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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
Created page with "The table below lists some of the possible problems you may encounter during an ultramarathon, along with possible causes, treatments and preventions. Continuing a race when y..."
The table below lists some of the possible problems you may encounter during an ultramarathon, along with possible causes, treatments and preventions. Continuing a race when you have a problem entails some degree of risk, and these problems can impair your judgment, so use caution. This list is not comprehensive, and is expected to change over time.
{| class="wikitable"
!Symptom!!Possible Cause!!Possible Treatment!!Possible Prevention
|-
|rowspan="8"| Nausea/Vomiting/Stomach ache
|Overeating
|
* Reduce calorie intake
* Ginger or mints may help
|
* Eat what appeals
|-
|Going too fast
|
* Slow up, possibly dramatically until things improve
|
* Better pacing
|-
|Excessive fluid intake
|
* Reduce fluid intake
|
* Drink to thirst
|-
|Too much salt
|
* Restrict salt intake
* Be careful with [[Electrolyte Capsules]] to balance them against fluid intake.
|
* Balance salt intake with fluid intake
* Avoid [[Electrolyte Capsules]]
|-
|[[NSAIDs_and_Running| NSAIDs]]
|
* Avoid NSAIDs
|
* Avoid NSAIDs
|-
|Infection
|
* Sorry, better luck next time
|
* Careful hygiene
|-
|Change in intestinal bacteria (due to traveling)
|
* Sorry, better luck next time
|
* Travel earlier
* Avoid non-bottled water.
|-
|Constipation<ref>It's unusual for constipation to cause nausea, but it can happen</ref>
|
* Higher fiber intake
* Stay hydrated
|
* Higher fiber intake
|-
|Tight waist band
|
* Loosen anything around your waist or pressing on your abdomen
|
* Avoid whatever caused the pressure
|-
|rowspan="3"| Fatigue/sleepiness
|Low blood sugar
|
* Take something sweet or a Gel
|
* Take carbs earlier
|-
|You're running an ultra (what did you expect?)
|
* Caffeine, short nap
|
|-
|Thinking about the time
|
* Ignore the time of day and focus on the hours
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Depression
|Low blood sugar
|
* Take something sweet or a [[Comparison_of_Energy_Gels| Gel]]
|
* Take carbs earlier
|-
|You're running an ultra (what did you expect?)
|
* Music
* Positive thinking
* Keep moving and wait for it to pass
* Have a good cry
* Don't think about how far you have to go
|
|-
|rowspan="7"| Headache
|Low blood sugar
|
* Take something sweet or a [[Comparison_of_Energy_Gels| Gel]]
|
* Take carbs earlier
|-
|Tight hat
|
* Loosen hat
|
* [[The_Golden_Rule_of_Racing| The Golden Rule of Racing]]
|-
|Lack of sleep
|
* Short nap
|
|-
|Caffeine withdrawal
|
* Take caffeine
|
* Monitor caffeine intake
* Consider abstaining from caffeine for 1-2 weeks before the race
|-
|Overheating
|
* Slow down or stop
* Remove excess clothing
|
* See [[Running in the Heat]]
|-
|Dehydration
|
* Drink more
* Keep salt intake high
* Slow down or stop
|
* See [[Practical Hydration]]
|-
|Altitude sickness
|
* [[Viagra,_Exercise_and_Altitude| Viagra for Altitude]]
* Descend
|
* Altitude training
* [[Viagra,_Exercise_and_Altitude| Viagra for Altitude]]
|-
|rowspan="2"| Heartburn
|Eating 'wrong' foods
|
* Antacid tablets
* Eat what appeals
* Avoid what triggered the heartburn
|
* Avoid what triggered the heartburn
|-
|Stress
|
* Try to relax
|
* Visualization
* Preperation
|-
|Blisters
|See [[Blister Prevention]]
|
* [[Taping]]
|
* See [[Blister Prevention]]
|-
|rowspan="3"| Bloating or gas
|Overeating
|
* Reduce calorie intake
* Gas-x
|
* Eat when hungry
|-
|Eating beans or other gassy foods
|
* Gas-x
|
* Change diet before and during the race
|-
|Antibiotics
|
* Gas-x
|
* Take yoghurt to help compensate
|-
|rowspan="7"| Diarrhea
|Infection
|
* Consider Imodium<ref name="Imodium"/>
|
* Careful hygiene
|-
|[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrocolic_reflex Gastrocolic reflex]<ref>Not normally diarrhea, but the strong urge to defecate</ref>
|
* Some foods are a stronger stimulus of this reflex, so avoid those foods
|
* Avoid triggering foods
|-
|Too much fiber
|
* Consider Imodium<ref name="Imodium"/>
|
* Carefully reduce [[Fiber]] intake before the race
|-
|Change in intestinal bacteria (due to traveling)
|
* Consider Imodium<ref name="Imodium"/>
|
* Travel earlier
* Avoid non-bottled water.
