Runners- frustrating TMI question

2

Replies

  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    It's kind of a relief to know this is common.

    I get up at 4:00 am to do my morning runs during the week and drink some water and quietly walk around the house to try to get things moving. Giving myself the extra time instead of just getting up and heading out has helped a lot. I still carry some TP with me but haven't had to use it for the past several runs so hopefully my body is getting accustomed to taking care of stuff a little more quickly. It's not a GI distress thing from the running it's just my body saying "time to ****!" When I run in the afternoons I don't have any issues.

    I've been running in a neighborhood that has a lot of new houses still being built so there are portacans everywhere an no one using them at 4:00 am. I'm about to move into a neighborhood that doesn't have that feature so I'm hoping I'm past the need.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Yup, running is pretty much the only thing that keeps me regular! All my regular running routes have a public convenience within the first mile or two, or my warm-up is around the block so I can drop back home before carrying on! It's been a bit, ahem, touch and go some times! :blushing:
  • davisrl0
    davisrl0 Posts: 93 Member
    Thanks soooo much for the responses! Some have made me giggle, but Im so glad Im not alone! I will definitely give some new things a try. I run in the subdivisions around my area, so there is not a single place that is not either on a busy road or at someone's house. I ALMOST thought about finding a bush at someone's house! THen I thought "Well, at least Im wearing black leggings, so if I DO go on myself, at least you wont be able to see it!" AHH! But even early in the morning, you never know who is up in their houses and may see or be upset that I use their bush as a toilet!

    Yeah...on the rare occasion I get to run in the afternoons, there is not an issue. THis is the reason my long runs are on Saturdays when hubby is home. (I should mention we have two small children, hence the reason I cant just leave and go anytime).
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    I've found that certain veggies the night before will make the situation worse for me. Salad is a HUGE no-no. This was a learning process for me and not a fun one!

    I do get up early enough to try to make things happen before I go and usually I'm successful. But I've also had this issue when running in the evening. That's when the veggie choice is even more important. I also can't have any higher fat food and NO butter at all before a run.

    And I make sure to run where there are porta-potties along the way. Also, the laundromat is at about mile 6, so if there is a delayed response, I've ducked in there a time or two.
  • smilebhappy
    smilebhappy Posts: 811 Member
    really some great responses!
    I have not (know on wood) had this issue yet but I do have friends that do
    they carry alittle extra tp w/them on runs (just in case!)
    I would say if you could get up alittle earlier to give your body time to wake up then go before you run
    Maybe get in habit of watching what / when you eat night before may help too
    good luck!!
  • shellisugar
    shellisugar Posts: 120 Member
    Yes! I force myself to go before I leave. Now I think I have my body in a routine of going ( sorry I know that sounds gross). I also eat a half of a banana. Not sure why but that seems to work also.

    I also have to just 'make it happen' when I run in the morning. I also pee one last time just before I go out the door.
  • theresmynapkin
    theresmynapkin Posts: 183 Member
    lol you just have to experiment and see what works for YOU. I make sure I go before races and long runs, but if its 4 miles or less I dont eat before or go before, I just drink some water. Then by the time I come back and stretch, THAT's when I'm ready to go. Do what works for you haha :p
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    This is hitting way too close to home, and is the reason I don't run in the mornings on work days. I literally had to go on the bike path one time. I just did a squat right there...SOOOO embarrassing...hahaha, but you have to do what you have to do. Thank GOD no one was in that section of the path at that time! :)
    OMG! I'm sooo sorry you had to do this. I can't even imagine having to do that! And I thought that tooting LOUDLY the entire route was embarrassing. Btw, for anyone else with gas problems, to reduce the 'noise' from gas, I wear underwear under my running shorts. It makes a big difference. lol
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Yeah, definitely do not drink coffee before your run if this is a problem for you. For me, coffee "gets things moving".

