Forums >Racing>Tips for preventing bowel movement during distance races
Runs4Sanity
I am feeling pretty damn ready for the half next weekend, BUT there is one thing that could ruin it all and that is my stomach/bowels....... whether by just being nervous or something I ate or whatever.
Are there any techniques, any rituals ya'll do before a distance race to ensure that you don't have to stop at a port-a-jon or slow down due to stomach cramps or the urge to puke? I would definitely enjoy tips on how to avoid any sudden bowel movements.....
I used to be pretty regular, then the pregnancy kind of threw that off, and normally if I eat at least 2 salads (spinach and red leaf romaine) a day then that keeps me pretty regular, but sometimes it doesn't which then I am locked up until a long run which breaks things loose...
Is there anything you might eat, or take to kind of get your bowels to start loosening up the week right before race weekend? Normally I don't care if I do have to make a quick stop BUT I really want to PR at the race coming up, and a bathroom stop would ruin everything.
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
not bad for mile 25
It's best not to change anything in your eating routine the day before/of the race. The only advice I can offer is to get up early enough that you can take care of "business" before the race.
Do you have such issues during your training runs? Maybe you're just having pre-race jitters, and everything will be fine.
Things were fine during training runs until Sunday's 12 miler, then around mile 6 it started and I had to stop 4 times........ was sickish the rest of the morning until I took some pepto bismol..... but I'm not sure if I should take some before the race or not. I mean, I could try it out before this Sunday's 9 miler.
It's best not to change anything in your eating routine the day before/of the race. The only advice I can offer is to get up early enough that you can take care of "business" before the race. Do you have such issues during your training runs? Maybe you're just having pre-race jitters, and everything will be fine.
I take 1 or 2 imodium A-D (MTA: corrected spelling) early in the morning before a long outing.
I've done all different types of races (triathlon, running) and have had good success with it during training and races.
I haven't had problems in the hours (days) afterwards.
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
Is that sold at pharmacies?
Yes, but I realized I had no idea how to spell it or say it. I corrected the spelling above. Oops.
#artbydmcbride
I would reduce the amount of roughage in your diet the day before. Stick to lean protein and simple carbs. Eat early in the day the day before. The morning of the race a nice strong cup of coffee should clean you out. And then enough water and some immodium before the race, one last porta-pottie visit, ...and voila! you should be good to race!
Runners run
I eat regular pasta the night before a race. It's quick digesting simple carbs, so it will move it's way through quicker. Then on race morning my pre-race drink has caffeine in it which gets things moving internally (stimulates the bowels). I have that about an hour before the race, which then helps work everything out before the race start time. Then by the time the race is ready to begin, I'm all emptied out and ready to run.
WordPress Speed Guides: my personal website with speed and seo guides
vincoding.com: repository of useful code snippets that I've saved over time
I have heard of runners having both good and bad results with Imodium. It's effective for some folks but can make others miserable. Like anything else, you should experiment with it during your long training runs.
+1 on the cup of cofee. Just have it early enough for it to work its 'magic'. Plus I like the caffeine in me for a race.
KerCan - I thought you meant imodium..... but then I was like "hmm, maybe that is something new" lol.
I haven't really experimented with imodium A-D, even when I feel sick to my stomach I usually take pepto.... does that work just as good as imodium?
Thanks all, for races like this HM coming up that starts at 7 a.m I try to get up at 4 to eat something small (half or a hole cliff bar) and 2 cups of coffee then walk around or something. Normally a short run like a mile helps wonders but lately my bowels aren't even affected by 5 miles...... but right before a race I try to hit the bathroom 3 times at home for both, and then 3 times at the race because the nervousness and excitement really gets things moving too. Most of my races start at the YMCA but the HM I am running October 5 starts at a high school and the school is open to us so I usually sneak in there and try to go as much as I can. Hopefully this last Sunday's 12 miler was just a bad day.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Or eat these...(read the reviews).
Imodium and Pepto are very different in terms of composition and how they work. You can check them out online, but definitely don't assume you'll get the same results or feel the same way.
Thanks, I guess I could try imodium this Sunday before my 9 miler and hope for the best.
My body has just about become immune to coffee's effects.