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Running and GI issues
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 2009-07-10 10:44 AM |
Master  2167    Livonia, MI |  Subject: Running and GI issuesIn the past few months, every time I run in the evening I feel like I have to...well..."go", if you know what I mean. It's so bad at times that I feel like I may not be able to hold it. Yet as soon as I stop running, it goes away. There's no pain in the stomach, just an urge to go. I've been running for several years, neither my diet nor my training volume has changed dramatically, yet I never had problems until recently. |
| 2009-07-10 10:51 AM in reply to: #2276180 |
Master 1610  Kirkland, WA | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues i have had the same prob running in the morning. . except it doesn't stop when i stop running :0 same thing - i didn't change diet or training load - it just kind of started happening. . i have no answers for you unfortunately, i just run routes where that is construction going on (hence, portapotty's). . i don't have the prob when i run in the evening's though. . |
| 2009-07-10 10:58 AM in reply to: #2276180 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues noelle1230 - 2009-07-10 11:44 AM ....every time I run in the evening I feel like I have to... Have you tried running in the morning on an empty stomach? And if so, do you have the same issue? No jokes/kidding here. Serious question. |
| 2009-07-10 11:18 AM in reply to: #2276224 |
Master 2167 Livonia, MI | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Daremo - 2009-07-10 10:58 AM noelle1230 - 2009-07-10 11:44 AM ....every time I run in the evening I feel like I have to... Have you tried running in the morning on an empty stomach? And if so, do you have the same issue? No jokes/kidding here. Serious question. I really don't do well with any exercise in the AM before eating something, just because I feel shaky and weak. When I have the ability to do an AM workout, I have oatmeal and there's no tummy issues. I just usually don't have the option for AM workouts Mon-Fri and am usually doing a run somewhere in there. |
| 2009-07-10 11:25 AM in reply to: #2276278 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues The reason I ask is back when I was running X-Country in high school and at the Naval Academy Prep School practice was always in the afternoon. I'd eat a big lunch at around 11:30 and practice would be at 2:30-ish. On longer runs I'd have huge GI issues. So much so that after my longest run ever (11 miles) when I had to run into a local bar to use the bathroom I determined that I would never be able to run long distance. Fast forward 20 years and a heck of a lot more understanding of training, I figured out that if there was any amount of real food in my stomach that running only caused me to have intenstinal issues. Even now if I try to get in a longer run after work and I eat later for lunch I will often have issues. It is a combination of what you eat and when you eat. I'm willing to bet that if you do not eat anything for 3 or 4 hours and then run that you will not have many problems. The "shaky" feeling you have can be handled with a gel or fluids most of the time. |
| 2009-07-10 11:37 AM in reply to: #2276305 |
Master 2167 Livonia, MI | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Daremo - 2009-07-10 11:25 AM The reason I ask is back when I was running X-Country in high school and at the Naval Academy Prep School practice was always in the afternoon. I'd eat a big lunch at around 11:30 and practice would be at 2:30-ish. On longer runs I'd have huge GI issues. So much so that after my longest run ever (11 miles) when I had to run into a local bar to use the bathroom I determined that I would never be able to run long distance. Fast forward 20 years and a heck of a lot more understanding of training, I figured out that if there was any amount of real food in my stomach that running only caused me to have intenstinal issues. Even now if I try to get in a longer run after work and I eat later for lunch I will often have issues. It is a combination of what you eat and when you eat. I'm willing to bet that if you do not eat anything for 3 or 4 hours and then run that you will not have many problems. The "shaky" feeling you have can be handled with a gel or fluids most of the time. I think you're right about the "real" food in the stomach, but I wonder why it's just started now. Maybe it's just age? I used to be able to eat anything and never have stomach problems ever. It's funny that when I do oatmeal in the AM, I can run immediately after with no problems. Maybe I just need to leave more time if I'm running later in the day and have more food in the stomach? It's really hard for me to go 3 hours without eating unless I'm sleeping  |
| 2009-07-10 11:48 AM in reply to: #2276334 |
Master 2638 | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues If you are not able to modify your intake to allow for an afternoon run with enough fuel (or if you don't want to try immodium in the middle of the day), you could just plan your runs to go past a bathroom at about 1-3 miles in. You could also try having the oatmeal for lunch on the days you plan to run in the afternoon. Oatmeal has a nice soothing/binding quality. I can't run in the afternoon because of the risk of the big D so I run in the morning on an empty stomach. However, I route past a bathroom at about 1 mile in because I have to stop more often than not. This has done wonders for my run because I know the potty is coming up so I don't worry about it, which makes me less nervous, which also helps. : ) It seems unfair to have to plan my runs around potty breaks, but those are the breaks. Everyone has a limiter and that is mine. Regarding your shakey issues on morning runs, what about a piece of toast and water pre-run and then start eating Gus at 30 minutes in? That would keep you at a constant fuel level. |
| 2009-07-10 11:58 AM in reply to: #2276180 |
Champion 8766 Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Personally I don't think it's the food IN your stomach that is the problem...it's the stuff further down the line that hasn't come out yet. I'm guessing that when you run in the morning you are "going" before you head out and that is why you don't have problems then. Hence why you can eat oatmeal and be fine. But you eat breakfast and by the evening run (let's say 8 hours) that food is now further down the track but not OUT yet. Transit time for food is 12-24 hours. You run, it jostles around in your intestines and voila...trouble. I've always been one of those folks that has to "put something in to get something out". It's like clockwork. I eat something on my way out the door in the morning. By the time I make the 20' drive to run near work I have to "go". The only problem I have is that my system doesn't always empty out completely on that pre-run pit stop and 30-60 minutes after I start running I may have to go again. So my guess is that you need to figure out how to go a second time in the afternoon before you run. |