    Since you run in the morning, it is very important to make sure you are WELL HYDRATED for the 24 hours before your run. I don't mean guzzle a 24oz bottle of water 30 minutes before your run, I mean make sure your body is saturated with water even the day before (you should be peeing often). The feeling of "oh no, I gotta go #2" during a run is often (but not always) diarrhea due to dehydration. I get this if I don't have enough water in my system. If I hydrated well, I almost never experience it. It makes a huge difference for me personally.

    As for eating before your run... If it's a morning run, I have a bite or two of an energy bar, that's it. A full stomach will weigh you down and probably bother your digestive system.
  • WarriorReady
    WarriorReady Posts: 571 Member
    Great tips everyone, thanks! I'm bumping so I can remember the pointers later! :laugh:
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    I drink coffee when I wake up so it helps me go before I head out on my run. If you don't drink coffee that's fine, but you should probably wake up a little earlier to give yourself time to go before you leave. If you have to, do some jumping jacks or drills or something to get things going before you head out on your run.
  • aj_31
    aj_31 Posts: 994 Member
    Really common issue. I've had that problem before when running.

    Lately I've been running on my lunch hour and I usually go pee 2x before I leave for my run and about half way through I have to go again! One of the last times there was a public bathroom open so I used that and then 2 days later I needed to go again and it was LOCKED!! I've even tried cutting back on my liquid intake in the AM to see if that would help and it didn't. So annoying!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    Like has been suggested, go before you run. Wake up sitting down if you need to. Get the newspaper an a cup of coffee.

    You might try a higher protein diet, that seemed to help tighten things up for me. I don't eat much in the way of grains at all, but it is whole grains when do.
  • Feathil
    Feathil Posts: 162 Member
    Run a circle/circuit centred around your house, so that if you run a mile you're still only a couple hundred metres from the house at any one time. Instead of running 1 mile directly away from your house and having to turn around and run a mile back if you need anything.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    You and practically every other runner experience this to some degree.

    I used to roll out of bed and head out the door (which was ok when I was running shorter distances) now I set the timer on the coffee maker and take the time to enjoy a cup which seems to trigger some conditioned response........suffice it to say problem solved.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    Awesome post!

    I get up a full hour before I am scheduled to run. I eat a banana and down some caffiene.i started doing this after a very stressful run. I run subdivisions also and actually considered knocking on doors and asking to use the bathroom. I really didnt think I was going to make it home.

    I did my first half marathon in april. I got up 2 hours before race time, ate breakfast and drank some caffiene. I pooped twice before leaving the hotel. This was a big race; 10,000 plus runners. When I got to the race I immediately got in line for the bathroom. The line took nearly 15 minutes. When I was done I walked out of the bathroom and got back in line again. I did that THREE times until it was time to line up! :laugh: I used all my time standing in line to stretch. I made it the full half without having to stop for the bathroom. YEA!!

    LOL
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    You and practically every other runner experience this to some degree.

    I used to roll out of bed and head out the door (which was ok when I was running shorter distances) now I set the timer on the coffee maker and take the time to enjoy a cup which seems to trigger some conditioned response........suffice it to say problem solved.

    A friend of mine calls coffee "rope lube" due to that very response.
  • draculaspointer
    draculaspointer Posts: 106 Member
    On my long run days, I get up an hour to hour and a half early, have some steel cut oats and coffee. (I have to eat before a 8-10 miler or I just crash). The coffee really helps get things moving. My fiancee hates coffee so I make him drink warm water and that seems to help him along. Some days we get out the door early and other days its late...but we dont usually go running until after we feel better. But if you are strapped for time in the morning like it sounds like you are....bring toilet paper and find a wash or bush. We always carry it just in case...although in the desert of AZ there arent a lot of good trees to hide behind.

