Drinking/eating while running troubles!

[JTri's]

I've been a cyclist for a few years and really have the nutrition aspect nailed when I'm on my bike....but I started running a few months ago and find I have a big problem drinking water when I'm running because it gives me a terrible side stitch.

When I'm on a run of less than 5 miles I don't worry about it so much, and often put water in my mouth, drink a tiny bit and then spit the rest out. But lately my runs are getting longer, of course, and I'm going to HAVE to figure out how to hydrate! This weekend I have an 8 mile run scheduled and I hope to both drink water and try a goo (yeah, I'm optimistic if nothing else :)

How do all of you established runners drink without getting a side ache? Is there a technique I could try? Any hints are really appreciated!

[KnottedYet]

Unfortunately, the studies I've read point to the volume of fluid as being the side-stitch culprit. (even in tests where subjects drank a non-absorbing fluid vs an absorbing fluid like water)

I guess if you are suseptible to side-stitches you'll just have to drink lots of little sips often, so it absorbs steadily and you're not asking your gut to carry the weight of a bolus of water? Hydrate a lot in the hours before a long run?

(it's the volume/weight that seems to trigger the stitch when drinking is involved)

[KSH]

Well, for me it was just a matter of getting my body use to drinking while I was running. I do sip small portions though and space them out a lot. I can't run by an aid station and drink a cup of water.

For longer runs, I do eat Accel Gel (has a 4:1 Carb/protein ratio). It works for my stomach... but again... I don't down the whole gel at once... I slowly eat it over about 10 minutes. I do this to ensure that I don't dump too much in my stomach at once.

Good luck!

[VeloVT]

I trained for a marathon this spring, then got injured 4 weeks before the race and couldn't run... But here's what has worked for me: for runs 12 miles or less, I rely on hydrating before and after the run and don't bother bringing water. For runs of 14 miles or more, I'll bring my camel back, and I do take small sips often. I have not had a problem with side stitches. However, I haven't raced yet (I have another marathon planned next spring -- same one I was going to run this year), and I know I'll have to practice taking larger drinks at some point because I don't plan on carrying water with me, so I'll have to rely on aid-stations. Bear in mind, most of the serious training I've done has not been in extreme heat -- if I were to run in hotter weather I'd probably start carrying water starting at 10 or 12 miles (but prob not much shorter than that).

Basically I think practice is the key, experiment and see what you can tolerate. I think I read somewhere that it takes about 20 minutes to absorb water, and that drinking more than 8 oz every 20 minutes or so is likely to cause stomach distress for runners... and unfortunately this means that on hot days/long runs, it's impossible to keep up with your fluid loss. However performance begins to drop at fairly low levels of dehydration, so you have to find out where that line is for you!

I also don't bother with gel unless I'm running 16 miles or more. The average person has enough glycogen stored in his or her muscles to fuel a couple of hours, so you really shouldn't need to worry about bringing GU on an 8-mile run. But sometimes I think beans/gels provide as much of a psychological boost as a physical one, and if that helps, go for it -- but if you have a sensitive stomach, may be better to skip it if you can. I find I can use some brands of gel but not others -- GU, strangely, bothers my stomach when I run, but I'm fine with Powergel and Hammergel. I have found that I can take these "in one gulp", too. But that's another thing that you just have to try and see what works for you -- it will likely be different than what works for the next person.

Good luck!!!!

[KSH]

But here's what has worked for me: for runs 12 miles or less, I rely on hydrating before and after the run and don't bother bringing water.

Well, I don't know where the orginal thread starter lives... but this is not good for someone who lives in warm or humid environments. Vermont, you do not so this seems reasonable.

For me... I live in Texas. There is no way I could make it 12 miles or less without any water. The humidity is so bad here I am dripping with sweat 1 mile into a run. The heat is a killer too. It got down to 88 degrees yesterday and that was a COLD day in August.

I just wanted to point that out, because sometimes people don't think about where they are and if the advice would apply to their particular situation. Dehydration and heat exhaustion can be very serious. I would hate to see the original poster take what works for you and aplly it to them if they live where it is hot.

[JTri's]

I live in San Jose, California and it can be hot here, but even if I was running someplace cooler 12 miles with no liquids would leave me with energy troubles. Of course, it depends on how fast you're running, and lets just say that it is gonna take me awhile to run 12 miles.

