20 minute run after weeks of ... trots 😬

[Gthants]

I have been unable to run properly for a few weeks and this morning's rain-drenched 20 minutes is the longest I have managed. I find that when I do run I have the overwhelming need (to say the politest and the least) for the loo.

I had this at times during C25K as I pushed through various barriers. And it seems a combination of reaching an hour's running, lingering long Covid, and whatever bug has been plaguing me in the last month has hit me hard. At other, more restful, times of the week I'm fine, but if I stress my system with running, my system reacts.

I certainly can't go further afield at the moment and can only attempt runs when in close proximity to safe recourse.

Still ... the garden's looking lovely!

Happy running and zero trotting to you all!

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

It’s a fairly common ailment with runners and totally understandable when you consider all that jumping around our tummies do when we run!

Sometimes coffee aggravates things for me so it’s a question of trial and error to see what starts things off.

Have you checked what you're eating the night before as that can upset things the next day? And make sure you “go” before starting the run.

I hope it all settles down but maybe in the meantime keep the pace nice and slow to avoid the tummy moving around so much.

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to Irishprincess]

All good advice!

I confess I have never even considered what I eat the night before a run ...

I did almost all of C25K early morning with no food and just a bit of water and, in general, it was fine until I got to about 25 minutes. Then I had issues for a week and was fine again. It happened again at around 40 minutes and then 60 minutes. But recently it's almost as soon as I get started. And the last time it lasted all day! (Hence the week's break with no run at all.)

I certainly think need to have plenty to drink the day before and might need to carry water too.

Definitely easy does it for a while though! A slower pace too. And actually, thinking about it, I could even do a C25kK thing and do short runs, interspersed with walking ... now there's an idea!

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to Gthants]

Great idea! If you didn't want to walk you could do the C25K programme again but instead of the walking bits you could run slower.

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to Irishprincess]

It worked today! 26 minutes, no "issues" and 3.3k covered. I just ran/walked as I felt right with constant swops between them. Less stress on my system and more comfortable. Early days, but our "chat" yesterday gave me the idea, so thank you!

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to Gthants]

That sounds positive! Great news.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Ah.....another plagued by the bug that's doing the rounds, I started to worry as it's almost better but not quite after over 3 weeks until my daughter pointed out there's a nasty one doing the rounds and there are people in hospital with it! Eventually hopefully we will return to some sort of normality and be able to run further afield, well done on your 20 minutes

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

Ah, that's interesting. Have had a couple of dodgy days, but it's only really on running days that I am hit - and it is awful!

[PeggySusi]

I have a lot of sympathy with you on this particular issue and I’m sure many other runners have the same or similar problems! ToothPickJafah sounds familiar? When I started Couchto5k in the first lockdown I would mostly go out early in the morning to avoid seeing anyone, but now, and for the last couple of years at least I have to be close to the necessary facilities for the first few hours of the day.. at least for me it is usually confined to the mornings, then I can go out! I have had some rather unpleasant investigations which found no real problem, so I’ve been trying to improve things by diet.. I’m following Tim Spector’s ideas on the microbiome at the moment. I’m not sure how well it’s working, but I’m enjoying my food and the feeling that it’s good for me! Might be worth a try if you haven’t already done so?

It’s much easier for me to maintain a regular eating (and digesting!) routine as I’m not working. I feel like your line of work maybe means you can’t always eat at the same times? And it also sounds as if it might be quite stressful? I find any stress is disruptive to my digestion.. I don’t have any tips though.. I’ve never really learned to relax properly.. but walking and running definitely helps if you can manage it.. very well done for the twenty minutes.. hope you can manage another run soon, or if not, enjoy your beautiful garden..☺️

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

That's for this considered response. Job not particularly stressful, though in the theatre there's sometimes a few nerves. I'm generally home too most of the time; when I'm in London I don't eat so well, but here we've done Zoe & cook most of our own food, with plenty of plant variety.