    Good luck!
  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
    I'm so glad you posted this!! LOL, at 7 miles out of the 9 I did this morning I had to dive into some bushes...literally! I ran my last 2 miles worrying about posion ivy and feeling un-clean! (TP will not accompany me on long runs) I'm a 4am runner too! I'll have to read the responses for ideas! After the run was even worse and this is not my 'normal' time!
  • gdunn55
    gdunn55 Posts: 363
    You could always wear depends, HA.
  • SteveTries
    SteveTries Posts: 723 Member
    Oh yes, it's definately not just bears that *kitten* in the woods.......

    Now I force myself to go beforehand like many others have said.

    I found this to be far worse when on holiday in a hilly location where the start of my run had to be a long downhill section. I haven't seen anyone else mention that here so perhaps I jumped to the wrong conclusion but it certainly felt like something in my downhill gait was causing movement!
  • ChiFortunate1
    ChiFortunate1 Posts: 43 Member
    Ahhhh Runners Trots, nothing new my dear. Try a route with places you can go and "go" along the way, McD's doesn't care if you use their restrooms, neither does Wal-Mart. If those aren't along your way and you don't have Port-o-Pots along your route then try to get it all out before you go, Coffee does work wonders.

    www.runnersworld.com has everything you ever wanted to know about every aspect of running.

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  • freew67
    freew67 Posts: 348 Member

    www.runnersworld.com has everything you ever wanted to know about every aspect of running.

    I agree 100% with that comment, and I approve this msg.

    http://freew67.blogspot.com/
  • cls_333
    cls_333 Posts: 206 Member
    I also do coffee (and food, usually a bar of some sort) the minute I crawl out of bed, so I can go before I run.
  • cosmanda
    cosmanda Posts: 1
    I read somewhere a long time ago to drink a cup of hot water or anything else warm and it will stimulate things. I get up at 4:30 and drink a cup of coffee or warm water every morning and it works for me. Also, I think your body eventually adjusts to having to go within a few minutes of waking.
  • davisrl0
    davisrl0 Posts: 93 Member
    Ok, well it sounds like I need to be drinking coffee ahead of time! I am an avid coffee drinker, but I've never tried drinking it before a run. I always just cut the coffee on after I get back....so I wouldn't know if coffee made things move for me (since it happens the second I walk in the door from a run!). Right now, my short runs are 3m, so I'm done in 30 mins, but when the short runs get to be 5 miles, I'm going to HAVE to go before hand. Just sitting on the toilet trying to talk one up, does not work for me. And as you guys obviously know, whether you have to hold it for two miles or 100 yards, its very uncomfortable!!

    I also do eat a pretty protein rich diet....I'm just very regular.

    Thanks everyone! :)
  • mlegosz
    mlegosz Posts: 74 Member
    Totally try getting up a little earlier and forcing yourself to go. I did a 9 miler recently, and at 3.5 I was like, crap, this SUCKS!

    Pun intended?
  • jesspi68
    jesspi68 Posts: 292
    That's why I run later in the day. Only thing I can think of is waking up earlier, have a coffee (gets me going lol) or do a few jumping jacks to get the system going.

    ha! This ^^^^ do some jumping jacks and get yourself going before you get going. :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Yup, running is pretty much the only thing that keeps me regular! All my regular running routes have a public convenience within the first mile or two, or my warm-up is around the block so I can drop back home before carrying on! It's been a bit, ahem, touch and go some times! :blushing:
    This is me. I haven't been regular since puberty. But get me running and BAM I have to go. I literally have two routes, one that circles back past my house at one mile and one that goes past walmart at one mile.
    Invariably I have to go.
    If I don't run? I don't have to go.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I read somewhere a long time ago to drink a cup of hot water or anything else warm and it will stimulate things. I get up at 4:30 and drink a cup of coffee or warm water every morning and it works for me. Also, I think your body eventually adjusts to having to go within a few minutes of waking.

    When I was younger I served food in an old folks home. We used to give many of the residents hot water with their meals. Why? Hot water is a very good, very gentle, laxative. That is why coffee works to get you going.

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