Training for Women's Run: Diarrhea Problem

I had the same problem when I first start running longer distances. I started taking Gu for energy for longer runs and I notice that it does not happen when I took it. Gives me great energy too! Electrolyte supplements might help you too. A friend of mine that does marathons says those help too, I just never got a chance to try them before I got pregnant and had to take a break from running. Another friend of mine just took an Imodium before long runs/races. Good luck!

My mom was a marathon runner and had this same problem. It took her quite a while experimenting and cutting certain things from her diet but she finally figured out that milk was the culprit. Try cutting dairy and see if that helps.

This is common in new runners. If it continues as you continue with running get checked for Irritable Bowel Syndrome by your doctor. You can try to eat more binding foods (chicken, rice, bread, bananas) before the race and don't eat for 2-3 hours before race - eat early so you aren't on a full stomach. Drink an electrolyte drink. And there are always portajohns along the way in the race. You can double check with whoever is administering the race and see where they will be located. DO NOT skip eating the day before or do a liquid diet. You need your energy for a 10K. I wouldn't recommend doing that unless it is something you TRAIN with regularly. Did this ever happen to you when you ran previously? I am also getting back to running after two kids in a row. I have not experienced this as I am shaping up. If I were you I would take the time to get checked by your doc just in case - it can't hurt. Try a food diary in the coming weeks too and log when/if it happens during your run if you can.

I would definitely avoid diuretic's like coffee, but there are ant-diuretic medications, as well. I'm not one to suggest OTC meds or any meds normally, but given the special circumstances - it might be worth it. Certainly a chat with your Dr. couldn't hurt. Good luck and have fun!

Hi D.,

My son is a distance runner and my husband also runs a lot, although not marathons. You have a form of irritable bowel syndrome, which can manifest as constipation, diarrhea, or a combination of both. It can flare up during various times of stress - in your case, it appears to be exercise. But the exercise isn't causing it - you already have the problem. Given that the race is in a few weeks, you really don't have a lot of time to fool around with dietary changes and hope that they work, particularly because you will be in another country and experiencing new foods (even if you ate them when you lived in Europe). I have several friends with IBS, including one who is a track coach, and they have had great results with Reliv products, particularly the dietary supplement. One friend got rid of his IBS in 2 days, others might take a few weeks. I'd be happy to help you. I don't live all that far from you either so we can even meet so I can show you more. Let me know. You also cannot run a race of this sort without eating the day before, believe me - and one day without food won't solve the problem anyway - it's more a question of getting your colon and digestive system healthy. We can do that by working together. If you would like to talk to my friend the track coach & phys ed professional, I can arrange that too.

Check out my friends website:
wwwirunlikeamother.com
Maybe you can connect with other running moms!

This is an unpleasant problem. I've been a runner for many years, and had this problem early on but not since, but....have you noticed patterns - are there foods that make this better or worse? Does more fiber make this worse? Is it stress related? Do you drink coffee (I've heard this can have this effect)? Maybe milk/dairy products could contribute to this?

Well before the race, I might try going a day on mostly clear liquids, then try a run and see if that helps. Good luck!

I was always really nervous about that when I started running and would have to run home pretty soon after I started to get to the bathroom. What I started doing was eating breakfast with a cup of coffee or drinking a slim fast in the early a.m. a few hours before the race to make sure that I emptied my bowels before the long run or race. Then I would do gatorade or gu (as another responder had mentioned) during the race and that seemed to be fine. I was able to run 2 marathons with no problem after i started that approach!

I have a friend who runs marathons, and he always had the same problem. I suggested he try a probiotic from Shaklee, and he had great success with it. Now he takes it every day, and has been able to run without worry. Shaklee's has a special coating so that it will not break down until it reaches the lower intestine. Yogurt bacteria is primarily dead when stomach acid hits it, as well as many other probiotics. If you're interested, go to http://infitnessandhealth.myshaklee.com and read about Optiflora probiotic.

my husband and I were talking about this the other day as we both ran a 1/2 marathon on Saturday. It was my first, and I was amazed at how many people were in line for the bathrooms early on and throughout the entire race.

My husband had been reading an article in a running magazine that stated something about how the simple act of running in some way stimulates the intestines and is a problem for runners (both novices and those who are experienced).

It does also have something to do with what you're eating and when. So, fiber, not such a good idea. But, I'd google it to see what you can find out about the physiology behind it and see if you can find any good, tangible advice.

Good luck!

Since you are just starting out it could be lactic acid build up in your stomach. Try eating bananas after your runs to help with lactic acid. Also make sure you are drinking plenty of water to "flush" your system.

Wheat allergy - celliac. Check it out. It is no longer hard to avoid wheat in your diet. You will feel more energetic and less prone to bathroom attacks.

I would check in with your doctor to make sure there is not something else going on. Do you have any gluten intolerance issues? Some symptoms of this condition are abdominal pain, gas, bloating and diarrhea. It's just a thought.

I would experiment with some OTC drugs that stop diarrhea in the days before your race. Do not even think about not eating the day before. Not only will you at the very least not perform well and feel horrible, but you could really do damage to your body by not giving it the calories it needs before exerting yourself that hard. Also, I have a vague idea in my head I've heard this problem before with long distance runners - if you can get over the unpleasantness factor I would consider asking the opinion of a sports trainer or member of someone in a running club. Finally, I would discuss this with your primary doctor. Perhaps she will be able to tell you if this is normal and give you some ideas as to how to treat it.

Good Luck.

Try looking at what you are eating AND drinking. Are you a coffee drinker? Coffee is a well-known culprit for loosening up one's digestive system. Another problem could be dairy. Now this doesn't mean that you have an allergy, but it could mean that you are sensitive, so you need to limit your intake. It also could mean that with all of your exercise your body is flushing itself out-and maybe you don't have a high enough salt intake to counteract this. Are you drinking lots of water? This is good, but if you don't have enough salt-water can get dangerous. Try drinking gatorade-which has a balance of salt/sugar/water to help prevent dehydration-even if it doesn't feel like you're dehydrated. And don't shy away from lightly salted foods. Try these solutions for a few days-maybe even a week. If it doesn't work, try taking something like Immodium-D.

Best of luck!!!