So I graduated last weekend and I've done 3 runs this week. This morning I ran as usual for 30 mins but halfway round I felt I needed the toilet quite badly which made me panic as I've not had this happen before. I managed to complete my run and was glad to reach home.
I've heard of runners trots but I thought this happened to marathon runners.
So I wondered why this happened to me. I always run first thing after drinking a pint of water and no food until I get back from running. This has always worked for me. I didn't eat dinner last night because I had a big lunch.
Does anyone know what would cause this?
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AcryllicAfternoons
Graduate
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I'd suggest that a pint might be double what you need for half an hour. You're best spreading your fluid intake through the day.
We've all had runs with bowel urgency. It's something that happens to everyone at some point. So far there have been two incidents where I've had to nip behind a hedge in as many years of running, and one where I had to cut my run route short before I exploded.
My personal experience is that my guts need at least half an hour to wake up after I do, hence me sometimes needing several loo trips before setting out first thing in the morning.
I agree with the amount of water maybe being too much, A regular sound hydration routine all the time, not just before the run day should be fine for you. I just take a sip or two... that is my routine before setting out
In my 7 years running I have only ever needed 1 wild wee... the cows and I were surprised! So, try not to focus on it... it was probably a one off
Thank you for your advice. It's good to hear it happens but not often.
I wondered whether my needing to go was due to not having dinner the night before as this was the only difference I could think of.
The water before I run was from posts I'd read on here advising to drink lots of water before running to avoid a stitch, although I've never suffered with stitch. It's become a habit for me now.
I was seriously thinking of knocking on someone's door when it happened, it panicked me so!
Ensuring you're well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water over the course of the day - not just before your run and not just on run days either - is advised to avoid getting heavy, tired legs.
However, I can't remember ever having been told to drink lots of water before running to prevent a stitch. Personally I'd be more likely to get one if I drank loads or ate shortly before my run!
The advice to drink plenty, although I don't think it specifies a pint is in the C25k app and podcasts. Part of the tips they offer as you are running.
I just usually have a cup of tea, in the half an hour before I go out, then drink the pot dry when I get home.
All that said, I'm still very new to this and I'm only one run post completing C25K. So haven't got beyond 30 mins yet. I guess it will be more significant when I increase my running time in the months ahead. N
Hi Couch_clinger , as it's a couple of years since I completed C25K and I've never listened to the podcasts since, I remember very little of what was said!
I love tea, but having a cuppa before a run and finishing the pot after would not work for me, all that tannin would have me desperately needing to pee!
If you haven't read the hydration FAQ linked in this thread then I'd strongly recommend you do so. Happy running!
I would seriously dissuade you from getting out of your habit of drinking a whole pint of water before you go out for a 30 minute run. You are literally storing up a problem for yourself.
It's completely unnecessary, especially before a 30 minute run. By all means, do it after your run, but not before.
A quick and sensible way to check if you are hydrated enough is the 'pee check'.
If your pee is clear and straw/light in colour, you're well hydrated and good to go. If it's darkish in colour, then maybe you need a glass of water. Perhaps Jell6 can advise further, being a nurse.
Sorry John I only just saw this. Yes, drinking a large amount just prior to a run will be about as useful as carrying it in a bottle. The best way is to be well hydrated daily and my gauge is to have pee colour no darker than shade 2- 3 as the day progresses. Obviously it's darker when we first wake up, but it definitely shouldn't be darker than 4 before we go to bed. It took me a long time to get into this habit as I never really feel thirsty. There are many charts available, but this one is pretty good.
From personal experience if I achieve this throughout the previous day I can manage a 40 minute run easily without a drink prior. My usual routine now though is to wake up, have a mug of coffee and run after about 20 minutes. Obviously warmer weather will affect us.
I suffer both urgency of peeing and, far worse, runners trots. The runners trots does seem in most of the online reading to be linked to elite athletes, I can only assume that my body reacts to my 9 minute km in an elite way 🤣It seems worse on home turf, so I guess there maybe a psychological element too, but I've more or less cut out coffee the last few months and have found that helped a lot.
I think I've been drinking more because it's warmer. Also I run as soon as I get up so it's my first drink of the day and I'm thirsty. I'll try half a pint instead and see how that goes.
Just adding that I got runners' trots this morning about 5km into a 21km run. I'm just glad there was nobody around when I made an unplanned detour into some tall weeds. I made a proper stop at some public toilets about another 3km further on.
Sorry to hear that and hope I haven't jinxed you! Do you have any idea what might have caused it? Anything you did differently the night before or on the day?
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