Question on 5k - 10k Races and Phobias (Both serious and fun styles)

loveiscloser

I have been on MFP since early July, 2014 but am usually quiet on the forums. Over this period I have lost 22lbs and have found a love for running.

I have a very serious phobia that does impact a lot of the choices I make and a lot of the places I go. The phobia relates to vomit. I can't see it, hear it, smell it in any capacity including cartoons or movies.

I would like very much so to do some 5ks or 10ks, but my phobia is holding me back from doing so...

What are the serious chances of me seeing someone throw up during one of these types of races? Also, do my chances differ from a local community or charity type 5k from one like a Tough Mudder type? I appreciate any responses you can give, and thank you in advance for your respect with the phobia... (Talking about it in text form is more than OK, just no images please.)

TavistockToad

I did a 10k last year... I didn't see any vomit.

Ninkyou

I did a 5k last year... no vomitting. There was one teenager over to the side who looked like he was faint (his dad was with him), but other than that, nada.

Honestly, when you're running a race, you feel more adrenaline than anything. I could barely concentrate on what others were doing. I was all about me and making it to the finish line.

sofaking6

I've done a couple of 5ks - no barfing occurred that I could see. Tough Mudders, though, might be more likely but I haven't been to one of those.

jemhh

I've done 3 or 4 5ks and have never seen anybody vomit. I just do low key community races, as I am not a serious competitor. I don't do stuff like Tough Mudders but I would think that the odds of somebody getting physically ill doing that would be greater because it's a lot more taxing on the body than just running 5k on a nice clear path/road.

jkwolly

Usually no vomit on any 5km's or 10km's - not that I have seen at all.

yesimpson

I ran a very hilly 10K in February and I did see one woman being sick. But there were over 5,000 people there so I was probably just unlucky! Only time I've ever seen it, and I couldn't hear her or smell anything.

Roxiegirl2008

I have run many 5k, 1/2 marathons and one marathon. I have never seen vomit...well except my own after a night filled with wine before a 5k fun run.

_Waffle_

I've only seen one person on their knees in the grass but they were just gasping for air. I haven't seen any actual vomit. I doubt you'll ever see anyone lose their lunch.

Congrats on the weight loss.

jkwolly

Roxiegirl2008 wrote: »

I have run many 5k, 1/2 marathons and one marathon. I have never seen vomit...well except my own after a night filled with wine before a 5k fun run.

BAHAH those runs are brutal

Capt_Apollo

loveiscloser wrote: »

I have been on MFP since early July, 2014 but am usually quiet on the forums. Over this period I have lost 22lbs and have found a love for running.

I have a very serious phobia that does impact a lot of the choices I make and a lot of the places I go. The phobia relates to vomit. I can't see it, hear it, smell it in any capacity including cartoons or movies.

I would like very much so to do some 5ks or 10ks, but my phobia is holding me back from doing so...

What are the serious chances of me seeing someone throw up during one of these types of races? Also, do my chances differ from a local community or charity type 5k from one like a Tough Mudder type? I appreciate any responses you can give, and thank you in advance for your respect with the phobia... (Talking about it in text form is more than OK, just no images please.)

i have yet to do a race where i've seen someone throw up.

alpine1994

I've never seen anyone throw up at races and I've done maybe 20ish? You're good!

slittle80

I've done several 5k's and 10k's, a couple half marathons, a warrior dash and a tough mudder and yet to see anyone puking. Get out there and enjoy yourself, and if you are afraid, wear headphones while you run!

_Waffle_

loveiscloser wrote: »

I have a very serious phobia that does impact a lot of the choices I make and a lot of the places I go. The phobia relates to vomit. I can't see it, hear it, smell it in any capacity including cartoons or movies.

Don't have babies. I'm just saying. Guaranteed way to see vomit.

PlanetVelma

Spoiler: Don't have kids - they tend to do that kind of thing.

techgal128

Yeah, I haven't seen any people getting sick at marathons either. I'd also recommend putting on headphones and looking straight ahead as well. That way you might not be so tempted to look around and see something you shouldn't.

lishie_rebooted

In all of the races I've done, including 2 5k mud runs & a run up a 4000ft mountain, I've seen one person on the verge of vomitting. But I'm 98% positive she was wicked hungover and pushed herself too hard on a 5k race

veganbettie

I haven't done many but I've only seen someone vomit during my Spartan...

You most likely won't witness this.

PeachyPlum

I've only done a few, but I've never seen anyone vomit. I think the statistical likelihood is about the same as you'd see anywhere else in public. Maybe less, because someone who woke up feeling a bit sick would probably stay home from a race, but might still try to go to work or whatever.

