For marathon runners, pooping can be a major hurdleand embarrassment.
Learn how to keep the runs from ruining your run (of any length).
Cue: a frantic search for any nearby bathroom.
Running can give us a case of the runs because of how physical activity affects our blood flow.
A similar thing happens to your insides when you run, specifically.
Jostling of organs is something that triggers when running and can impact the gut, Hill adds.
registered dietitian and run coach for New York Road Runners
That doesnt mean all your runs are doomed to be interrupted by an urgent need to poop.
There are a few strategies you’re able to use that can prevent this from happening.
How to avoid the runs on your run
1.
Time your pre-run meals strategically
I have to admit that Ive gone on runsimmediatelyafter eating.
I also have to admit that those runs arent my best.
I feel full, sluggish, and slow.
Turns out I inadvertently picked a losing strategy.
You want to allow enough time to digest before you exercise, says Hill.
Really, you shouldnt have any big meals within three hours of starting your run.
registered dietitian and run coach for New York Road Runners
(Think: abananaorPop-Tart.)
The timing also depends on our hydration status, stress levels, and any medications were taking.
Theyre harder to break down and cause a lot of gasand who wants to pass gas while theyre running?
Also steer clear of artificial sweeteners.
These tend to irritate your gut, she says, so are best avoided pre-run.
In fact, experts say its unideal to give a shot to make yourself poop before a run.
What youshoulddo, apparently, is just track your bowel movements and plan your runs around that.
For example, if you know you poop in the morning, go on your run after that.
Sometimes, its downright difficult.
Yet Pllana and Hill agree that showing some mental fortitudeand self-awarenesscan work wonders for your gut.
Stay relaxed, she says.
When you tense up, you get stressed and anxious, and this can contribute to GI issues.
(This is one reason we often have to go before a race.)
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