Have you ever had the urge to poop during or after exercise? It hits your abdomen like a ton of bricks as your intestines begin to feel heavy.
You hustle to the toilet and make it in the nick-of-time, where you proceed to unload your waste into the commode. Ah, what a relief.
If you’re getting back into shape the timing might be obvious. Every time you begin exercising you feel it, or it appears after you’ve finished a hard workout.
Much like Pavlov’s dog, you train yourself to visit the porcelain throne before or after the workout. If your workouts have been consistent over the years, you might not even notice your pooping habits. It might be your “normal”.
Lessons From The Poo Bandit (On A School Track In New Jersey)
Recently, a poo story made national headlines. It covered the mystery of the Holmdel High School (New Jersey) poo person who left a steamy gift each morning beside the school’s track.
Each day, the football coaches would come across the scat, which appeared to come from a large animal.
The football coaches became fed up with the daily occurrence and eventually reached out to the local authorities. From there, the news broke and a sting operation netted the culprit (allegedly the school district superintendent).
It was an odd story, but it highlights a problem that so many people face each day while training: the urge to poop mid-run.
What happens to the many people who have to go while on the track or at the gym? What about those in a marathon or road race?
In serious races, it’s not uncommon to see runners defecate while running (yes, there are photos if you search for them). It’s a bit gross but when you’re trying to get a new personal best time, the toilet will have to wait.
Those training at a gym or running at a school track will usually have a toilet they can use, but they will have to take a short break from exercising to use it.
According to the journal Sports Medicine, 30-50% of athletes experience gastrointestinal complaints that impair performance. The article goes on to share,
“Three main causes of gastrointestinal symptoms have been identified, and these are either physiological, mechanical, or nutritional in nature. During intense exercise, and especially when hypohydrated, mesenteric blood flow is reduced; this is believed to be one of the main contributors to the development of gastrointestinal symptoms.”
Another journal, The Physician and Sportsmedicine, finds that diarrhea can also be a symptom of exercise-induced gastrointestinal problems.
The reasons for exercised-induced pooping make sense. Whether you’re running or lifting weights, your bowels will be bouncing around. The organic matter in your intestines will be stirred and shaken and muscles around the abdomen will be flexed and may mimic the flexion used to expel waste into a toilet.
Another factor with mid-exercising pooping is colonic motility. Colonic motility is the frequency and consistency of stools, which may be different for each person.
There’s a saying in poop research circles that says “3 times a day or 3 times a week”. Pooping in “3’s” are perceived as natural, but it’s a wide range.
Running can affect colonic motility and speed up the urge to defecate, especially if you’re involved in distance running or extreme exercise.
So What Do You Do When You Have To Poo
With most things in life, preparation is everything. It’s easy to forget to poop before exercise. In many instances, you won’t have to go prior to exercise, so being conscious of the situation helps.
- A visit to the restroom could help force out some waste so the urge isn’t as bad once you begin exercising
- Timing the run or workout to be near a restroom will also help and provide a mid-run pit stop
- Understanding your diet will also help with gastrointestinal issues while exercising. Should you really have eaten the greasy pizza or the spicy burrito the night before your exercise? Eating healthy, low-fat meals with high fiber will make your stools harder and easier to manage while training.
- Give yourself time after the exercise to relax and get everything out. We live in a fast-paced world and we’re always on the go. Plan to be at home for 30 minutes after your workout to allow your bowels to settle.
- Hydrate properly with plenty of water and less sugary drinks and coffee. Dehydration is known to increase gastrointestinal discomfort and can reduce the chance of diarrhea-like symptoms while training.
- Take cleaning supplies with you just in case. If you’re worried about not having a toilet while training, bring a handful of toilet paper and a plastic bag. Be prepared to clean up after yourself (it’s the responsible thing to do).
Conclusion
If you exercise regularly, you may have noticed your urge to poop during or after your workout. You’re flexing muscles, pushing and pulling, and your intestine is bouncing around.
Your body might be thinking “let’s eject this waste so we can perform better”, but unfortunately the sensation interrupts your exercise and you waddle away to find a toilet.
If you exercise on your way to work or on your lunch break, finding a toilet can be problematic. Take the mystery pooper at Holmdel High School for example.
The alleged person responsible exercised in the early morning hours and didn’t have access to a restroom. Popping a squat on the football field was easy enough but the individual failed to clean up.
The need to poop after or during exercise is completely normal. There’s even some research behind it.
Plan ahead, assess your diet, make sure you’re hydrated, and make sure you have clean up materials with you. Even if you’re prepared, you never know when that rumbling will occur.
Thanks for reading another Toilet Travels blog article. Pooping is our business and toilets are essential!