Title says it all. So many people I have spoken with complained about nausea on the run during an IM distance race. I had it myself in 08. Are there a few common causes or is it widespread and unknown? Any prevention tips?
chris
hasn’t happened to me in every one and the 2x it did different things made me feel better. first time coke settled me down (as it does usually) and this last time that didn’t work (probably because it was pepsi) and I had tried everything they had and when the broth (yuck) came out I tried that too and voila! tummy felt better. Key is to ignore it and keep fluids/nutrition going in until it either comes up for a reset or goes away.
Broth did help me too now that I think about it. I was on the coke prior to that and it didn’t help.
I would like to hear some possible reasons for the GI upset and how to prevent that.
chris
I have had this happen before as well. I believe (my own theory here) that when I became nauseated during the run it was possibly due to drinking too much on the bike, not drinking enough on the bike, not enough water (too much other stuff), less is more–don’t eat too much solid food on the bike as liquids are easier on the system…
I have used pepto-bismal chewables, coke, alka-seltzer and once I think I experimented during a training ride/run with alittle baking soda in one of my bottles and I think that settled my stomach as well. I also think just slowing down and letting your stomach settle helps.
Easily understood on a general scale is that people have about 9 pints of blood in their bodies. If too much is sent to the stomach for digestion while exercising, the body responds with a warning (nausea) to either purge the food or slow down. The body, at that point, is incapable of continuing the current exercise intensity and digestion at the same time, so one system has to change.
Easy answer is to eat less in order to move more. Perhaps try liquid nutrition, like Infinit or a similar product instead of the solid fare offered on course. Another option is straight glucose gel, available at your local pharmacy if regular gels bring on nausea.
I have the same problem and am wondering if it is because of dehydration or low salt - which may explain why people find that chicken broth helps. Nausea is my biggest problem!
Another option is straight glucose gel, available at your local pharmacy if regular gels bring on nausea.
Over the counter or behind with the pharmacist? Is it for diabetics? How would one search for this at pharmacy? Thanks
I’ve worked with a camper before with diabetes and she had glucose tablets. It looked like a NUUN container. You should be able to get them OTC - it’s just sugar.
ginger is good for nausea.
They’re not too hard to find. Most pharmacies have a diabetes section with a couple different flavors of gels or chewable tablets. Look for the glucose meters and testing supplies, they will be in that area. Also, they’re not expensive so it’s worth a shot.
I’ve researched the glucose pills as well. They only have four caps per pill, so you’re going to need to take a lot to get any kind of energy. 50 pills per hour seems extreme.
Here’s an example of what I meant. As has been noted, they are OTC in the diabetics section. Gels are better than the tablets, which again has been discussed as taking too many for endurance purposes, to be efficient.
Hope this helps and is at least worth $4 to try.
Easily understood on a general scale is that people have about 9 pints of blood in their bodies. If too much is sent to the stomach for digestion while exercising, the body responds with a warning (nausea) to either purge the food or slow down. The body, at that point, is incapable of continuing the current exercise intensity and digestion at the same time, so one system has to change.
Easy answer is to eat less in order to move more. Perhaps try liquid nutrition, like Infinit or a similar product instead of the solid fare offered on course. Another option is straight glucose gel, available at your local pharmacy if regular gels bring on nausea.
Snap
Try eating and drinking smaller amounts more often, so the stomach never gets overloaded.
Me, I finish a powerade about 30 minutes before the swim start, and a couple of gels (wiht a splash of water) about 10 minutes before the start. That way I know I’m primed and ready to go. It also means I’m not so desperate for food or hydration right at the bike start. I like to spend say 20 minutes on the bike, to get into my rythym and let my guts settle, before I start drip feeding in the food and hydration. I have also found that cold or frozen drinks don’t go well with stomachs and triathlon 
The intensity of the bike is related to Nausea on the run segment. Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn say that a intense cycling triggers nausea in the race. Make sense. Other common cause is a quick pace in the run (first 20 KM). I learned to slowdown and my stomach never bother me in the race. Most common causes: 1) excess or lack of food, 2) excess protein (or fat, but I imagine that anyone eat much fat in a IM race), 3) wrong intensity (in cycling and running).
Source: FRIEL, Joe & BYRN, Gordon Going Long Velo Press: Boulder, 2009 chapter 10
Easily understood on a general scale is that people have about 9 pints of blood in their bodies. If too much is sent to the stomach for digestion while exercising, the body responds with a warning (nausea) to either purge the food or slow down. The body, at that point, is incapable of continuing the current exercise intensity and digestion at the same time, so one system has to change.
Easy answer is to eat less in order to move more. Perhaps try liquid nutrition, like Infinit or a similar product instead of the solid fare offered on course. Another option is straight glucose gel, available at your local pharmacy if regular gels bring on nausea.
In addition to what Sally said, it the overall dropping sodium levels during the IM run.
In training you’re never really out there for 7+ hours and trying to digest food while losing 1000 mg+ of sodium per hour…you can see that after 7 hours of sweating out 1000mg and replenishing perhaps 300-400 now you’re running a big deficit.
Used to get nausea at some point between miles 12 and 20 on the run during IMs. Was taking in about 500 calories/hr on the bike (3 gels/200 calories of electrolyte drink per hour).
Changed my strategy last year to 400 calories/hr on the bike (2 gels/200 calories of electrolyte drink per hour), and nausea on the run went away.