|-
|Too much isolated [[Fructose]]
|
* Stop [[Fructose]] intake
|
* Avoid foods high in fructose
|-
|Dairy (lactose intolerant)
|
* Stop dairy intake (read the ingredients)
|
* Avoid dairy
|-
|[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischemic_colitis Ischemic colitis]
|
* Stay hydrated
|
* Stay hydrated
|-
|Antibiotics
|
* Sorry, better luck next time
|* Take yoghurt to help compensate
|-
|rowspan="2"| Weak legs
|[[Delayed_Onset_Muscle_Soreness| DOMS]]
|
* [[Caffeine]]
|
* [[Downhill Running]]
|-
|[[Glycogen| Glycogen depletion]]
|
* Take something sweet or a [[Comparison_of_Energy_Gels| Gel]]
* Increase carbohydrate intake
* Caffeine to increase carbohydrate absorption
|
* [[Carbohydrate Loading]]
|}
=Notes=
<references>
<ref name="Imodium"> Imodium ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loperamide Loperamide]) is an anti-diarrhea mediation, but it works by slowing the progress of material through the digestive tract. Some runners find this makes the problem worse, acting like a cork.</ref>
</references>
{| class="wikitable"
!Symptom!!Possible Cause!!Possible Treatment!!Possible Prevention
|-
|rowspan="8"| Nausea/Vomiting/Stomach ache
|Overeating
|
* Reduce calorie intake
* Ginger or mints may help
|
* Eat what appeals
|-
|Going too fast
|
* Slow up, possibly dramatically until things improve
|
* Better pacing
|-
|Excessive fluid intake
|
* Reduce fluid intake
|
* Drink to thirst
|-
|Too much salt
|
* Restrict salt intake
* Be careful with [[Electrolyte Capsules]] to balance them against fluid intake.
|
* Balance salt intake with fluid intake
* Avoid [[Electrolyte Capsules]]
|-
|[[NSAIDs_and_Running| NSAIDs]]
|
* Avoid NSAIDs
|
* Avoid NSAIDs
|-
|Infection
|
* Sorry, better luck next time
|
* Careful hygiene
|-
|Change in intestinal bacteria (due to traveling)
|
* Sorry, better luck next time
|
* Travel earlier
* Avoid non-bottled water.
|-
|Constipation<ref>It's unusual for constipation to cause nausea, but it can happen</ref>
|
* Higher fiber intake
* Stay hydrated
|
* Higher fiber intake
|-
|Tight waist band
|
* Loosen anything around your waist or pressing on your abdomen
|
* Avoid whatever caused the pressure
|-
|rowspan="3"| Fatigue/sleepiness
|Low blood sugar
|
* Take something sweet or a Gel
|
* Take carbs earlier
|-
|You're running an ultra (what did you expect?)
|
* Caffeine, short nap
|
|-
|Thinking about the time
|
* Ignore the time of day and focus on the hours
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Depression
|Low blood sugar
|
* Take something sweet or a [[Comparison_of_Energy_Gels| Gel]]
|
* Take carbs earlier
|-
|You're running an ultra (what did you expect?)
