The bad run

[Debbie]

Unfortunately I can't provide the answers as to why this happens. I can, however, only agree and continue to be baffled by why this should be.

I've had a couple of exceptionally good runs based on a very late night the day before, far too much alcohol consumed, not enough sleep, a Burger King lunch and hardly any water throughout the day.

On the flip side, I've been well-rested, well-hydrated, fresh as a daisy and really looking forward to my run, only to crash and burn after only a couple of miles on a route I can normally run with ease.

I still don't have the "What not to eat before a run" thing sussed. Yesterday afternoon I set out on my long Sunday run, having had a bowl of Country Crisp and a slice of toast and marmalade for breakfast (nothing unusual there) and two slices of cheese on toast for lunch. And a Country Slice courtesy of Mr. Kipling. Plenty of water. About 4.5 miles into the run I felt that familiar sensation in my bowels and knew that a pit stop was urgently required. Why is it that when you get 'that urge' normally, you can hold off for a time until you can find a toilet. When you're running, that time delay is non-existent. If you don't find a toilet within the next 30 seconds or so the chances of soiled underwear are extremely high. Yesterday I was lucky: I altered my route slightly to go past a local pub. Fortunately they had a back entrance so I was able to avoid the embarrassment of walking through a crowded pub in full running gear, hot and sweaty and desperate for the loo!

I set off again and about 2/3 of the way through the run I started getting the most excruciating stomach cramps and knew that I would need a second visit to the toilet. This time I was bang in the middle of a residential area with not a pub within feasible range. I had to slow to a walk to try to control the urge. Then I had a flash of inspiration - the church hall I used to go to when I was in Venture Scouts! By some miracle the hall was being used yesterday afternoon and I managed to sneak in round the back and use the loo. Disaster averted for the second time.

This has never happened to me before. Occasionally I have to go once, never twice. And never the stomach cramps. I won't be having cheese on toast as a pre-run lunch again!!