Water...It's what's good for you! Warning contains language about bathrooms visits.

We have all heard it... 8 glasses of 8 oz of water a day. Well I agreed to a point, drink enough until you don't feel dehydrated, Wrong, actually drink until you pee clear (this amount is different for everyone) this keeps you well hydrated and all your systems work correctly.

As a runner I knew I needed enough to sustain me while I ran so I wouldn't dehydrate and get the runner's trots, (see previous post). I was drinking about 16 to 20 oz of water day. It was enough to keep the trots away and keep me hydrated. But I was still dealing with my stomach issues in the morning before I ran (see previous post).

Then I started to do my morning exercises and I got thirsty, I increased my water to about 48 oz of water a day. I had to pee all the time, then something happened after about a week and a half, my bathroom breaks started to become fewer and I felt like I peed like a normal person, I wasn't going to the bathroom like a pregnant woman in her 9th month. My skin was not as harsh, cracked or dry. And then the most amazing "side effect" of consuming so much water per day, my poop was normal. I didn't have bad poops or runny poops. I started to poop later in the day and not early in the morning. I could get a whole run in and not have to worry about pooping until later. I was so excited, I had solved my poop problem (see previous post) by just increasing my water intake therefore helping my body and organs to function correctly. 

Water: It's What's Good For You! 

“Gross Out” Factor - This is Not Fear Factor It’s Just Runners’ Trots!

I am sure every runner has had this happen, you are about 3 to 4 miles maybe even further out from a bathroom and you feel that twinge, a cramp in your stomach, your body is telling you, you are no longer in control and your bowels are going to release no matter where you are or what your doing. You have just been hit with runners’ trots and no bathroom around, but hopefully a place to hide and do your business.

The first time this happened to me, I was very lucky, I was in a neighborhood park and the park bathroom was open. I actually shrugged this off as a bad night’s dinner. I went for about two months before it happened again, same location. I still waved it off as dinner not settling well, I was still in the middle of getting my healthy plan in to play, I cheated more than I cared to admit.

Then as I stopped cheating and my body started to adjust to the good and get rid of the bad, the trots disappeared. Then my runs got longer and more strenuous on my body, as that happened I started to have gas not a bad thing, but worse things were on the horizon. The first time I hit 10 miles on a long run day and 5 to 6 miles a day during my weekday runs I started to notice I had to go when no bathroom was near. The first few times I was able to slow down and walk home. I was lucky enough to make it in time. Then one morning out on the road many miles from any bathroom and no way I could walk home, the cramps hit me. I had no choice but to go on the side of the road, behind a tree. I was lucky enough to bring extra napkins (due to the fact that my nose runs and Dixie napkins are strong but soft enough for me to use to blow my nose). I was totally embarrassed, mortified and pissed off. What the Hell was going on? When I got home I did some research, not much on the internet, mostly horror stories were posted, some explanations as to why runners got the trots but no fixes. So I decided I would change up my eating so that I wasn’t eating as much in the evening however that did not help, two days later, same thing again, the trots. It got to the point where I was packing a running belt with toilet wipes, tissue paper and baggies. I was trying everything I could think of to fix the problem. I was eating prunes and drinking warm prune juice to clean myself out that just made the problem worse.

Then it hit me the runs (no pun intended) where I had the trots were after I had eaten red meat. Ok no more red meat, DONE! I had about a week of runs that were trot free then the trots started back up, this was very upsetting to me that I couldn’t find a fix, now I was bound and determined to beat this problem. I kept doing research on the net, hoping I would come across some formula or fix to my problem but I never did. I did find that this problem was a novice/newbie problem and as you logged more time as a runner, you would lose this problem. Fine, but I wanted it fixed now.

Another revelation, maybe the crackers I was eating with my PB and Preserves was causing a problem; I did increase the intake of gluten when I stopped eating red meat. A phone call to my cousin Kate, who is Gluten-Free, we discuss this problem. At this point I am beyond the embarrassment and I just want to fix the problem. I try going Gluten-Free OMG! It seems to be working. I also cut out all snacks (my weakness Cheetoes) that maybe causing a problem too. That seemed to work too for a while.

Coffee is the next fix I try everyone from my running guru, Emily, to my doctor say drink coffee before your run, wait, go, and then run. I dismissed this because after the heart attack I gave up coffee 1) due to the fact I drank it while I smoked a cigarette 2) Caffeine was not helping me stay awake and 3) I bought Starbucks, it is expensive. However I wanted to see if this would at least help some. So I bought instant coffee Taster’s Choice that comes in individual serving size packets. I tried it on a long run day, I got up an hour early, boiled hot water put two packets in (for double the strength) drank it and waited. 30 minutes later I felt some goings on in the plumbing area. I had to go to the bathroom, YAY! After I did my business I waited another 15 minutes for good measure and out the door I went. That was an awesome run, only pooting going on and I felt a burst of energy. Hot Diggidy Dog!

