Not sure what to do

I started running just over a year ago and everything was fine until about May this year at which time after about 6 miles, I started getting gut pains before needing to find a bush rather quickly. I'm just going to say it, but I think it's runners trots!

At first I thought it was food related because I had been eating something new. So I stopped that and I didn't experience it again for about a month. Then out of the blue it just came back again. The only thing I changed was my pace.

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason behind when I get it either. I may get it during a 10k run but be fine for 13 miles. However a week later I may be fine for 10k and 13 miles but suffer during a 10 mile run. Or for the past two weeks be fine for 10 miles but get it during 13 miles!

I don't know if it's physiological or not. In that I start to think about it and worry that it's going to come or think that the same place is coming up again etc.

Oh, and to put it bluntly, I can empty myself before hand but that seems to make no difference!

Two weeks ago I ran 13 miles and took a Lucozade Sport drink with me and had to pause. Last week I took just water for 10 miles and while my stomach acted up a bit, I didn't need to stop. So could it be the Lucozade?

Anyway, the reason for the title is that I'm doing a half marathon in London on Sunday and while there are lots of bushes where I run at home, London is a bit different. I made it through a 10k race the other week end London where I was worried but could it be physiological rather than an actual issue? Or could it be the drink I'm drinking during long runs (which wouldn't answer 10k runs).

I've been to see the doctor, but because it doesn't happen at the same point each time, they weren't that much help!

As I'm sure you can appreciate, it doesn't help worrying about it either!

Imodium?

I did for the 10k and will for Sunday. However, I don't want to rely on that option though in the long term!

Could easily be the Lucozade. There's all sorts of chemicals and e-numbers in most sports drinks so very possible you'll have difficulty finding one that does agree with you. Sports drinks aren't really necessary for 10K to half marathon distance anyway so try drinking just water for a while and see how that goes. If you feel you really need an energy boost, take a couplel of jelly babies with you.

You say distance doesn't seem to be the key factor, but could it be pace? I'm always fine on long slow runs, and pretty much always fine on short fast runs, but if I push it hard during a long run, I often get stomach cramps after the first 90 minutes. Don't really get the trots as such, just bad cramps, but if I'm planning on running a fast (for me!) marathon, I'll take a preventative imodium as it stops cramps as well.