Urge for loo 😳

[AllyS]

Hi folks, is anyone else bothered with urges to go to the loo during a run? I seem to get the “urge” at about 3K and spend the next half hour or so trying to fight off the urge to evacuate the contents of my bowels! 😳 Sorry if it’s TMI but just wondered if it’s perhaps just me or if others feel the same at times. I’ve been running on a treadmill in the gym 😬

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Lol, I just read your post with a smile ☺ on my face, no, you are not the first person to report having problems with the call of nature, at least if you want to go to the loo while you're on the dreadmill at the gym that's no problem but outside that could cause problems, perhaps you could find a 5k course where there are many bushes. If it was a event run along roads, hmmmm, not sure about that.

[Hidden]

Really common problem (think of Paula Radcliffe’s famous incident). On race days some runners even take medication to reduce the urge.

It is a horrible side effect of running for some of us I’m afraid 😦

I have learned to train myself to go before I run. Mostly this works! 🏃🏾‍♀️ 💩

[Deals1 Graduate10]

Yep!!! Definitely! Happens a canny few times for me 😱😱 yes apparently u can maybe get used to it or train yr body. And yep I have actually thought about finding a bush!!! 😱🏃😂

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

There is a lot of info on this and strategies to help...e.g.

netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-liv...

[Gran4z Graduate10]

Yes, me too. I had to make a mad dash uphill and into town to the public loos, at least 1k (had to run fast, which was very difficult) last week. The bushes were tempting, and nearly vital, but I was running next to a main road, and cars were streaming past. It was very nearly a Paula Radcliffe moment 😱. Poor lady to be remembered for that amongst all her amazing successes.

Doesn't happen every time, phew! I think the thing to be mindful of is what you eat the day before your next run. I see other responders have mentioned some links, must have a look myself. Such fun this running lark! Happy days 🙃🌻

[mountaindreamer Graduate10]

All I can really suggest is trying to go before you start running. It’s a pretty common problem I think. I find eating 2hrs before I run helps make sure I can use facilities before hand. ❤️

I did find a bizarre article about all sorts of weird tricks runners use, but can’t remember where I saw it. Having a hot drink was certainly suggested as one option that can help. (Some suggestions given were too strange for me to feel I’d want to try them!)

[Razouski]

I loved your post - it's good to know that it' not just me struggling with the plumbing, although my worries are more to do with waterworks. After a very near miss at the end of a 10k race about a year ago I got quite anxious about how to time my fluid intake, which is why I now hydrate the night before and have just one cuppa in the morning before getting togged up, then a visit to the 🚽, do my warm up exercises and finish any faffing, then as I head for the door I take an extra visit to the little room downstairs and I'm ok.

I ran in a half marathon event a couple of weeks ago - my first- and my biggest worry during the weeks of training before it wasn't the distance, but was could I run 21 km without wetting myself. 😂😂😂

Fortunately, I was absolutely fine and although daring to take a couple of sips of water from a cup from the water stations whilst running meant that I ended up soaking the front of my shirt. 😂

[Lordi Graduate10 in reply to Razouski]

This going to sound gross but most people are so soaked in sweat in a HM during warmer months that no one would probably notice if an "accident" were to occur. I' m talking about No1 and not No2 though ;-).

As an aside, I used to scubadive many years ago (Cornwall and inland quarries even in the winter) and amongst us wetsuit guys n gals there was nothing better for warming up your freezing toes during a dive ascent than taking a......well you can guess...you have to wash/ rinse everything after a sea dive anyway!

In a longer event like my first marathon this year I found that despite being fully hydrated and needing a pee before the gun, I didn't need to go once during nearly 5 hours of running and that's despite drinking maybe 2l+ of water from drink stations. I don't think the body can hydrate fast enough despite frequent drink stations. May be different in cooler temperature though?

[Razouski in reply to Lordi]

I used to scuba dive, so I know exactly what you mean! I also had a jelly fish sting after a dive in Sri Lanka, and was told I needed to pee on it immediately!!!

[AllyS Graduate10]

Thank you guys for your responses...much appreciated. Really pleased to hear I’m not alone 😩. I’m going to check out Oldfloss link above for some useful tips in the hope I will eventually be able to unclench the butt cheeks (even just a little) in my running journey 🙈🏃🏼‍♀️🤞🏻

[Deals1 Graduate10]

I'm gonna check out oldfloss's link too

[SlowyMcSlowlegs]

Sorry but I'm so pleased that doesn't just happen to me! The fastest I've ever run was that dreaded run 3 of week 5 (20 mins) which was mainly because I was so desperate to get home to the loo! I even sprinted along a pathway which was covered in stinging nettles and tried to think of how much cream I had at home to put on my backside if I 'went' in the middle of them! I considered part of my run was quite secluded so might be suitable but then looked up and realised that the only building there was a police station and would probably have CCTV!

[Jell6 Graduate10]

Dear Lord, have I got something else to worry about now? 😬

Am I so naive?, it never occurred to me that Paula Radcliffe did anything other than pee!!!!

[Lordi Graduate10 in reply to Jell6]

Google Mikael Ekvall

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Lordi]

Do I dare?

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Lordi]

Oh my eyes!!!!

Good job I have many years of being a senior nurse, so such sights are not going to make me vom🤮🤮

The poor man.

I'm sure AllyS is going to feel very reassured now!

[Hidden in reply to Jell6]

I’ve been assured it was a wee not a poo

[Hidden]

I get griping sometimes but it’s non productive. I’ve read it’s due to the pounding of running stimulation your gut/bowels

[Wildswimmer]

Aha.. the well known "runners bum" ghastly isn't it! Caffeine seems to work for me to help me go before ... and then again after! 😧