So now with red meat off the diet, less Gluten in the diet and Coffee in the morning I think I have my formula to fix my trot problem. I also make sure I drink (8) 8oz. glasses of water daily. I have been on this particular formula for 2 weeks now and on my last long run of 12.41 miles, I had no urge to go to the bathroom except to pee. I still carry my emergency pack of wipes, but haven’t opened it in two weeks. The coffee has turned out to be more beneficial than I first realized, it helps to wake up your muscles and give you a burst of energy for speed and endurance.

I hope this article didn’t “gross” you out to much. I hope it will help those newbie’s that just don’t know what is going on and point them in a direction to find a fix. Our bodies are so different and knowing what works for some may not work for you, you have to start with trial and error, but knowing that you are not alone in this predicament hopefully will help you to continue running no matter what. Good luck to everyone out there and don’t let the trots stop you from your runs (puns intended).

runDisney 2012 - Donald's Half Marathon 15th year Anniversary

On March 10, 2011 I was having dinner with my Sister-in-law, Marie and her husband, my Brother-in-law Reid. We were talking about walking and getting healthy, when all of a sudden Reid says to me, “You should walk the ½ marathon at Disney in January. You will be able to do it easy.”

I sat there in confusion and shock… “What are you crazy?”

“No there were a lot of people walking it this year.”

I laughed it off, but the more I thought about it, the more it niggled at my mind. So the next day as I walked, I went just a little bit faster. I wanted to see if I could get up to the 16 minute mile you have to maintain during the race. I couldn’t do it walking. But running might be an option. So I experimented with my knee and body to see if I could even run. I found that I could run, it didn’t hurt and I enjoyed the thrill of it.

So at that point I made the commitment to actually run the 1/2 marathon. I started doing research on training. I backed off on my walking and started to run. Slowly and a short distance to begin with, it was like I was starting over. But I was committed at this point, and there was no turning back. There have been many things in my life I have failed at and just plain stopped doing. But this was a new me and new way of life. I was going to follow through even if it killed me.

I read as much material as I could get my hands on, I talked with other people, I got advice and I put it all too good use.

I was in training for a ½ marathon. Then all of a sudden, I felt a change, I was happier, I was losing weight easily, quickly, and I was sleeping better, my sleep apnea was fading as well. I was even craving good healthy food.

Everyday I got up early, I would get dressed, I would go out and run a little bit farther everyday. It was a struggle, but I had a goal, and the bigger clothes (my closet was getting cleaned everyday as I had to make a pile for Good Will), the smaller body, the better sleep was just a wonderful side effect. I tell everyone I keep leaving my ass on the asphalt. Well, the road can have it.

Slowly I built up to 4 miles a day, which was a long and hard process; I thought I would never get there. But once I hit that 4 mile mark, each mile after was easy, I started to do “long” runs weekly once I hit 4 miles a day. The first “long” run was 6.25 miles, I was so excited I couldn’t see straight. It was half of the ½ marathon, so I knew I could complete half of the race. Then over the next few weeks my distance increased weekly. I maintained a 5 to 6 mile daily run, and by the time I was a month out from the race I was running 12 miles and feeling good at the end.

Then it was time to go to Disney World…

I had everything ready and packed:

• My running shoes
  broken in but not so broken in they would support me.
• My running shorts
  dry-weave, Men’s mediums I was wearing men’s XXL when I started this journey
• My running shirt
  printed on front:   Fat Girl,
                                Smoker
                                Unhealthy Eater,
                                Coach Potato,
                                Heart Attack 2010
  printed on back: Skinny Girl,
                                Non-smoker,
                                Healthy Eater,
                                Half Marathon Runner 2012
• Once I got down to Disney I bought a Donald Duck hat with Mickey Ears to wear during the race.

I prepared myself for the race the day before by eating healthy, but carb heavy.

I had pasta for lunch and veggies and fruit for dinner.

I went to bed early because I had to get up early to prepare for the race. I was in bed by 7:00 pm and asleep by 7:30.

Here is an account of my day on January 7, 2012.

I awoke about 12:30am. Why?!? You may ask? Well to prepare myself and my body for this ½ marathon race. I have bowel movements in the morning (I know it’s not polite to talk about such stuff, but this is the way of the runner, certain things must be handled) so I had to make sure I was up in plenty of time to do that function before I had to run. Then I had to mentally prepare myself and try to keep my adrenaline in check.

