Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

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Holly S.

1,828 posts since
Nov 26, 2007

Aug 24, 2007 12:20 PM

Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

So indelicate, I know, but the question had to be asked. Just curious. Anyone ever make it through a whole marathon without stopping to pee? And peeing down your leg while running doesn?t count?(I?ve actually had several people ask me about that when they find out I?m hoping to run a marathon?this is something I wasn?t aware people did?) I make regular stops, and I know this must be factored into my projected marathon time. On my LRs I don?t hydrate nearly enough just to avoid frequent stops. Tough to find that balance between enough hydration and too many stops when you have a bladder the size of a walnut. The HM I ran in May, I had to pee nearly the whole race, but didn?t. Then, when I had finished, I didn?t have to go any more. But that?s only 2 hours. I know I can?t go twice that long without a stop.

Based on the HM I ran in May, McMillan projects a marathon finishing time of 3:51:55 ? that?s within 2 minutes of a BQ. Although I have serious doubts about the accuracy of this extrapolation, what if McMillan is actually right about what I am capable of? I?d hate to miss a BQ because of a potty stop. Truthfully, I doubt that it will make a difference anyway, but still, it?d be nice to come as close as I can.

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Holly[/URL" target="_blank">

Tamalina

1,594 posts since
Aug 14, 2007

1. Aug 24, 2007 12:27 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

well, obviously I've never run a marathon so don't have personal experience to share, but it's something I've never really thought much of so I'll be interested in the responses. On my one only HM, I never stopped to use the facilities and never even felt the urge too, despite carrying along a 16oz bottle of my sekrit elixir and drinking almost the entire thing during the half. I must have been sweating it all out.

Mc Bride

1,911 posts since
Nov 9, 2007

2. Aug 24, 2007 12:29 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Did you stop during your ORRC marathon?

rochrunner

952 posts since
Aug 14, 2007

3. Aug 24, 2007 12:30 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

For what it's worth, I can think of only one time where I had to stop during a race to go, and that includes having run 3 marathons and several halves. In fact, a couple of times I've started while having a slight need to go, but then it's always gone away after a couple of miles. And at my age, I normally have to go quite a bit more often than I did in my 40s.

It seems like if you start out at the proper hydration level, and then take in what you need during the race, you should not have any excess to get rid of.

And on a similar subject, I am a bit skeptical about the need to "hydrate" yourself in the days leading up to a race. Where is it that all that extra water is supposed to be going? If you were actually "retaining" it in some way, then you should also be gaining weight at the rate of one pound per pint of "hydration". All it's done for sure for me the last couple of days is to have me heading for the restroom at least once every 30 minutes or less!

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- Runnin' in Rochester

Rochrunner[/URL" target="_blank">

Holly S.

1,828 posts since
Nov 26, 2007

4. Dec 23, 2007 6:20 AM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Ilene - I did stop once, at about 6 miles, during my March semi-marathon. After my HM in May, I wondered if I could have ignored the urge and just kept going without stopping.

Tammy - (to hijack my own thread), I have heard you talk about your sekrit elixer and I am curious about it. I have been making a Gatorade Endurance look-a-like using cherry Kool-Aid as the flavor base, from a recipe someone posted a while back. Is your elixer similar to that?

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Holly[/URL" target="_blank">

http://This message has been edited by hollys4874 (edited Aug-24-2007).

rosecoloredglasses

861 posts since
Aug 12, 2005

5. Aug 24, 2007 12:36 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Holly,
I have only stopped once to "go" during a race. I have run numerous halves and 11 full marathons.

I had to stop around mile 20 of the Gateway to the Pacific marathon due to girly issues.

Actually, I have rarely had to stop to void during any training runs. I think I sweat out every ounce of liquid that needs to be excreted.

Kegel kegel kegel

mountmars

446 posts since
Feb 10, 2004

6. Aug 24, 2007 12:40 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

For the purpose of your stats, I've run nine marathons, only stopped to pee in one of them, my second, about 5 miles in.

I've run well over a dozen HM, only needed to stop in one of them, last year... and in fact, I needed to visit the PoP 3 times during the race.

That's it.

