Runners Trots! - Health + Injury

Bill S

26/02/2012 at 16:11

Need some help please.

Whenever I do a distance run my guts seem to churn inside out at the 9/10 mile mark which results in me having to find a toilet pdq or in the case of my half marathon today at Tonbridge Wells junping over a fence and dashing through brambles to find a convenient bush!

I have tried taking immodium tablets beforehand amd on other occasions I have used loperamide tablets both of which do not work.

Doesw anyone have any other suggestions or are there any Doctors who could recommend a suitable alternative so that I could ring my Doctor with a request rather than take up his time with an appointment?

thanks in advance for your help and yes, I know Robert Dyas does a nice range of corks!

Emmy H

26/02/2012 at 16:29

Hiya Bill, I'd make an appointment with your doc but I'd keep a diary of what you're eating before a run to see the difference/"triggers". I know that could also affect your "regularity"

Hash

26/02/2012 at 16:30

Not sure immodium is such a great idea, Bill. I think it works by dehydrating you, so not the best idea for distance running. Even if I'm wrong about how it works, it makes me feel , even if it does what it says on the packet.

A lot of us get the same thing. The only thing that works for me is cutting down on veggies/fibre and drinking loads of fluid in the couple of days before an LSR or race, coupled with making sure I get up in plenty of time for the inner me to wake up as well. Even then it's touch and (try not to) go.

Hope they don't quote this thread in the magazine

Bill S

26/02/2012 at 16:50

Thanks for the advice -I had a couple of slices of pizza the night before and a weetabix at 5 this morning -and "went" before travelling to the race. I also "went" half an hour before the start and thought I was empty -obviously not! I hydrate well enough beforehand and do use energy gels and have tried different brands -just mistified that it always happens at the 9/10 mile mark. I can plan my training routes to have a toilet stop at this point but its obviously a different kettle of fish when running in races.

loulabell

26/02/2012 at 16:56

bill s.. loperamide and imodium are one and the same thing but seems they arnt working for you. weetabix is fibre so perhaps try something different? also gels that have sorbitol may be a problem. sorbitol is a laxitive and can produce the unwanted effect! do you have gels before the 10mile point?

could also be down to pre-race nerves? there are different types of imodium. the imodium instants may work as they are designed for short, acute bouts of diarrhoea and can act in under 1 hour. hope some or any of this helps?

Bill S

26/02/2012 at 17:55

Thanks for the help -yes I do take energy gels beforehand and I will check in futrue if they have sorbitol in them. The last distance run I did was on an empty stomach so I dont think I can pin it down to the weetabix. Not sure about pre race nerves as I've done enough of them. The only other thing I take before hand is an energy drink such as lucozade sport so I'm not sure if that contains sorbitol either. I am wondering if I took an immodium instant if it would act quick enough?

loulabell

26/02/2012 at 18:05

could be the reason then. most sports drinks and gels contain aspartmene to make then more palatable.

Bill S

26/02/2012 at 18:37

Hmmm.... I'll have a look. Presumably aspartamene is a laxative?

loulabell

26/02/2012 at 18:48

its articficial sweetner tht if absorbed in large amounts can have tht effect but you would have to have a lot of gels i imagine to cause it. i guess everyone reacts differently to them, empty stomach may cause cause it to have a faster effect maybe.

Bill S

26/02/2012 at 18:59

Thanks for that. I shall have a chat with my GP (Running Friendly) and see what we can come up with.

mathschick

26/02/2012 at 19:07

I don't think gatorade has any artificial sweeteners in - I buy it for that reason. Not sure if it will help though. It could be down to what you are eating the day before. There have been quite a few threads on this topic so you are not alone! Not that that helps. But a lot of people have said that they cut oout fruit the day before

Sunluvva

27/02/2012 at 16:03

Bill. there ain't too many bushes between 9-10 miles on that route!

Cut out any fatty food the day before - go veggie for a couple of days if necessary. I have Crohn's disease and have found that meat, fat and dairy plus anything slightly spicy will set my stomach off. Fruit and veggies are your friends and only ever cause digestive upsets if eaten after meat/fat/spicy foods.

I did the T.Wells 1/2 too yesterday - I had 6 bananas for breakfast and ate 12 dates on the way round - I did need a bush but only for a tiddle!

yer_maj

27/02/2012 at 20:26

I have sensitive guts too, and aspartame send me bonkers. However, High 5 drinks and gels are great and cause me no problems at all.

hartles

27/02/2012 at 20:50

Ahhh...I was a bear in the woods on my LSR on Sunday. Not an experience I am keen to repeat. I had 3 weetabix and an SIS gel before I went out. Am going to try jelly beans next time in an attempt to avoid the shrubbery. Have a half coming up next month so am looking to get this sorted...

Liz EE

28/02/2012 at 10:38

I always make sure I 'empty' out before I go on an early morning long run otherwise I have the same problem. I have a cup of senna tea (available from Holland & Barrett) just before going to bed and find it does the job so nicely the following morning that there really is nothing more!

Senna is a natural laxative. The tea's not great but it does the job.

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