I performed my morning “routine” and got ready to leave my hotel room about 2:30 am. I went to the bus station and got on the bus about 2:55 am. We were off to the staging area in no time. We (me and all my fellow early bird runners) arrived about 10 minutes later and walked around, got drinks, things to eat and chatted with each other. I went on to the baggage check; I need to stay focused and calm. I was so nervous. I checked my bag, the volunteers were so friendly and nice. I had worn a Tigger sweatshirt to throw off during the race. It was to keep me warm until I didn’t need it and then Disney would collect all the clothing left behind for charity. The volunteer said, “You aren’t throwing Tigger away are you?” I said “Yes I have another at home, this was my Ex’s”

She said “Dump it”. Which to me was fitting, because that was what this race represented, dumping the old and clinging to the new.

Now I had a wait ahead of me 2 ½ hours to go. So I tried to concentrate on keeping my mind and body calm. I did not talk to any other runners, just because I was afraid I might freak out if I opened my mouth. I do regret this decision, but at the time it was the best one to make.

After about a 45 minute wait in this staging area, we filled it up fast. They moved us to the corral area. This was where we would wait for our section to run. We couldn’t all start running together. So they divided us up according how we listed our times from registration into waves. I was in the second to last corral, number 7 out of 9. I felt pretty good about that. Now just to let you know, in my time I had built in time for bathroom and picture breaks. So I estimated my time finishing at about 3:20 or 3:30. That’s 3 hours and 30 minutes. I actually beat that time, but more on that later.

Ok so we get to our assigned corrals, and I am at the front, waiting and it is starting to get cold… oh, my, I think I should have brought and worn leggings. And thermal socks… I am COLD! Then it hit me… I had to pee, very badly. Ok let me back up just a bit, for the past week or so I had been fighting a cold. I take Airborne to counter any virus or bug trying to make me sick. Now I swear by Airborne it works. It has kept me from being sick this whole year of training. But, when it kicks in it flushes the virus or bug out of your system… So I had to pee! As I made my way to the Port-a-Pottys I was not too concerned. I was just thinking oh good, pee now (I had not realized what was actually going on yet). So I get back in line, of course farther back than my first position. I start to get ready, warming up, stretching etc. Then it hits me again, I have to pee, very badly, Port-a-Potty again, back in line again, back further. I warm up again, stretch again… wait I have to pee again. Now I am a bit concerned, we are getting crowded in the corral and I have to go out and come back in. But when you have to pee you have to pee. I make it to the Port-a-Potty and back into the corral. I feel a lot better and I think I am done, I hope and pray I am done.

The race starts! Corral A, Wave #1 goes. You can feel the electricity in the air, the excitement is almost tangible.

As Donald Duck gives the count down (the ½ marathon is Donald’s race) they set off Fireworks for every wave to go. It was spectacular.

They go through Wave 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, we are up next. Our corral is moving together like one body, we are ready, willing and able to go. Then we start to move to get into position, we walk the walk to the start area. We can now see Donald on the stage, getting ready to give us the go, to start our Wave for the race. I was too far back to go with the leaders, but as he started the count I started to run and hit my GPS, so those who weren’t there could watch me run on their computers. I was earlier than the start line, He quacked “One, Two, Three, GO!” The Fireworks went off and so did we.

I froze, I was moving, but in my mind I froze. What now? I can’t do this! What is the matter with me? I am not a runner! I can’t run 13.1 miles. Who do I think I am? Then I saw it. The reason for this run, the charity we were helping The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. My Grandfather died from Leukemia, so I said to myself “You can do this, you have trained for this for 9 months, and you just ran 12 miles without stopping 2 weeks ago. You can do this!” Then I heard it, a man’s voice, my Grandpa, “We are with you every step of the way.” So I told myself, you can’t cry now girl, you have to run, get going and I did.

I was in a pack of runners, a brand new experience; I kept my head up and just ran. I got water at mile one, felt real good, at about 1½ miles I felt warmer and started to sweat a bit. I needed to get my sweat shirt off, so I moved over to the grass area, stripped, as I was getting back on to the road, my cell phone beeped. I said, “Now who is texting me while I am in the middle of this race?” It was my cousin Megan, who was here to support her friends running in the race and me. She was letting me know where she was I texted back I am running and off I went. Hill number one, it was an exit ramp to get us onto the road to The Magic Kingdom. Not a biggie I was prepared for a hill, but I thought, “Didn’t Reid say it was at the end?” Oh well.

I got to mile 2 and there was no water… What?!? No water, I was told there was water at every mile… Not at two, I don’t think I missed it? Oh, this is not good. Well keep going, get water at mile 3. Miles 3, 4 and 5 were fairly easy. I was at a good pace and feeling comfortable. Now as we were getting ready to enter The Magic Kingdom we had to run into a tunnel, down hill, up hill area. It bottle necked and we were all forced to walk up this hill. So another hill not a big deal and I bet Reid didn’t think of this as a hill or he didn’t know about it, maybe they had changed the course from last year.