|
* Music
* Positive thinking
* Keep moving and wait for it to pass
* Have a good cry
* Don't think about how far you have to go
|
|-
|rowspan="7"| Headache
|Low blood sugar
|
* Take something sweet or a [[Comparison_of_Energy_Gels| Gel]]
|
* Take carbs earlier
|-
|Tight hat
|
* Loosen hat
|
* [[The_Golden_Rule_of_Racing| The Golden Rule of Racing]]
|-
|Lack of sleep
|
* Short nap
|
|-
|Caffeine withdrawal
|
* Take caffeine
|
* Monitor caffeine intake
* Consider abstaining from caffeine for 1-2 weeks before the race
|-
|Overheating
|
* Slow down or stop
* Remove excess clothing
|
* See [[Running in the Heat]]
|-
|Dehydration
|
* Drink more
* Keep salt intake high
* Slow down or stop
|
* See [[Practical Hydration]]
|-
|Altitude sickness
|
* [[Viagra,_Exercise_and_Altitude| Viagra for Altitude]]
* Descend
|
* Altitude training
* [[Viagra,_Exercise_and_Altitude| Viagra for Altitude]]
|-
|rowspan="2"| Heartburn
|Eating 'wrong' foods
|
* Antacid tablets
* Eat what appeals
* Avoid what triggered the heartburn
|
* Avoid what triggered the heartburn
|-
|Stress
|
* Try to relax
|
* Visualization
* Preperation
|-
|Blisters
|See [[Blister Prevention]]
|
* [[Taping]]
|
* See [[Blister Prevention]]
|-
|rowspan="3"| Bloating or gas
|Overeating
|
* Reduce calorie intake
* Gas-x
|
* Eat when hungry
|-
|Eating beans or other gassy foods
|
* Gas-x
|
* Change diet before and during the race
|-
|Antibiotics
|
* Gas-x
|
* Take yoghurt to help compensate
|-
|rowspan="7"| Diarrhea
|Infection
|
* Consider Imodium<ref name="Imodium"/>
|
* Careful hygiene
|-
|[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrocolic_reflex Gastrocolic reflex]<ref>Not normally diarrhea, but the strong urge to defecate</ref>
|
* Some foods are a stronger stimulus of this reflex, so avoid those foods
|
* Avoid triggering foods
|-
|Too much fiber
|
* Consider Imodium<ref name="Imodium"/>
|
* Carefully reduce [[Fiber]] intake before the race
|-
|Change in intestinal bacteria (due to traveling)
|
* Consider Imodium<ref name="Imodium"/>
|
* Travel earlier
* Avoid non-bottled water.
|-
|Too much isolated [[Fructose]]
|
* Stop [[Fructose]] intake
|
* Avoid foods high in fructose
|-
|Dairy (lactose intolerant)
|
* Stop dairy intake (read the ingredients)
|
* Avoid dairy
|-
|[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischemic_colitis Ischemic colitis]
|
* Stay hydrated
|
* Stay hydrated
|-
|Antibiotics
|
* Sorry, better luck next time
|* Take yoghurt to help compensate
|-
|rowspan="2"| Weak legs
|[[Delayed_Onset_Muscle_Soreness| DOMS]]
|
* [[Caffeine]]
|
* [[Downhill Running]]
|-
|[[Glycogen| Glycogen depletion]]
|
* Take something sweet or a [[Comparison_of_Energy_Gels| Gel]]
* Increase carbohydrate intake
* Caffeine to increase carbohydrate absorption
|
* [[Carbohydrate Loading]]
|}
=Notes=
<references>
<ref name="Imodium"> Imodium ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loperamide Loperamide]) is an anti-diarrhea mediation, but it works by slowing the progress of material through the digestive tract. Some runners find this makes the problem worse, acting like a cork.</ref>
</references>
