Did Deena's Pre-Race Dinner cost her $500,000?

I doubt it.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=1864526

Did it ever occur to you that it wasn't dinner that caused the cramps? Maybe her replacement fluid, gel, etc? Don't blame the restaurant.

Are you really believing that bathroom stop cost her $$$ ?

Did you watch the race? She never asserted herself at all. (Hard training run?) She was losing time ALL the way in.

The pre-race interviews? 'I'm not going to let anyone go, ...'

IMHO, she SNOOKERED Hancock and is laughing all the way to the bank.

BTW, I never thought she's run well on that course (like NYC), she is a London/Chicago type.

It wasn't cramps due to a bad meal - Deena got her period. They were menstrual cramps and had to take care of of it in a restroom. Here is the article

What "type" runner is better in London. Seems to me she trains on rather hilly courses. She looks so ripped compared to the top three. She must do some serious gym work.

I'm not blaming the restaurant. At least not until others tell me they ate there and also had stomach problems. But surely the restaurant is the most likely cause of Deena's stomach problems and a kitchen inspection is warranted.

It is much less likely that lack of hydration or gel intake could cause this problem. I watched the race on TV and it appeared all the elite female runners where using the water stops with the exception of the very first one. Deena wouldn’t have recovered as she did if this was a hydration problem. And I never heard of an experienced marathon runner blaming gel for a problem like this.

Yes, Deena did drop off the lead pack a few miles before making the bathroom stop. But if you had to go badly, you would likely slow down until you found that next bathroom. And after her bathroom stop, Deena did pick up the pace and ended up catching/passing three other elite runners with 2:24 to 2:26 PR’s.

Of course, there is no guarantee Deena would have won Boston without that stomach problem, but from watching the race on TV and reading extensively about it later, I have concluded it is most likely she would have been with the lead pack of 3 near the end of the race and certainly might have won Boston. I also agree that Deena probably does better in a fast “rabbit lead” race on a fast course in good weather. But with a recent 2:19:36 PR that was 3:20 faster than her nearest competitor, Deena was rightfully considered the favorite to win Boston.

If an elite female marathon runner is expecting her period to occur around the time of a major marathon competition, can’t and shouldn’t she take something (e.g., birth control pills) to stop/delay the period until after the race? Isn’t this part of pre-race preparation, just as is tapering, eating, sleeping and resting in the days leading up to the marathon?

Birth control pills don't stop the menstrual cycle!!

About all they do is regulate it a little more and in some women reduce the flow.

Now Testosterone - ie the Kraut women - Does stop the period. And grow beards.

Is there anything (that's legally permitted by the US anti-doping agency) an elite female runner can take to delay or stop an expected period coinciding with a major upcoming race? Any side effects? Any medical experts here?

Was this posted by a man, or a clueless woman? Birth control pills most certainly can stop one's period. Just don't take the fourth week and go right into your next pack of them. I'm surprised to hear that elite runners don't time their periods accordingly.

Haven't you heard... "I had stomach problems" is the new excuse for marathoners. It took over recently after the excuse "the pace was so slow I got blisters and had to drop out" excused was already used by KK.

Seriously though, I don't think I have run a race without stomach problems. It is a "side effect" of running hard for so long. You can't blame the food...

Meb had the same bs excuse at NYC.

Don't make excues, get results.

I like the comment about Deena being more a London/Chitown type then NYC/Boston.

Didn't like three years ago the NYC champ keep having to tie his shoes? he still won.

thank you for posting that info.

Taking an extra week of pills happens, women do this for wedding nights, etc. One of the big advantages of being on the pill is the ability to "time" their period, esp w/ women who might have irregular periods.

runr over wrote:

thank you for posting that info.

But she's wrong.

Name That Restaurant wrote:

I'm not blaming the restaurant. At least not until others tell me they ate there and also had stomach problems. But surely the restaurant is the most likely cause of Deena's stomach problems and a kitchen inspection is warranted.

Deena Kastor did not have "stomach problems". She had to go to the bathroom.

Non issue

come on folks, Deena is just over-rated. American fans put her in the same league as Paula and think she has a chance against a healthy Paula. Deena isn't very consistent in the world scene.

Good topic, most restraunts give you **** all food anyway, just present it a nice little pattern and expect you to be impressed with what you've got for your far too many dollars. Not what a highly trained runner wants before a marathon of all events. Couldn't organisers of such big races would take things like this into account and make some arrangements?

yah, like they could organize some sort of pre-race pasta dinner. why can't they do something like that? i guess it is just too complicated for... oh wait, they do have one?

nevermind

dkrlr wrote:

Is there anything (that's legally permitted by the US anti-doping agency) an elite female runner can take to delay or stop an expected period coinciding with a major upcoming race? Any side effects? Any medical experts here?

Only if men had periods.