Does anyone else find that without fail the first five to ten minutes of their run results in a strong need to go to the bathroom?

[Gazter]

I am in the middle of week 9, nearly there, but pretty much every run as soon as i start i need to go the toilet, for reason or the other and sometimes both. A couple of times i have made sure that i had pre-run bathroom visits even when not necessary and it has seemed better.

Maybe it is my mind trying to stop me from starting a thirty minute run. My first 28 minute run had me really strongly needing to go at the start, but i wasnt stopping once i had started.

While it may be acceptable for a paula radcliffe style stop while out doing the london marathon, it would not be appreciated on the treadmill at the gym.

[Burstcouch Graduate]

Hi I cannot ever start a run without going to the loo first, even if I don't think I need to go!

Do you drink a lot of water before a run?

[Gazter Graduate]

no.. maybe i should....

[Babana Graduate]

Hi, I'm exactly the same. I go to the loo before I run but as soon as I start to run I always think I need to go again. It must be psychological because once I'm 10-15mins in the feeling has gone. Weird.

[shelleymcb Graduate]

I run in the morning as whenever Ive run in the afternoon I always feel I need a wee (put this down to 5 kids & a love of tea). but also make sure I visit the bathroom, even if I dont think I need to, before I leave the house.

my daughter, who is 13, did the c25k plan. when she first started she used to get hiccups on the running bits, but now she needs to get home for the loo very quickly as running seems to get her bowels moving luckily she thinks its funny.

[icandothis Graduate]

Yep im the same always get that feeling in the five minute warm up walk! Tried not drinking for an hour or so before and visiting the loo just before i set out but this makes no difference, the feeling is always there

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I think it is a pelvic floor thing. I wonder if pelvic floor exercises would help?

[Anonymous36 Graduate]

I always need to pee! It's nerves for me and I don't actually need a pee, I've usually just been :/

[AliB1 Graduate in reply to Anonymous36]

and for me!

[juicydee Graduate]

I try not to drink a huge amount before going out as I have had that feeling in the past - it's OK these days. However I need to time my cooldown walk carefully as I can guarantee I'll need a loo visit for the 'other reason' shortly after stopping running. Before I started running I used to suffer a lot from constipation, so I'm not unhappy with this turn of events..... although I sincerely hope the loo queues aren't too long when I finish the London 10k next week!!

[cattery Graduate]

Oh I'm so glad I'm not the only one! With me it's a hangover from the crippling nerves I used to have which didn't allow me to leave the house and which sometimes forced me to put my shopping down and leave the supermarket. I have learnt over a long time that life won't end if I have to go to the loo, and just after I start running my body says, you won't be able to do it, you'll have to stop. The first few runs I almost gave into the panic, but I have learnt to run through it now and I am so proud of myself. However I have to admit the running always makes me need a wee and I have learnt to always go before I run even if I didn't think I needed to, I don't want anything to prevent me from completing my run and getting Laura's seal of approval!

[NatG]

Yep, glad it's not just me! I don't drink much before a run and always go to the loo before leaving the house - yet without fail as soon as I start my warm up walk I feel the need for a tinkle!! And if my legs get sore (last week I had awful burning in my knees and ankles) the need to go gets worse!

[Deryn61 Graduate]

Haven't had this yet, I reckon I sweat so much there is no fluid in my bladder! (apologies if tmi), but tomorrow I am doing my first 6 mile run and am sort of apprehensive as my big sis has said that she gets "the trots" when running (?) that distance or longer!

[OldNed Graduate]

Glad it's not just me! And it isn't just for a wee. I reckon all the jogging shakes us innards about a bit, leading to....well, I'm sure you can imagine.

[seaspaniel Graduate]

We really need an expert here but this could be to do with Glycogen. Glycogen is one the the bodies energy stores and the by-product of accessing stored Glycogen is water. This is why many diets and particularly low carb ones you experience an apparent weight loss of around 4-10lbs. Once you burn through your glycogen then the body turns to the fat stores for energy.