If I were you, I'd try to sign up for a race during a nice cool time of the year. If anyone's going to boot during a race, it would probably be while running on a 105 degree day.

Also, I'd probably avoid Tough Mudder type races. They are a hell of a lot of fun, but they can tend to encourage pushing one's endurance beyond the point of wisdom.

tycho_mx

non-competitive (as in "not front of the pack") 5 k or 10 k - very unlikely. So if you're off a running track met, you should be fine. Also did a Spartan race, not in the "comp" wave. No one got sick that I could see (3-4 injuries, though). I think people hold back in that one since you don't even know how long it is going to be or what obstacles are there so you need to be conservative.

I've seen longer races with some people getting sick. Never seen one in a road (bike) race, but yes one in a CX and a close call at the end of a time trial.

You should be fine. And also a resounding yes to the kids - those are little barf factories.

loveiscloser

PlanetVelma wrote: »

Spoiler: Don't have kids - they tend to do that kind of thing.

Yes I am well aware of this...I am hoping it will be different when it's a spawn of my own, considering it is OK when I vomit. But there will be therapy before this, and I am OK with infant vomit.

It's such a complicated situation and I really hate it. That isn't the point of this thread though, haha.

I appreciate everyone's encouraging responses. I will keep an eye out for spring races!

hermann341

A few 5k's, a few 10k's, over a dozen half marathons, and 5 marathons: no vomit. Seen one or two people who didn't make it to the port-o-pot, but that's a different story. Cooler weather during an event probably helps to keep it down.

LiftAllThePizzas

_Waffle_ wrote: »

loveiscloser wrote: »

I have a very serious phobia that does impact a lot of the choices I make and a lot of the places I go. The phobia relates to vomit. I can't see it, hear it, smell it in any capacity including cartoons or movies.

Don't have babies. I'm just saying. Guaranteed way to see vomit.

Also avoid blueberry pie eating contests.

kjarvo

I've seen 2. One was a girl in school doing cross country about 3-5k (it was 15 years ago) and she was 1st until she was sick about 5m before the finish. I felt sorry for her.

The second was a girl who was near the front of a parkrun (5k) on a very hot day and she was running with her dad who obviously encouraged her to run faster coupled with the surprising heat.

Both of these were fast runners and I think it is more common near the front, so stick to the back lol. Sorry for not pretending I haven't seen it but I don't think pretending or encouraging you not to do a race will help or is the right thing to do.

kjarvo

hermann341 wrote: »

Seen one or two people who didn't make it to the port-o-pot, but that's a different story.

Oh dear. That's what I'm worried about for my first half marathon this weekend, but with men rather than other people.

hermann341

kjarvo wrote: »

hermann341 wrote: »

Seen one or two people who didn't make it to the port-o-pot, but that's a different story.

Oh dear. That's what I'm worried about for my first half marathon this weekend, but with men rather than other people.

I feel fortunate that I've been very consistent. I hydrate with 1 or 1.5 quarts of water about 60 to 70 minutes before gun time and I'm able to take care of business 15 to 20 minutes before the start.

kristinegift

The only time I've seen someone vomit is at high school cross country meets; never at any sort of road race.

SueInAz

I've run two or three dozen races (I've lost track) from 5Ks to half marathons and I've never seen someone vomiting. It's not normal for someone to get sick from running unless maybe it's heat exhaustion. I can't imagine that would ever happen in a 5K or 10K, they're just too short. Avoid running in long races when it's really hot and you should be safe.

3dogsrunning

I will go against the grain here and say I've seen it happen a couple of times. To be fair, I've seen it as a race organizer or a volunteer at the finish line so I see a lot more finishers than someone just running the race. I will also add that the farther you are from the number 1 finisher, the less likely you are to see it. The only people I have seen get sick were people who were coming in the very first of the race and racing very hard.

All in all, I'd still say chances are very slim to none.

jharris483

kristinegift wrote: »

The only time I've seen someone vomit is at high school cross country meets; never at any sort of road race.

I agree that this is super common at high school CC meets. I've never seen it in 3 Tough Mudders, 4 marathons and a bunch of shorter races. Then one day, I worked the chute at the end of a high school CC meet and holy cow those kids were spewing like crazy! It's caused by poor planning and pushing yourself too hard.

str1ne

I lost about 50 lbs and took up running. I applaud your effort and understand completely the point you are making here. Most 5ks are run early in the morning, so the chances of seeing a runner throw up is really slim anyway, as they (you will find this out) don't usually eat before the run.
I have done a couple of half marathons and found the same in this, at my pace most people ran comfortably and finished well. If you join a local running club you would be less likely to see this than from a commercial 5k with unprepared runners.
As someone said early in the thread, on race day you are so focused on yourself and your prep you really don't notice anyone around you.