Runner's diarrhea

Runner's diarrhea
Other names	Runner's colitis, runner's trots, Indian shimmy
Specialty	Sports medicine, Gastroenterology
Symptoms	Urgent need for bowel movement during or after running
Causes	Ischemia, mechanical trauma, diet
Treatment	Rest, fluid and electrolyte replacement

Runner's diarrhea, also known as runner's colitis, ^[1] the Indian shimmy ^[2] or runner's trots ^[3] is a condition that often affects distance runners characterized by an urgent need for a bowel movement mid-run.

Causes

The causes of runner's diarrhea remain under debate, although several theories include ischemia and mechanical trauma. The reduced incidence of diarrhea in cyclists would indicate the latter. ^[4] Diet is often cited as a common cause of diarrhea in distance runners. ^[5]

Treatment

Runner's diarrhea will normally clear up by itself from several hours to two days after running. As with all forms of diarrhea, replacement of fluids and electrolytes is advisable. Methods to prevent runner's diarrhea will vary between individuals, although it is advisable to consider examining the pre-running diet to determine potential trigger foods. ^[6]

Notable cases

• At the 1998 London Marathon, winner Catherina McKiernan suffered from recurrent diarrhea during the race. ^[7]

• At the 2005 London Marathon, winner Paula Radcliffe, in desperate need for a toilet break during the race, stopped by the road in full view of the crowd and live TV cameras and defecated. She later blamed a surfeit of pasta and grilled salmon from the previous night for the incident. ^[8]

• At the 2008 Göteborgsvarvet half marathon, Mikael Ekvall finished the race in 21st place in spite of being stained with his own excrement. A reporter asked him if he had ever considered stopping to clean off. He explained: "No, I'd lose time. […] If you quit once, it's easy to do it again and again and again. It becomes a habit." ^[9]

• At the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's 50 kilometres walk, Yohann Diniz led the race, but due to gastrointestinal issues, he fainted multiple times midrace. He was able to recover and finish in 8th place, six minutes behind the winner Matej Tóth, however he was disqualified immediately after finishing the race for drinking outside of designated hydration stations. ^[10]

• At the 2019 Perm International Marathon, Alexander Novikov  [ ru ] finished first despite suffering from a bout of diarrhea, which left his clothes sodden. ^[11]

• At the 2024 Boston Marathon, Davis Clarke finished in 2 hours and 56 minutes after he soiled his shorts toward the end of the race. ^[12]

References

1. "Ask the Doctor: Runner's Colitis". Runner's World. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
2. "Runner's Diarrhea: Causes And Prevention". Rockay. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
3. Contributors, WebMD Editorial. "What to Know About Runner's Trot". WebMD. Retrieved 7 September 2023.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
4. Halvorsen, F-A.; Lyng, J.; Glomsaker, T.; Ritland, S. (December 1990). "Gastrointestinal disturbances in marathon runners". British Journal of Sports Medicine . 24 (4): 266–268. doi:10.1136/bjsm.24.4.266. PMC   1478906 . PMID   2097027.
5. Noakes, Tim (2003). Lore of Running (4 ed.). Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics. p. 582. ISBN   0-87322-959-2.
6. "Runner's Diarrhea: How To Soothe Your System And Get Back To Running". 13 January 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
7. "McKiernan answers the call for McColgan". The Herald . 26 April 1998. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
8. Innes, John (18 April 2005). "Relief all round after Paula pauses on road to glory". The Scotsman . Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
9. Hathaway, Jay (23 January 2015). "What Happened to the Runner Who Shit Himself During a Half-Marathon?". Gawker . Retrieved 17 July 2018.
10. Augustine, Bernie (19 August 2016). "It looks like French race walker Yohann Diniz pooped his pants mid-race at the Olympics". New York Daily News . Retrieved 12 September 2019.
11. "Российский чемпион в фекалиях выиграл международный марафон". Obozrevatel (in Russian). 11 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
12. Waller, John (17 April 2024). "Local influencer Davis Clarke breaks 3 hours in Boston Marathon, pushes himself… maybe a little too far?". Boston.com . Retrieved 29 April 2024.