Yesterday’s workout was starting off great: I was full of energy and feeling inspired. I even took a pre-WOD *workout of the day* selfie!!!
I was in the midst of enjoying my 8 km run and thinking about a paragraph from Spartan Up! I read on my way back home from work: “… once you think you are done running, you still have eight days left in you. The same goes for life. If you think you are maxing out, you have no idea how much fuller and richer life could be. Spartan Race offers a glimpse into your own unlimited potential.” In other words, some pretty cool motivational stuff. And there was this beautiful sunset…
But something went wrong in between of me doing push-ups and a set of squat jumps in the middle of a bike path *It rained and I thought it was a better alternative to a puddle in the grass*. All of a sudden, I was sprinting like there was no tomorrow. No, I wasn’t running for my life nor was I trying to bring out my untapped potential…
I know, I know, you don’t really care to know much about my bowel movements, but… THANK GOD for that Tim Horton’s which appeared out of nowhere!!! *I’ll stop right there for your sake and avoid all grizzly details. HAHA!*
Okay, one more thing. When I reached the coffee shop, there were pretty mixed emotions raging between…
And…
This is how you know that I am still a newbie to running: I had a nice quinoa salad with chickpeas, tomatoes and cucumbers about an hour before my run. BIG, BIG, BIG MISTAKE! I was in so much pain. What I was thinking? Yet, I am glad that I was able to finish my workout.
I really liked the following pre-race advice from Runner’s World, which could be applied to any of your daily long runs too:
- reduce the fiber you consume in the few days before the race;
- avoid fresh fruit or salad the day before your race because of their fiber content;
- check out the race course and see if any port-a-potties are marked, or if there are gas stations or convenience stores along the way for pit stops. If not, pick your bushes wisely! Always carry a small plastic baggie with wet wipes in them for emergencies. Pack a towel and a complete change of clothes in your gear bag too;
- when bathroom issues seriously threaten to interfere with your race, one option for some is taking an over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medication before the race.
What kind of food doesn’t settle well with your stomach when eaten before a run?
xoxo
Olena
candies & crunches 
I’ve said it before and I will say it forever, never ever eat chipotle before a run! Worst 3 miles of my life….
hahah I would agree with this!
Ahhahaha! Poor thing! :-*
Awwww lol! ❤
great advice, thanks!
You are very welcome, Cynthia!
haha – oh that is terrible 😦 But thankfully you didn’t have to duck into the woods, which I have read about on many sites!
I am fortunate with my system that I have never had a bowel issue … but my tiny bladder, on the other hand, has caused me all kinds of problems! ugh!
Lol! I actually had to… ONCE! that was bad too ahaha!
As you continue to run, you will learn what works best and what to avoid. Your body will also adapt and be more kind to you…..most of the time! Good work handling the situation well. I think most of us have had these moments!
You know what’s funny. I actually took a picture of my shorts down and send it to my hubby with a message: Thank God for Tim Horton’s! He had a great laugh 🙂
Sorry to laugh at your expense but this was a great post and seems to be something a lot of runners (new and experienced) deal with. Luckily, I haven’t ever experienced any stomach issues when eating and running!! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this continues!
Haha! Thanks. It’s actually hard for me not to laugh at my big misfortune!!! Ah, life! 😀
Oooooof. Yeah, you definitely learned from that one. I am pretty well trained as to what to/not to eat pre running. But I would say one of the biggest no-nos is to over eat. You can always fuel a bit once you are out there, but eating too much before hand, and you will feel like aaaaasssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.
Also? avoid straight up roughage. and Fiber-enriched ANYTHING. And dense protein bars.
Amen!
I can’t eat dairy or anything fiber-full. I had a woods experience and it was BAD! I know all too well how thankful I am for gas stations and convenience stores along the route of a long run!
Lol! I started paying attention to their locations too! ❤
LOL, you had me laughing because I have so been there!
I am one of those people that cannot eat pasta the day before or leading into a race:) But it actually took me years to figure out that eating it was causing me the problems:)
Oh no, I feel the pain. It’s okay to laugh, I’m laughing in my head just thinking about it lol! ❤ xoxo
Everyone else seems to love bananas before a run but even if I eat one banana 2-3 hours prior, I get terrible side cramps. If it’s minor I’ll push through it but these just grow in strength till my form’s shot and my fingers are digging at the base of my ribs (side/front area) in an effort to quell the pain. That usually happens within the first .5 mile. So I skip the banana at breakfast and opt for oatmeal on my run days. Oatmeal and granola is great for it anyway as I can go forever on that stuff.
I lucked out the last time I ran in a race. It was only a 5k but I neglected to go to the bathroom literally right before the race. Tinkle tinkle in my undies! I say I lucked out because I was wearing a pad because I was starting my period soon and I didn’t want to worry about blood while running. So no problem! But after the race was done I had to exert some supreme self control to hold the rest of it in because I didn’t have the energy to sprint another 1/4 mile to the restroom. @_@ ugh.
Gosh, you never fail to make me laugh, what a story teller! 😀 ❤
LOL we’ve all been there!! So sorry love but glad Tim Horton’s was right there 😉 I typically only eat a banana before a run (for races I eat more than that). My sensitive stomach doesn’t like food before workouts. If I run after work, I make sure it’s been at least 2.5-3 hours since I’ve eaten.
Rookie mistakes… TA DA DA! 😀
Pingback: An Exciting Weekend Adventure: Ottawa Spartan Sprint Recap | candies & crunches