Peeing (hopefully nothing more!!) during a marathon

Ososlo

So guys and gals. How do you do yours? How many times do you usually go during the race? Do you time it in training to see how long it adds to your time? if you need to go and there are no portaloos what do you do? especially girls? How many of you can get through the whole race without having to go at all? Any tips/technical advice greatly appreciated!

average_runner

Ososlo wrote: »

So guys and gals. How do you do yours? How many times do you usually go during the race? Do you time it in training to see how long it adds to your time? if you need to go and there are no portaloos what do you do? especially girls? How many of you can get through the whole race without having to go at all? Any tips/technical advice greatly appreciated!

Only did it once in 5 marathons, ran into the bushes in Phoenix Park.

But if your really competitive just do it in your shorts.

ger664

Hydrate the day before the race not in the hour before the start.

My issue tends to be the other side which will always involve a portoloo or over the wall in non city marathons.

menoscemo

ger664 wrote: »

Hydrate the day before the race not in the hour before the start.

This.
I made this mistake on my first marathon; drinking right up to the start of the race meant I had to go in the phoenix Park and then again later in the race. Nowadays if racing a marathon I'll drink lots the day before but nothing up to 3 hours before the race.
You should be well hydrated and just start drinking water from the first water stataion on to top up.

nerraw1111

Stop drinking at least an hour beforehand works for me. No need to drink right up to the start.

Stella Virgo

ger664 wrote: »

Hydrate the day before the race not in the hour before the start.

My issue tends to be the other side which will always involve a portoloo or over the wall in non city marathons.

my neighbour always wondered where the pile of steaming turd came from........now she knows:D

RubyK

Ososlo wrote: »

So guys and gals. How do you do yours? How many times do you usually go during the race? Do you time it in training to see how long it adds to your time? if you need to go and there are no portaloos what do you do? especially girls? How many of you can get through the whole race without having to go at all? Any tips/technical advice greatly appreciated!

First 3 marathons I did, it was never an issue. 4th marathon, in London, I made the stupid misake of drinking too much water before the start. Despite going, around an hr before the start, from mile 3, I needed to go again, but as long as I was still on target for my time, I said I'd just have to hold it, which I did. It was such a silly mistake drinking too much before the race, and one I won't make again. V uncomfotable, and passing by the portaloos was a little bit more torture that I could have done without

happygoose

Just go, dash'n splash.

ThePiedPiper

Tricky one this. In 14 marathons, I think I've made pitstops in about 4 of them. The stop in Paris took me 25-30 seconds, which made the 3:00:21 finish time a bit of a nuisance. But, I would say that its better to be properly hydrated than to risk being dehydrated.

These days, hydrating well the ay before the race, and having about a pint of water 3 hours out from the race is enough to ensure I'm properly hydrated without having to stop in the bushes/street/portaloo.

Condo131

Iirc, I read, years ago, that your body goes into a different mode once you undergo strenuous effort. In short, you shouldn't need to pee....but we see it happening to people all the time.

I've no sympathy for anyone in a short race, though.

If you hydrate properly in the period leading up to a Marathon, you shouldn't have a problem. I normally start specific hydration about 9 days beforehand. Frequent small drinks are best, rather than binging. On race morning, I drink, usually dilute orange, about half litre, about 2 - 2.5 hours before the race. I then go for a leak as late as possible before the race. It works for me...and I'm a Prostate Cancer surgery survivor.

The other gripping question...
If you eat a lot of protein, in particular, in the last 2 days or so, you run the risk of having to stop for "a dump" in the first 10 miles or so. Brown bread and/or loads of fruit will also contribute to the risk. Unless you are likely to win the event, probably best to stop if you feel the need.

Eat at least 2 hours before the race. Your body will trigger "a dump" urge about an hour after eating. Enjoy the experience & get it over with.

rom

A cup off coffee can help some people too to get it moving but it's best practiced on long runs.

- yeah that's right I go on boards.ie to talk about number 1's and 2's

Funny story at a race last night I was warming up before the race and this woman ran ahead of me. I though nice one no one behind her so I can do a quick pitstop . No soon then I was about to start proceedings that she turned to come back about 5 meters from me. Strangely she got talking to me somehow after the race. In any other sport I would have been arrested Perhaps it's how runners flirt ?

tunguska

Ososlo wrote: »

So guys and gals. How do you do yours? How many times do you usually go during the race? Do you time it in training to see how long it adds to your time? if you need to go and there are no portaloos what do you do? especially girls? How many of you can get through the whole race without having to go at all? Any tips/technical advice greatly appreciated!

I think thats like worrying over spilt milk before you've even spilt it Ososlo. Whatever happens on the day of the race is something you'll deal with when that time comes. But having said that I'd advise against overhydrating by drinking lots of water the day before or on the morning of the race. During the race aswell. I think the strategy of drinking water at every station is silly. I mean if you're thirsty then definitely take a drink, but you'll just waterlog yourself if you drink and you're natural thirst mechanism isnt telling you you need fluids. You'll be running along and there'll be this sloshing sound coming from your stomach, which is pretty unpleasant and kind of freaky aswell.

robinph

Condo131 wrote: »

Iirc, I read, years ago, that your body goes into a different mode once you undergo strenuous effort. In short, you shouldn't need to pee....but we see it happening to people all the time.

I've vague recollections of something along those lines, where it's to do with the body just deciding to try and reduce the excess baggage as much as possible before you get too far into the long run. It maybe notices that it's not just a regular long run though, where you may be totally fine normally, and because you are racing decides you need to pee to get a better performance.

I don't think that I have actually ever completed any marathon without having to stop to water the nearest tree at some point.

Condo131

tunguska wrote: »

.......... I'd advise against overhydrating by drinking lots of water the day before or on the morning of the race. During the race as well. I think the strategy of drinking water at every station is silly. I mean if you're thirsty then definitely take a drink, but you'll just waterlog yourself if you drink and you're natural thirst mechanism isnt telling you you need fluids. You'll be running along and there'll be this sloshing sound coming from your stomach, which is pretty unpleasant and kind of freaky as well.

I agree completely. I said before, you need to hydrate many days in advance...small drinks, but often. As tunguska says, last minute hydration isn't a good idea....you'll flush out your electrolytes, giving a higher risk towards cramps. If you feel liquid sloshing around in your stomach, then you're overdoing it.

IMMDA: International Marathon Medical Director’s Association has a guide to drinking during Marathons HERE.
AMAA: Marathon Dilemma: How Much Water is Too Much?

Drinking too much water can give rise to a potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia:
NEJM
Runner's World

Getting it right is a key element for a good Marathon.

robinph

Condo131 wrote: »

Drinking too much water can give rise to a potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia:
NEJM
Runner's World

People should have a listen to last weeks Marathon Talk podcast where the BBC presenter Sian Williams chats about what happened to her in New York Marathon 10+ years ago due to hyponatremia. Scary stuff.

http://marathontalk.com/podcast/episode_185_sian_williams.php

ChickenTikka

RunForestRun wrote: »

The stop in Paris took me 25-30 seconds.

You need to work on your Pee B there!

woodchopper

Its also probably wise to avoid spicy things such as chicken tikka!

robinph

woodchopper wrote: »

Its also probably wise to avoid spicy things such as chicken tikka!

Chicken Tikka, spicy?

That is just a mild curry.

woodchopper

robinph wrote: »

Chicken Tikka, spicy?

That is just a mild curry.

Chicken Tikka has never caused me GI distress!