Marathon Runners and Potty Breaks: Yep, a big deal as it turns out

As a newbie runner, I recently asked a group of experienced marathoners if they had any tips on potty breaks. Last year's ING NYC Marathon porta-john lines were long and I really didn't want to stop at all and loose momentum. I held it for as long as I could but by mile 18 I had to relieve myself. I found a porta-john with no line but by then, I had been stalling it for so long it took forever and I lost a lot of time.

Dan from Los Angeles, an experienced runner with 25 marathons under his belt, agrees that it's a big issue, "a last minute potty break is my single worst enemy."

He says bathroom breaks are all about timing, which is hard to get right, "some of my best marathons have been ruined by porta-john breaks." He recommends getting up early and drinking as much as you can. "Then you must time your last bathroom break as close to the marathon start as possible, thus reducing the chance of having to stop early on in the race." He says the timing in this way increases your chances that you won't have to make a pit stop as you'll be sweating at the same rate as taking fluids in."

Bill, a marathoner from the Michigan area, says to avoid bathroom breaks stay away from gel packs that contain caffeine. He also says to use your long runs as training to aid in avoiding bathroom breaks. I didn't know about the caffeine and I'll definitely be doing this when I do my long training runs!

"The bathroom break was always a problem for me too," says Matt from Minnesota. "I started to time my fluid intake before the start. I drink plenty of fluids up to an hour before, but none until after the gun fires. I found that I also felt better at the start with no sloshing belly. If I hydrate properly the day leading up to the race, the few ounces I lose in that last hour never affects my performance."

Matt also suggests for any last minute emergencies you can bring a "relief bottle" of some type to the start of the race. A great idea for those that are worried they might miss the start from a last minute potty break (porta-john lines can be long).

And probably the best tip comes from Paul in Ohio (he's an advanced runner and also a regular marathon pacesetter). Paul says don't be shy about taking a break if needed. "Can't find a porta-john, find a tree."

Good luck runners!! Next post is all about chafing. You won't believe what the experts say here. Amazing tips that have already saved me some skin.