Then we were in The Magic Kingdom, now let me say right here, the spectators and the volunteers were awesome. A lot of us had our names on our bibs and the spectators and volunteers would cheer us on or as they say in Disney chEar us on. They would shout out encouragement and use our names, it was truly Magical. As we were coming on to Main Street to head to the Castle I heard my name being screamed several times. I looked over my shoulder and saw Megan, she was cheering me on. It was awesome and made my trip so far to see her there.

Then we were in front of the Castle, there were volunteers standing waiting to take pictures of us with our own cameras in front of the Castle. I took that opportunity to have someone take my picture in front of the Castle. I had decided not to stop to have my picture with any Character along the way unless it was Donald. But I wanted a picture at the half way point. As we came through the Castle (which everyone was screaming and cheering) I saw an official photographer taking photos. I moved over and gave him a thumbs up for my “official” picture on this race.

Now the real work begins, half down, half to go. I was still feeling really good, I was having conversations with my fellow runners, and several of them asked about my shirt we talked about my heart attack and my comeback. I talked to a couple of doctors about it too. I was actually having a really good time, people were encouraging me and I was encouraging others. It was great. Then I hit mile 8, fatigue and light headedness hit me. Ok time for food. I stopped at the water stop; I got water and pulled out my shot blocks (which are a carb & sugar running energy bars), I ate half and downed my water. I waited a minute or two then took off knowing the shot blocks would kick in any minute. I was wrong, I felt better, but not 100 percent. What was going on? Then at mile 10 ½ I had to go to the bathroom. I got off the road, got in line for a Port-a-Potty and then went to pee. Oops not just pee. Oh well at least I shouldn’t have to worry about that other function for a while. I felt better, but still drained. Now about mile 11 is where we hit hill number 3. It was the hill Reid told me about. This one I had to walk up, but no shame in that I was not the only one walking. I was getting excited again, I saw the mile 12 sign I pulled my phone out and texted my Mom. I am at Mile 12. I put the phone back and pushed on. As I looked up I saw other runners that had finished coming back to chEar us on. One looked right at me and said “You can do this; you are almost there,” he held up his medal “look at what you get just less than a mile to go.” I know he was talking to me, cause I must have looked defeated, I felt defeated. But as I was about to give up I thought to myself, “Oh no you don’t, you are doing this for your heart, for your Grandmother, that died from heart disease and for your Grandpa.” Then I heard it again, as I saw another The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society sign, “We are with you every step of the way.”  Again I said, no, you can’t cry, you have to run. Go! Finish this race!

I did get my picture with Donald!

We came into Epcot and ran around the Earth Sphere oh we are almost done. Where is the last marker for mile 13. Come on where is it… There it is only .1 to go; I can see the finish line. I can see it… Oh No, there is Donald, the one Character I want a picture with and there is a line a long one. If I stop, I will not be able to make it across that finish line… Choices. I choose to finish, I will find Donald later. I did it 3:16:43 and it was better than I had anticipated. I was done, I had just completed my first ever ½ marathon a full 13.1 (I actually ran 13.43 miles, cause I started early) miles, I ran the whole thing except for a few places, the hills. I was very excited and proud of myself. I then saw the volunteers giving out our medals, again excitement and the thrill of victory.

Oh, wait what is that feeling? Head rush, spinning feeling, weakness, I need food and water. I kept moving I had to eat and get something to drink. I bypassed the photo opp with my medal. I found the food line and water line. A banana helped, but wait I need a bathroom. Port-a-Potty, thank God for no line, then it hit a bad wave of diarrhea. What was that?

When I was done I met up with my parents, we headed to the car, nope, got to go again, Port-a-Potty. What is happening?

We move on, get to the car and head out of the park and to a restaurant, it hits me again. Now I am getting scared. Needless to say I was not a happy camper. I needed to find out what was happening to me.

Once I got on the internet I found out about Runners Diarrhea. Because I had the flush of liquids from before the race and didn’t realize that I was dehydrated, I didn’t replenish my fluids then it was made worse from running and not getting enough water during the race. Well, lesson learned the hard way. Never again, if I have to over water myself and pee on the side of the road to avoid dehydration I will.

But I have to say all and all a great experience, even the after disaster. I take that and will learn from it. I enjoyed this so much it is now part of who I am. I signed up for my next race a day after this one. The NC ½ marathon at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, I am addicted to running.

“When it comes to running, the easy part is at the finish and the hard part is at the start. But once you put one foot in front of the other, it’s addictive!”

Left to Right: Marie, Reid and Me -

They started this whole journey for me, and I love them for it!