feeling sick - Beginners - Runner's World

Debs

09/08/2002 at 08:56

After I have run for more than 45 minutes I start to feel as though I could hurl,my stomach feels awful.I do drink before and during my run if I am training on a treadmill,interestingly I only feel sick when training indoors.Has anyone else experienced this feeling and can tell me why it happens and how I can stop it.I am due to run a half marathon in Sept.I have only ran up to an hour so far and I am worrying now that I will vomit at the finish - not a good photograph!

Dark Helmet

09/08/2002 at 09:11

Hi Debs,
Could it be what you are drinking? Could it be the lack of cooling air when you are on the treadmill? Perhaps you could try just sips of water or not drinking at all during the run?
Funnily enough a lot of elite runners are sick just after they cross the line! I seem to remember Paula Radcliffe having a good old barf just after the London marathon this year!

Cheers,
Nigel.

Nic

09/08/2002 at 09:29

Hi,
Are you getting emough air whilst running indoors? I find if i run in a gym i get all heady and sickly feeling. But if i run outside i am fine. So it could be the air, as gyms always seem to be very hot.

Nic

Velociraptor

09/08/2002 at 13:09

What are you drinking on your runs, Debs?

I'm NEVER sick...except when I drink isotonic drinks while running. The first time I tried Lucozade Sport during training, it sat in my stomach like a stone and only went down when I poured a litre of water in on top of it. Practice hasn't improved things. Gatorade and another brand I've tried (in a grey squeezy pouch) have the same effect, and nibbling bits of energy bar gives me indigestion.

I can drink water or well-diluted sugar-free squash on the run without a twinge, but that's not much good for a marathon. I think I shall have to try something hypotonic and work up gradually. Having contributed to the lake of barf at one marathon, I don't plan to repeat the performance.

Cheers, V-rap.

Wicked Witch

09/08/2002 at 13:40

I tried Lucozade Sport last night thinking if I get a place in FLM I will already be accustomed to using it, but my stomach didn't like that at all, so I think I'll stick with Boots own isotonic, haven't had any problems with that.

Dangly Spice

09/08/2002 at 20:55

If you are OK when running outdoors, then - Don't laugh, but could you be 'travel sick' on the treadmill? They move up and down as well as vibrating under your feet - hence the feeling of wobbly legs often experienced when you stop. Might be worth considering trying those magnetic travelsickness bands for your wrists.
Or just give up the treadmill and get out into the great outdoors.

Debs

10/08/2002 at 09:42

Thank you all for your words of wisdom - At least I know others feel sick sometimes too.(Nigel!)
Yes I will try travel bands when training indoors because no I didn't laugh I do get travel sick!(Dangly spice)
Yes,I think lack of cool air probably does make it worse - do not know what I can do about that though!(Nic and Nigel)
As for drinks well now I am totally confused!
I can only drink water whilst running, to be honest though I do have a lucozade energy drink before a run sometimes if my legs are a bit heavy.
I think I will have to give an isotonic drink a go as V.Rap and Wicked witch suggest.What brands are not sickly?
Thanks everyone- I will get someone to have a sick bowl handy at the end of my half marathon and confront the inevitable it seems.

Michelle

10/08/2002 at 21:31

Hello Debs,
I too used to have the same problem at the gym when I went on the running machine..! Very occasionally I feel sick when I run outdoors, but I've nailed it down to overdoing it! Incidentally, whenever I've tried Lucozade Sport, it's given me diarrohea! Haven't tried Boots Isotonic (as 'Wicked Witch' suggests), but I'm gonna give that a go. Good luck on your half-marathon!
Michelle

XFR Bear

10/08/2002 at 22:15

I'm currently using something which I think was called Maxim, it comes as powder in a big dark blue bag, and I find this isn't too sweet, or have much taste at all, other than whatever I add. I think you can also get gel pouches, although these were pretty sticky.

As for the chucking up, if it's only a problem when you train indoors, hopefully it won't be a problem running the half marathon? Evn if it does happen, while somewhat embarassing, I think most runners realise that it can happen (apparently some quite well known Kenyan did it at about mile 23 in this year's London Marathon), so you're in good company!

Hope you manage to avoid in anyway, and best of luck come September and the half marathon :o)

Iain

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