Somehow my last choice, "6 or more," didn't make it into the poll, so if that's you, just mention it in a post.  And maybe get your prostate checked. (I keed, I keed)

    "God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people

      I'm hoping that for most people "How Many Times Do You Stop to Pee During a Marathon?" is the same question as "How Many Times Do You Pee During a Marathon?"

       

      For me, it is typically 1x (somewhere between miles 13-18).

        Only took me 13 years to figure out the hydration/fueling that works for me. Water or sportsdrink every 2 miles. Alternate each every stop. No gatorade unless it's mixed 50/50 w/ water. Don't stop to pee. The times I've stopped was when I wasn't racing/running to my potential.

        Get off my porch

        GC100k


          I drink a lot and have stopped to pee on probably 90% of all my runs ever.  But in my last marathon I got away with only one stop.  At the start, I found some porta potties at the very back of all the corrals that were not that populated, so I kept going in and out of those as the time lead up to the race.  Then I went to the porta potties on the side of my corral and went in there when everyone else was in the corrals. I was inside at the starting gun and jumped in again when my corral was starting.  I came out running and caught up with the back end of my corral at the start line.  At mile 10-12 I was looking for trees but then spotted a park bathroom that was maybe 150 ft off the road so I used that without having to wait in line.

            In 14 marathons I've never stopped to pee. I really, really hope I didn't just jinx myself.  The way I avoid it is by not over-hydrating and peeing as close to the start as possible.

            Runners run

            mab411


            Proboscis Colossus

              I'm hoping that for most people "How Many Times Do You Stop to Pee During a Marathon?" is the same question as "How Many Times Do You Pee During a Marathon?"

               

               

              For at least one individual I've witnessed on the course, it isn't.  He wasn't a slob about it, though...took the time to pull his waistband down as he went, so the smell didn't follow him.

              "God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people

                Of the 3 marathons I have done so far, never had to stop.

                 

                A big mistake I see some folks making is drinking alot of gatorade or water right before the race starts.  That all runs through and I am sure they feel it by mile 3...

                The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

                   

                  For at least one individual I've witnessed on the course, it isn't.  He wasn't a slob about it, though...took the time to pull his waistband down as he went, so the smell didn't follow him.

                   

                  Less smelly, more creepy.


                  Maniac

                    7 marathons....1 stop.....My very first marathon.  And that was after I TRIED (I mean I really TRIED) to pee while running.  Couldn't do it.  It's the only time I've ever had to stop during a race of any distance.

                     

                    Anyway....After that marathon, I figured out that I need to stop drinking about an hour and a half before the gun....then I take a few sips of water right before the gun goes off.  I drink at every aid station (sometimes a sip, sometimes a lot).

                     

                    Of course, I'm really slow, so it takes me awhile to get through these races.

                    Marathon Maniac #6740

                     

                    Goals for 2015:

                     

                    Run 3 marathons (modified:  Run 2 marathons--Lost Dutchman 02/2015 and Whiskey Row 05/2015)

                    Run a 50-miler (Ran a 53.8 mile race 11/14/2015)

                    Run 1,500 miles (uhhh...how about 1,400?)

                     

                    Stay healthy

                    joescott


                      In 20 marathons, 0 pee stops.

                       

                      Mikey already said it, don't overhydrate.  In big races where they trap you in a big corral 20 minutes before the start and you have no hope of getting to the porta-john I take with me a 32 oz empty gatorade bottle.  Under a trash bag, this is very discrete.  Little harder to be discrete without a trash bag, but you can use your imagination that it's possible with your running shorts as cover and male anatomy to also pull this off without getting arrested.  A 24 oz bottle is insufficient I discovered empirically at the 2004 Boston Marathon.  Shocked

                       

                      Running the Marine Corps Marathon in 2007 I got caught in no-mans-land with before the start and without my trusty gatorade bottle and had to pee the entire race.  Very very uncomfortable and nearly disastrous at the end hobbling around the finish area in search of a porta john.  By far this was my closest call.

                      - Joe

                      We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

                      Wing


                      Joggaholic

                        Very very uncomfortable and nearly disastrous at the end hobbling around the finish area in search of a porta john.  By far this was my closest call.

                         

                        Optimal pacing!

                        xhristopher


                          What about dumping?

                            What about dumping?

                             

                            (i.e., making cocky)

                            "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                              My last marathon I had to pee before the race and the bathroom had like 40 men standing there waiting.  Instead I just went in the parking lot behind the car door.  After this I was good the whole race.  I saw a guy pass me early on maybe mile 2-3 and by mile 7-8 I witnessed him stop to piss twice. If he didn't stop I would have not caught up with him. Probably cost him a good 2-3 minutes.

                                5k  = 19.48 10/1/13

                              10k  = 45.28 4/16/13

                              Half Marathon = 1:38.53  Summer Sizzle 7/13/14

                              Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/12  4:39.11

                              Solo O Marathon 06/02/13  3:52:10

                              Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/13 3:40.34

                              mab411


                              Proboscis Colossus

                                 

                                Less smelly, more creepy.

                                 

                                It took a second for it to register exactly what I was seeing.  Looked fun, though.

                                 

                                Okay, so it's beginning to sound like my experience was a bit abnormal.  It may very well be that I over-hydrated pre-race, in my desire to avoid the dehydration which had plagued my last two races.  It was drummed into my head, by Hansons and here, that good hydration happens in the days leading up to the race, and before the race.  I think I was correct in going for clear urine in the days leading up, but I bet that 32-ounce Gatorade I had with breakfast/driving to the race was the start of the trouble.  Had a good pee in one of the outlying port-a-potties on the walk to the corrals, and didn't have any fluids during that walk or in the corral...I chose Gu Chomps for my last-minute calories/carbs for that exact reason.  Then, water at every other stop, and electrolyte drink from my hydration belt on the "off" stations.

                                 

                                Think my body utilized the pre-race fluids during the first part of the race, and the water I took at the water stops was passing through?  I remember reading something about how your body absorbs fluids taken in during exercise, but can't remember the details.

                                 

                                And joescott...I've had that procedure described before, and I'm not judging, but I don't think I could handle (presumably) leaving that bottle behind for someone to pick up.  'Course, this is from a man who, after he finished his Gu Chomps in the corral, carried the wrapper in his hat until he went past a trash can.

                                "God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people

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