After-Effects of Running

by Maggie
(Indianapolis)

I have been running for about a year, and am currently training for a mini-marathon. Once I got over 7 miles, I had severe gas pains that began about 1/2 hour after I stopped running and would last for 36 hours.

I have learned to deal with this problem by drinking Pedialyte after a run. However, today I ran for 10 miles, and felt really good. I never felt over-stressed but have only once before run 10 (but many other times 8-9).

When I got home, I drank the Pedialyte like usual. Two hours after I stopped running, I suddenly ran into the bathroom and threw up everything in my stomach.

I feel better now, but I don't know what to think. Could I have pushed too hard if my body felt good about the run and wasn't burnt out? It was not hot outside or anything else that could contribute to this. I don't want to be getting sick all the time from running, and I want to continue.

Do you have any suggestions or ideas of how to prevent/move past this?

Thank you!

Answer by Dominique:

Hi Maggie,
Thanks for your running question. I moved it to the running injury section, as it has to do with discomfort during or after the run.

I am not a doctor and I would definitely encourage you to seek a doctor's advice on this if your problems keep continuing.

Having said that, whenever I have had issues with gas, diarrhoea etc. after a run I usually could track it down to either what I ate or drank during or before the run or speed or length of the run.

What you eat and drink as wel as exertion can have a bad effect on you. What the cause for you is? I don't know. I guess you have to experiment a bit. Keep a log so you know what you have been eating and drinking when this happens.

If it is always only on longer distances, then yes, maybe you need to consider your training schedule and build up your mileage a bit slower or need to adjust the pace of your runs.

I am sorry I cannot give you a clear-cut answer. This one can have multiple causes so I hope I have at least pointed you to some of those. Now it is up to you to basically eliminate certain factors and pin-point others.