I'm going to start by taking frequent small sips of water. I'll try one every 15or 20 minutes.

I've read that after an hour and a half of running, you should start taking in some calories, and with my biking I have found that this is true for me. So, I'm also going to try "sipping" a hammergel on my 8 mile run this weekend. I think I could divide that into 3-4 sips.

I'll let you all know how it goes and thanks for the suggestions! I appreciate them all!

[VeloVT]

I don't know what your goals are as a runner, so this may not apply to your situation, so please give me a pass if it doesn't :o . I'm really not trying to sound preachy or like some sort of know-it-all so I really hope it doesn't come across that way. This is just my take, based on reading I've done. But this is the reason for my comments on gel use above.

If you are trying to build endurance for long events (half-marathon to marathon), one of the favorable adaptations of training is that your body actually becomes faster and more efficient at producing energy aerobically (if you are interested you can find information on how this happens, chemically -- I'm not able to explain that process though :D ). I can confirm from experience that this happens -- when you first start training, if you're a little out of shape, a 6 mile run might be tiring. After six weeks of training, you're doing 12 miles before work without batting an eyelash. Two more weeks and after 12 miles you feel totally revved, with enough energy to sprint the last half-mile. And so on. To acheive this benefit though, you have to subject your system to stress beyond its current abilities (just like when you're lifting weights, you want to lift to failure). If you go too easy on it you don't stimulate these adaptations. By using gels on runs that aren't so long that you're already at the outer limits of your body's ability to produce energy (or, near the end of the glucose stored in your muscles), you risk slowing the rate at which your body adapts and gains endurance.

For me, and I acknowledge that this may be completely personal and not true for other people, running is not the same as cycling at all in terms of energy balance (I drink like a fiend on the bike and try to keep a steady flow of calories too). This may be because I'm currently a more efficient runner than cyclist. (It may also have something to do with the fact that the culture and therefore literature of running with regards to nutrition is still somewhat different than the culture of cycling or tri).

Just another set of opinions to take or leave. I hope you are having fun with your running!

[JTri's]

Hi Liza, thanks for your comments. I am indeed a new runner, so I am still finding out what works for me.

I've done a lot of reading though, and from what I read gels start helping after your muscles have burned off the stored glycogen, which usually happens after about an hour, at least thats form what I've read, but you seem to think it lasts for two hours or more...I'll have to keep researching.

So far, I've felt great after all my "long" runs, the longest of which has been 8miles, but I am not exactly fast. At 12 min a mile, I'm out there for well over an hour. And, I'll be out there for a longer time for that half marathon. I want to finish feeling as great as I do now, on my shorter runs, which is why I'll use a gel as my runs get longer. I may not need one on these 8-9 mile runs, but I want to get my stomach and GI tract a test run a few times to see how I tolerate them.

This weekend, I practiced drinking plain water (small sips!), and felt good the whole 8miles. I was delighted. I must have been taking larger drinks before without realizing it. I felt much less thristy after my run and ended with a good sprint. Before, I was feeling so parched that it was uncomfortable, so I'll continue to practice my little sips of water technique.

[KSH]

Happy to hear that taking small sips of water helped!

Also, if you do move into doing gels on runs... I would suggest putting the gel into a gel flask. You can buy them at running stores. They can hold up to 4 gel packets in them and they make it so easy to sip on gel as you run.

The downside for me was that it got all shook up in the bottle and I couldn't tell how much I had taken in by the end. So, I didn't get all the gel in that I needed. Next time I'll take gel sips every 15 mins versus 30 mins on my long runs (12 miles).

[colby]

I like the flask, too, but I've lost a couple. ;) After you get used to it, you can judge the amount you're supposed to take in pretty well -- for me one big slurp is about right. You could also dilute it that way if you didn't like the texture or wanted it a little more liquidy.

I do really like using my Camelbak because then I can drink as I please, instead of having to wait for an aid station for water, and then gulp it down all at once, which makes my tummy feel sloshy. It might not cause side stitches, but it feels weird. I can take in a whole gel and a few long sips of water, but beyond that, it feels icky.

I generally go by the "more than an hour of running = carry water and food" rule, but I live in a not so humid climate. I do also have to make sure that I'm hydrated ahead of time no matter what or I get to the point where my temp starts rising and feel thirsty. ;)