Posted: 3/13/2009 6:15:57 AM EDT
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Okay, so until recently the longest I've been running is 10K. I got up to a fair pace, around 7:30 miles, doing 10K three days a week, 5K once and once doing a 4.3 mile course, and decided I wanted to go longer, so a couple weeks ago I started running longer. Once a week I run 8.5 miles and another day I run 7.6 and I've been able to keep my pace around 7:45 miles even for the 8.5 mile course (which is a bit hilly...well, for Florida anyway).
But the problem is, every time I run that far, I wind up using the john like 3 times before mid-afternoon. It has been particularly bad this week, as it's got hotter outside. I've never had this problem before...is it dehydration? Or what? Anyone know? |
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Diarrhea can bring on dehydration, but is not a symptom of it. My guess is that the extra exercise is speeding the passage of food through your system. It should self-correct as you adapt to the extra running, but you can help things along by avoiding large quantitites of high-fiber foods an hour or two before running.
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Quoted:
Diarrhea can bring on dehydration, but is not a symptom of it. My guess is that the extra exercise is speeding the passage of food through your system. It should self-correct as you adapt to the extra running, but you can help things along by avoiding large quantitites of high-fiber foods an hour or two before running. Ahh, so I should stop eating the bran cereal for breakfast? 
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Very common, the "Runner's Trots".....
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/runners-diarrhea/AN00376 
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Quoted:
Very common, the "Runner's Trots"..... http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/runners-diarrhea/AN00376 http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/3847/runnershittinghimself50.jpg  
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Quoted:
BTW it actually says in that link that dehydration can lead to diarrhea. Yeah. although he doesn't explain it. I guess it probably works like: dehydration = lower blood volume = less blood to carry away digestive products = trots. I'm a bit skeptical since a major cause is too much water in the digestive tract - typically caused by something other than over-hydration (like too much alcohol consumption aka beer shits). Stick to a banana, juice, or gels before your run and save the super-colon-blow bran cereal for after. |
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Quoted:
I guess it probably works like: dehydration = lower blood volume = less blood to carry away digestive products = trots. . Part of the human body's stress reaction is diverting blood flow away from less essential functions. In other words, an individual placing themselves under a fair amount of physical stress(such as endurance training) is going to have reduced blood flow to the GI tract(among other places) and increased blood flow to the muscle groups being utilized. For many, this is accompanied by a slowing down of peristalsis(a series of involuntary muscular contractions) of the GI tract. Constipation is a common occurrence, but diarrhea has been known to occur as well. If I have some time later on, I might track down a few journal articles that touch on the subject. |
