oh no i've got to go.

[Flye]

Completed c25k and started out on bridge. Got to the point where I could run 8k or so and all well.

All just fine and dandy until one day saw me have to suddenly dash and hide in a gateway at the side of the road as the best cover I could find and poo. I put it down to maybe something I had eaten.

But, to cut a long story short this problem is now a constant for me. It has continued for about 3 weeks now and if anything has worsened to the point where reliably, as soon as I reach 2 miles, even at a slow and easy pace, then before I get to 3 I am going to have to go...and then go again...and again.

As soon as I stop, the problem stops. Literally. From being in a desperate state I can be just fine within about 15 seconds as long as I walk and don't run. It never happens at any other time than when I am running.

I initially thought maybe this was just one of those things where you have to back off a bit and it will get better on its own with a rest. Maybe my insides could get an over-use injury like my legs. But that doesn't seem to be happening. Its not going away. Its looking like the end of my running - well, any distance beyond 3 miles anyway. I'm not really concerned that its anything serious health wise - it is purely running related and the problem does not exist at any other time. The contrast with how I am the rest of the time, and how quickly I go back to that if I stop running, is startling - I'm absolutely fine, regular and normal 100% the rest of the time. But obvs its a showstopper when it comes to running a 10k.

I've read as much as I can about it and I've tried no hot drinks, caffeine etc before I go (I run first thing in the am so I haven't eaten since the day before), not eating spicy food or beans or major fibre etc evening before - nothing works. I can find plenty that describes the problem online but nothing really that anyone has managed to do about it that is a definitive solution.

I just want to ask - has anyone else had this and found a solution? Is Immodium the answer? Did it ever just go away of its own accord for anyone? I don't really want to bother my GP with this in the current covid circumstances as they already have their hands full and the problem is self inflicted. And one pretty conclusive solution is in my own hands right now - stop the running. But I'm hugely disappointed to have to do that after all my hard won progress.

Any advice gratefully received.

[ChainsawCharlie Graduate10]

I suffered from the same problem. Always about the 1-5 to 2km Mark. Spoke with my doctor who prescribed regular loperamide which I now take mornings. Since I started this course, no more problems. I would strongly encourage you to seek medical help to rule out anything nasty.

Hope this helps.

[Flye in reply to ChainsawCharlie]

Hi and thankyou. I will look into talking to GP about it.

Nice to think there is chance of managing it.

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

I would speak to your GP, this is clearly having a negative impact on your wellness etc and sounds very debilitating. It is so important to be able to exercise, and it would be so sad if you had to stop due to this. One question- do you have a regular routine? And are you running when this would normally take place?

[Flye in reply to ju-ju-]

Hi - I've never had any trouble before at all, like clockwork in the am each day for as long as I can remember. I'm going before I run in the morning - I don't go out till I have - , but it makes no difference. Its only having an effect on me when I run - the rest of the time I'm perfectly fine no matter what I'm doing, even when its like half a minute after I've finished a run. There is clearly something about the jogging about of the insides that they don't like.

[ju-ju- Graduate10 in reply to Flye]

so annoying, I really hope you get it sorted....

[Roxdog Graduate10]

I have 'trained' myself to go to the loo before I head out in the early morning. Too much information perhaps, but lots of water and warm up exercises first, then the loo, then the run.

[Runawaytrainer]

On mornings when my gut is sluggish, I've done a figure of 8 loop around my house, so I can have a toilet stop. My insides also respond to being bounced around, but your reaction sounds much more extreme than mine, so maybe a phone chat with the GP is a good idea.

[Gwyrdd 60minGraduate]

i agree. GP is available on the phone and encourages patients to get in touch. Don't just stop running.

[Gwyrdd 60minGraduate in reply to Gwyrdd]

If you are really reluctant to bother GP - have a word with the pharmacist. They will tell you whether you ought to see GP, or can give over counter remedy to try.

[Flye in reply to Gwyrdd]

Hi - Tried Immodium this am and it made no difference. Really disappointed. But I think I can reasonably say now that I have tried all I can to sort it myself and can't. So I've spoken to surgery and got a slot to speak to doctor on telephone a week on Tuesday.

Thanks to you and everyone for replies.

[Flye]

Its been a while now but for people's information I thought I would post some sort of outcome on this which is a bit of a warning.

I took the advice given here. I contacted GP and have been checked out with all sorts of tests and there is nothing sinister going on.

GP said that he would consult specialists and they responded with an explanation that everyone is different in how they respond to exercise and one response of the body is to divert blood from the bowels which respond in distress with rapid movement. You get a Paula Radcliffe and when you stop exercising the bowels get their blood back which is why it settles so soon.

However - and it is a big one and a bit of a shocker for me - the specialists suggest not to push through regardless of the threshold where this starts to happen because there is a risk that prolonged periods or repeated episodes of reduced blood supply to the bowel can result in permanent bowel damage. They have gone as far as suggesting that there are albeit extreme examples of elite athletes having to have sections of bowel removed, for this reason.

My doctor praises me for what I have done with my fitness but is saying that I basically stop exceeding that threshold which for me is about 2 miles. He says 'It may be possible that if you increased the level of exercise very slowly you might be able to increase the period of exercise but personally I would be a bit wary of that.'

On the plus side I am grateful to have such a good GP who has obviously put a lot of effort into this for me, despite the pressure that GPs are currently under. I got this in a personal letter which I think is pretty much 5 star service.

However, downcast doesn't even begin to describe it. Damn. I had actually got up to doing a 6 mile run up the fell and back behind my house (with some walking) and loved it, albeit I used Immodium and still some behind a wall toilet stops in very isolated places. So disappointed.

And I thought just in case anyone else is having the same issue they might want to read this. I don't want to put people off but tbh I didn't really think it was going to be this serious - just embarrassing and inconvenient and there might be a drug or something. I could have made myself really very ill indeed.

Going to dust my bike off now. Or walking boots.

Thanks to all who gave the advice - I'm glad I took it I guess even though I don't like the result.

And best wishes to all of you with better bowels than mine!