Considering the fact that running is supposed to be good for you, it’s amazing how many aches and ailments running seems to bring to the table. Everything from sore knees to chaffed armpits can turn a morning run from a refreshing way to start the day to an annoying activity that can’t end soon enough. However, almost nothing stops runners in their tracks more often than stomach ailments and, frustratingly, these ailments may seem to pop up out of nowhere during a run that was otherwise completely enjoyable.
The good news is that stomach ailments are fairly avoidable as long as you plan ahead and understand what your body needs before a run. The key is to understanding what kind of stomach issues your body tends to suffer from, so you know which plan of attack to take. Here’s a look at prevention tips for some of the most common stomach ailments that strike during a run:
(1) A burning feeling in your chest that starts while you’re running. The burning that you feel in your chest is likely acid reflux (commonly known as heartburn) and it’s an incredibly common and very uncomfortable fact of life for many people. The feeling hits because stomach acid is coming up and hitting the sensitive tissue of the esophagus, either because the stomach is too full or because you’ve eaten something that has triggered the release of a large amount of stomach acid.
To avoid encountering acid reflux on a run, you should eat a few small meals instead of one large meal, and try not to run within three hours of eating a meal. (If necessary, have a small snack before your morning run instead and refuel fully when you get home.) You can also avoid heartburn if you avoid laying down right after you eat and stay away from acidic foods, such as coffee or spicy dishes.
(2) Pain from gas and bloating. As more media attention has turned to eating healthy foods, more people have found themselves suffering from intense and excessive gas and bloating during their morning runs. The culprit? Fiber. Fiber is great for your digestive system and it can be a key part of a healthy weight loss program. Unfortunately, fiber is so good for your digestive system that it keeps it going at full speed by requiring intestinal bacteria to work overtime breaking down indigestible foods. As a result, the bacteria produces gas, which is trapped in your gastrointestinal tract in the form of gassy bloating.
To avoid painful gas and bloating during your run, don’t eat high-fiber foods within an hour of setting out on the road. If you have a big race or event coming up, skip high-fiber foods for the full day prior to the event to make sure that you aren’t tripped up by a combination of high-fiber foods and pre-race jitters (which often cause runners to swallow air and exacerbate the bloating problem). If you do find that you nervously swallow air before a race, be sure to eat small meals slowly and take slow, relaxed breaths to avoid trapping air inside of your gastrointestinal tract.
(3) The sudden need to go to the bathroom. Many runners suffer from a less-than-glamorous midrun ailment that is so common it has come to be known as “runner’s trots”. Basically, your gastrointestinal tract receives less blood while you’re running, which causes it to function poorly and eventually give up on correctly processing your food and waste. This is especially likely if you’re going on a long run.
To avoid the need for an urgent bathroom break in the middle of your run, avoid high-fiber foods before running and don’t eat or drink anything that would normally stimulate intestinal motion (such as coffee, greasy foods, or anything that you know your body doesn’t hang onto well). If you get dehydrated, your stomach has an even harder time functioning and the problem will only get worse, so get plenty of water during your run and skip the extra carbs, since they’ll add to the problem rather than settle your stomach.