BTW, I usually try to time things so I can do all of my business sometime in the last 20 minutes before the gun goes off.

Mars

Head Band Bill

805 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

7. Aug 24, 2007 12:41 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Holly,

I think the key is to hydrate well about 2 hours before starting the race and not much after that. Then when everyone and their brother line up at the porta-potties seconds before the start, you'll be there too, letting off the excess from the last hydration.

Given all this, once the race starts, drink enough to stay hydrated, but don't drink so much that it goes right through you (or sloshes around in your stomach).

I've run 4 HM's and the Disney Full and have never had to stop during the race yet (knocking loudly on wood).

Bill

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Mc Bride

1,911 posts since
Nov 9, 2007

8. Aug 24, 2007 12:50 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

The other strategy is to train your speed at the port-a-john. I have it down to a minute or less for pee stops.

DAVIDR262

46 posts since
Jul 9, 2007

9. Aug 24, 2007 12:50 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

What I try to do is from around mile 7 and on I will look for a port of john that is open. If I find one I will go whether or not I need to. Then I can make it to the end without needing to stop. By mile 7 the crouwd has usually spread out enough so I can normally find one that is open. This way I don't lose much time.

Tamalina

1,594 posts since
Aug 14, 2007

10. Aug 24, 2007 12:55 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Holly - the sekrit elixir I use (and John uses as well - although he calls it Goddess Endurance Powder) is actually a tablet I add to my water, called motortabs. You can check it out at motortabs.com . I know the guy that developed these and he's doing quite while with sales, mostly in the cyclist arena at this point, because he's a cyclist so that's where he started marketing. But more and more runners and triathletes are trying it and liking it and in the relatively short period of time he's developed and marketed these products, his company has grown significantly. I like these tablets because they are not overly sweet tasting like some others I've tried and I notice a difference in my endurance and how I feel when I hydrate with these on my longer runs.

I'm happy to send you a few samples if you want to email me your address: tlkmoore at hotmail dot com

fatozzig039

486 posts since
Aug 9, 2006

11. Aug 24, 2007 12:55 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

I do mostly trail running, my longest to date being 16.6 miles. I go before I head out and only once have had to stop in the middle, and that was during a training run and not the race. I manage my fluid intake by taking 3-4 good sips every 15 minutes. I don't get the sloshing in my stomach, and I sweat enough for everything to balance out. But I'd always rather have to stop and go than underhydrate and bonk. Not a good feeling at all.

Good luck!

evanflein

1,279 posts since
Aug 14, 2007

12. Aug 24, 2007 12:56 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Holly you're too funny. Count on you to post this. But really, it's something I'm sure a lot of people wonder about, but don't put it in print! Anyhow, I've never had to stop during a race to go. I try to drink well the night before (I'm up a couple times every night anyway, might as well visit the loo), and like Berger try to time my last drink of water an hour or so before start time. I give myself many stops to the bathroom before I leave the house/hotel, then one last stop at the PoP lines before the race. That's it. My biggest fear is bowel issues, actually. I have problems with that on some long runs, but then I don't prep for them quite like I do a race...

As for the McMillen calculator... I was surprised how accurate it was for all distances up to the marathon. I blew the marathon thing by starting out too fast and then struggling to the end. But it forecast a 3:39 marathon for me... which is what got me believing I could do a 3:45 (which was Berger's prediction, and I "could've" done it if I hadn't been stoopid).

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HDH

335 posts since
Aug 19, 2007

13. Aug 24, 2007 1:00 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

Never stopped in 6 maratons but I have done the "down the leg" thing.

Luckily, it was on a very rainy day so probably not that noticible.

Dove02

186 posts since
Sep 27, 2007

14. Aug 24, 2007 1:06 PM

in response to: Holly S.

Re: Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

I've run straight through at least half my 18 marathons. It seems to depend on how much the race means to me... if I'm just running a marathon as a training run, I allow myself all kinds of time to take potty breaks, walk, chat, whatever I feel like. If I'm focused on a time goal or AG placement I run straight through. I've found my mind-set can overcome physical need (to a point).

-Dove

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Aug 24, 2007 12:20 PM

Anyone make it through a marathon without stopping?

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