Pre-Race Jitters, Liquid Poop, and me in the Porta Potty

Triathlon Forum
1

No matter what distance race, or how competitive I want to be, my stomach/digestive track ALWAYS knows it’s race day. Even races where I’m just in it for fun, and not trying to win anything. I’m hitting the pot at home 2-3 times, and then going again at the race site. Once the race starts, I’m fine (no issues there!)

Has anyone conquered the jitters? If so, what did you do? Race more? I’ve done probably 20 races in the last couple of years, with all of them the same thing! Being this way before every race is probably not good nutritionally. I’d like to hear some remedies, if any exist.

2

Imodium AD is your friend.

Murphy’sLaw uses one of DaveRoche’s butt-plugs, but I suspect that’s just so he doesn’t “consume” his saddle.

3

It’s just your body’s way of trying to get down to race weight at the last moment.

4

I get that too, but mine manifests itself by me blowing chunks at the hotel, parking lot, trash can in transition, etc. for about 10 minutes, and then goes away.

5

x2 on the Imodium
.

6

It’s just your body’s way of trying to get down to race weight at the last moment.

Getting my “Post of the Day” vote here for this one…

S.

7

Brilliant!

8

Imodium AD is your friend.

-1…depending on the distance of the race.

What’s you caffeine intake? Pre-race food? A little portalo action is fine IMO…

9

Imodium AD is your friend.

-1…depending on the distance of the race.

What’s you caffeine intake? Pre-race food? A little portalo action is fine IMO…

This is before any food or coffee.

10

I get that too, but mine manifests itself by me blowing chunks at the hotel, parking lot, trash can in transition, etc. for about 10 minutes, and then goes away.

And how does your friend Chunks feel about this?

11

He hasn’t missed any of nickwhite’s races.

It reminds me of when I blew bubbles as a kid. Always wondered what happened to bubbles. I hear he ended up in Baltimore.

12

I get that too, but mine manifests itself by me blowing chunks at the hotel, parking lot, trash can in transition, etc. for about 10 minutes, and then goes away.

And how does your friend Chunks feel about this?

Oh, no, not that again…

It’s wierd, I was fine all morning leading up to Muncie, but I get to transition area in Muncie, and was there long enough to rack the bike and had to run over to the gravel lot on the other side of the porta johns. Again, at Steelhead, I was fine until I got parked at Whirlpool.

13

He hasn’t missed any of nickwhite’s races.

It reminds me of when I blew bubbles as a kid. Always wondered what happened to bubbles. I hear he ended up in Baltimore.

Nope, he ended up on TV

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_t1ZZxITe_8c/TEJQ9eSzDxI/AAAAAAAAB04/ZxoggRQ5TKI/s640/bubbles.jpeg

14

Same thing for me too, before EVERY race, big or small. I just build it into my race day plan:

  1. Wake up
  2. Eat breakfast
  3. Colon blow
  4. Drink coffee while rechecking all gear
  5. Load car, drive to race, park
  6. Sprint to portajohn (or kybo if in Wisconsin) for colon blow #2.
  7. Race

I prefer to get it all out ahead of time so I know it won’t happen during the race. Happy race = empty lower intestinal tract.

15

Welcome to the club…I was told by someone once that there was some sort of mystic “your body knows its race day” autonomous gastric response…

16

x2 on the Imodium

x3 on the Imodium.

  • Wake up
  • Eat breakfast with lots of coffee
  • Wait 30 minutes to digest food and coffee which stimulates my colon
  • Do my bathroom thing
  • Pop an Imodium
17

I experience the same at every race. If you see me at at the porta potty, don’t go in after me.

Reading the words “Liquid Poop” makes me laugh for some reason. Maybe it’s the potty humor I share with my kids.

18

Welcome to my world. I have ulcerative colitis so I poop 4 times a day when I’m regular…

Come race day my body knows. The morning of I am constantly back and forth from the bathroom. I actually think this is a good thing. My body knows to flush all of it out so I usually have no issues during the race itself.

19

I think this is a great thing. Why would you want to change it? I am actually jealous vs. having to worry about whether I can go before a race.

20

I just tried this product called PREV. It is a natural herbal product targeted to running/racing induced diarrhea. I got a flyer in my racebag at a local triutah race and gave it a shot last week. It worked way better than expected. I have gut problems on training days and race days. Anytime I go over 3-4 miles running. PREV kept my gut under control and I was regular for the rest of the day.

I used to use imodium but it always makes me feel a little crampy. Check it out www.preventprevail.com

Best of luck!