Stress is definitely an issue at the moment though!

Running later is a good idea; I have always run early - partly to get it out of the way, partly as it is cooler, and also so I can focus on work afterwards. And I'm used to long Covid symptoms which mean that when I have used my energy supply, that's it - it's gone for the day! The running has helped massively in building my reserves.

[PeggySusi in reply to Gthants]

Very encouraging that you’ve been doing Zoe and it certainly seems to me, from reading about the the running progress that you’ve made in spite of Long Covid, that it must have contributed. Also encouraging that you feel running has helped you to build reserves. I had been seriously thinking about giving up on it, because for me at the moment it so clearly depletes energy that could be used for other essential activities, but I really want to keep trying!

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

I tried not to be too strict about it: "must" run for x minutes/x km or x times a week. And I have found that helped. I had built up gradually to an hour once a week and I guess I will have to start building up again. But after a "difficult" (😬) 20 minute run yesterday, I went out again today and ran and walked for 26 minutes, so have done 46 minutes and almost 5.5k in two days. I ran for a few minutes, stopped and walked; no rhyme nor reason to it, no pressure ... but less stress on my system, and no "issues". Accordingly I feel much brighter today.

When well I try for one longer run each week and a couple of shorter runs, but until I am out there I don't know how far I'll run, or for how long. But on lower energy days I've been fortunate enough to be able to take it easy afterwards, knowing that the general trend has been upwards in terms of energy in the tank.

I do hope you continue to run, but you are your own unique runner and should run how YOU want to.

[PeggySusi in reply to Gthants]

Glad you’ve managed a couple of good runs.. and you’re right, as I think I’ve said before on here, the way forward is to do the best you can when you can, and enjoy it if you can..

[Madwife60]

share your pain - it’s a “thing” that I’ve had to deal with my whole life - I know every loo for miles around and plan my routes accordingly - on the plus side I sometimes get a little break/sit down

[drl212 Graduate10]

I think it is pretty common as folks have said. I try to hit the loo before I go out. But I've had that terrible sensation and thought 'how far am I from home?' Its not pleasant.

You might want to try to keep a food diary for a few weeks to see if you can associate any foods with that feeling. It could also be lingering remnants from a GI flu bug...

Gorgeous flowers, btw. Are they phlox?

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to drl212]

I am reliably informed by the head gardener that it's a perennial wallflower that just goes on and on - it flowers virtually every month of the year and so is one of her (many) faves!

[drl212 Graduate10 in reply to Gthants]

Wonderful...

[PeggySusi in reply to Gthants]

One of my favourites too.. erysimum “Bowles Mauve”, but it grows tall in my garden then just dies - I have to replant it every couple of years

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

My lady could do a tour of our garden, explaining planting logic, discussing soil types and including common or latin names. She is a goddess!

[PeggySusi in reply to Gthants]

She sounds very interesting, and how lovely that you are so appreciative of her talents. ☺️

[RollingPea]

Recently I realised that drinking water too enthusiastically in the 30 minutes before a run results in an unpleasant aftermath, if you know what I mean. I can avoid this by doing my morning water drinking at least an hour before running. But sometimes I don't wake up early enough! In those cases, I drink and then run very slowly to avoid 'the issue'. Glad to hear you have found slow running works for you too. Happy running.

[Gthants 60minGraduate in reply to RollingPea]

A mix of slow running and walking worked yesterday, but I think it may be a while before I run for longer (or further away from facilities ...)

[Kirst13 Graduate10]

I keep coffee to an approximately fortnightly treat and that has helped a lot. Also being careful with food before a longer run or race. White bread and jam seems to sit ok- not your usual "healthy breakfast", but it enables me to run "safely"!

[Tessie66 Graduate10]

Hopefully you're on the mend now just take it nice and steady and definitely avoid coffee before running till your sorted. A lot going round at the moment sicknesses and trots I've also just got over a virus myself