| 2009-07-10 12:06 PM in reply to: #2276381 |
Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues jldicarlo - 2009-07-10 12:58 PM Personally I don't think it's the food IN your stomach that is the problem...it's the stuff further down the line that hasn't come out yet. I'm guessing that when you run in the morning you are "going" before you head out and that is why you don't have problems then. Hence why you can eat oatmeal and be fine. But you eat breakfast and by the evening run (let's say 8 hours) that food is now further down the track but not OUT yet. Transit time for food is 12-24 hours. You run, it jostles around in your intestines and voila...trouble. x2. That's true for me. OK, so I just have to share this story. The worst occurrence of this for me happened on a long run very early Sunday morning. NOTHING was open, and I was 5 miles from home. I was getting desperate and beginning to contemplate ugly things, when I turned a corner and -- I kid you not! -- there was a porta-potty on the sidewalk, and functional! I guess it was left over from some event (I was downtown near various arenas and convention centers), because I've never seen it there since. At the time, it felt like it had been transported from heaven. |
| 2009-07-10 1:08 PM in reply to: #2276180 |
Master 2167 Livonia, MI | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Well, it's good to know that I'm not the only training with the "Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now" jingle running through my head. Sounds like I probably just need to keep the digestive track clearer before hitting the pavement. Thanks all! |
| 2009-07-10 1:28 PM in reply to: #2276398 |
Champion 10020 , Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues I had a similar experience one morning, except the portapottie was not exactly functional... it was laying on its side. Mean ba$tards decided to vandalize it the very night before I really needed it! Experior - 2009-07-10 12:06 PM x2. That's true for me. OK, so I just have to share this story. The worst occurrence of this for me happened on a long run very early Sunday morning. NOTHING was open, and I was 5 miles from home. I was getting desperate and beginning to contemplate ugly things, when I turned a corner and -- I kid you not! -- there was a porta-potty on the sidewalk, and functional! I guess it was left over from some event (I was downtown near various arenas and convention centers), because I've never seen it there since. At the time, it felt like it had been transported from heaven. |
I was thankfully able to turn and make it home.| 2009-07-10 1:34 PM in reply to: #2276180 |
Expert 2547 The Woodlands, TX | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Had the same problem for about 2 years a while back. I tried everything and couldn't figure out a solution. I think at some point it just became a pavlovian reaction. Like a previous poster, I planned most of my runs so that mile 1 was at a restroom. It was a bummer to have to stop but that's just the way it was. On my longer runs I had about 4 places that I could stop on a 10 mile loop. Then, it just went away. poof. I have no idea what happened. I wish I had an easy solution for you. Good luck. |
| 2009-07-10 2:31 PM in reply to: #2276632 |
Master 2167 Livonia, MI | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues tjfry - 2009-07-10 1:34 PM Had the same problem for about 2 years a while back. I tried everything and couldn't figure out a solution. I think at some point it just became a pavlovian reaction. Like a previous poster, I planned most of my runs so that mile 1 was at a restroom. It was a bummer to have to stop but that's just the way it was. On my longer runs I had about 4 places that I could stop on a 10 mile loop. Then, it just went away. poof. I have no idea what happened. I wish I had an easy solution for you. Good luck. I was totally thinking that yesterday as I started my run and got the "funny feeling". Maybe I just need systematic desensitization therapy  |
| 2009-07-10 2:38 PM in reply to: #2276180 |
Extreme Veteran 1942 In front of computer when typing this. | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Obvious question but do you "lighten the load" before you run? If I don't I have major GI issues. |
| 2009-07-10 6:44 PM in reply to: #2276847 |
Master 1327 Ann Arbor, Michigan | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues Ah the question that plagues runners everywhere. This is so topical because I just did a 10 miler this morning and now I just don't obsess anymore and plan my runs around park portapotties / gas stations where I think the urge might hit me Time constraints didn't allow me to wait around this morning to make sure "it" was all gone so I just had to go for it and then just gleefully went into a gas station around mile 6. I used to use a 1/2 dose of Immodium on runs over 10 miles but will only do that now if I do a stand alone running race. |
| 2009-07-11 5:40 AM in reply to: #2276832 |
Master 2638 | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues noelle1230 - 2009-07-10 3:31 PM tjfry - 2009-07-10 1:34 PM Had the same problem for about 2 years a while back. I tried everything and couldn't figure out a solution. I think at some point it just became a pavlovian reaction. Like a previous poster, I planned most of my runs so that mile 1 was at a restroom. It was a bummer to have to stop but that's just the way it was. On my longer runs I had about 4 places that I could stop on a 10 mile loop. Then, it just went away. poof. I have no idea what happened. I wish I had an easy solution for you. Good luck. I was totally thinking that yesterday as I started my run and got the "funny feeling". Maybe I just need systematic desensitization therapy It is that kind of reaction! And worrying about whether you will have to stop makes it worse! |
| 2009-07-11 6:59 AM in reply to: #2276180 |
Master 1327 Ann Arbor, Michigan | Subject: RE: Running and GI issues I think that's a good point, is not worrying about it, I think that's why I just started planning my long runs around places to stop, thinking, ehn, if I need to, I know there will be the opportunity to stop. That way I stopped obsessing about "OMG, what if I have to go and there's nowhere to stop and OMG, will I, won't I, what will I do," and on and on. Maybe I'll eventually desensitize with this method. |
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