Do elites throw up after races?

Elites know when, and what, to eat/drink.

I threw up after every full effort mile/1500 I raced in high school and college. It's practically how I judged my performance level.

I guess if they don't, then that explains yet another reason why they are elite and we aren't.

It's not about effort, it's a highly personal thing. I've puked after almost every 5K ever (not shorter events) and so do a few teammates. Others never do no matter how hard they run. Eating/drinking the right things at the right time only helps to a point, doesn't prevent it.

I would be curious to know whether any elites do, because the problem seems to be worse when I'm out of shape, so I wonder if being in supreme shape would prevent puking.

Yeah same here, if I run all out in any mid-d race I'll get sick shortly after. Eating/drinking doesn't really have anything to do with it. If my stomach is empty I just dry heave a lot.

Jesse Strutzel (ncaa 800m champ around 2000) used to throw up after every single race. I once watched him basically stick his finger down his throat to make himself chuck it, it was kinda weird. never seen anyone else do that though.

The only time I threw up after running was when I had the flu and shouldn't have been running. People are different though. I don't think it's a sign of you running harder than someone else. I think it's a sign of a sensitive digestion system.

I used to race a little. wrote:

Jesse Strutzel (ncaa 800m champ around 2000) used to throw up after every single race. I once watched him basically stick his finger down his throat to make himself chuck it, it was kinda weird. never seen anyone else do that though.

That's called bulimia and is definitely not healthy.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

I used to race a little. wrote:

Jesse Strutzel (ncaa 800m champ around 2000) used to throw up after every single race. I once watched him basically stick his finger down his throat to make himself chuck it, it was kinda weird. never seen anyone else do that though.

That's called bulimia and is definitely not healthy.

But doesn't bulimia imply some kind of binge eating disorder? Forcing yourself to puke after races isn't healthy but it's more weird than anything else...

Does anyone here remember the (i believe it was 2009) world champs marathon where the second place kenyan was heaving the whole last straight, and impressively not breaking stride?

There's a 400m guy in my club that does this. I think you get to the point where you feel too sick to train and vomiting just clears that feeling

Yes sometimes, and also during races, example kempainen in Olympic Marathon Trials.

Elite runners are just like all human beings, except they run faster than most people.

When I was just beginning high school track I once had a moderate urge to puke after a hard 800m repeat workout. Never did puke though. Once I got in shape I never felt the urge to puke until a nearly 100% 3200M effort (tunnel vision, legs about to give out effort), and even then it was only slight.

africans do it wrote:

Does anyone here remember the (i believe it was 2009) world champs marathon where the second place kenyan was heaving the whole last straight, and impressively not breaking stride?

Yes. In Berlin. I had forgotten who it was, apparently Emmanuel Mutai. Maybe he was not yet as famous as today, in my defence.

I think it happens more often after they cross the finish line, though. Sometimes with a pesky cameraman who - not realising what the athlete is up to - follows them while they are trying to hide somewhere to throw up.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

That's called bulimia and is definitely not healthy.

your a moran.

2:35

Never thrown up even once - before, during or after races. I've never understood why others do. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

malmo wrote:

Never thrown up even once - before, during or after races. I've never understood why others do. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

But Bob Kempainen had a memorable 1996 Olympic Trials so it can happen to anyone.

automatical wrote:

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

That's called bulimia and is definitely not healthy.

your a moran.

2:35

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEIxpcYukqc

He's not forcing himself to throw up after *every* race.

Also, to add to the OP's original question, the only elites I've seen throw up after a race are sprinters. Not to say it hasn't happened with distance runners, but it's not something that should happen every race and if it is, you might want to seek medical advice instead of LetsRun advice.

vomitcomit wrote:

I almost always (only twice has it not happened) get very sick about 5-10min after finishing an 800 or mile. I'd imagine that I'm not an anomaly in this case, especially since at meets I witness other kids have the same thing happen to them. I am curious about this after watching guys like Rudisha break the wr at 2012 olympics. He seems totally unfazed by the effort just given.

I used to have bad heaves after every race - I cut out half the gluten in my diet and totally eliminated my traditional oatmeal breakfast...and haven't had heaves since.

So your vomiting could be diet related.

I actually tried going gluten free for about a month and it did nothing in that regard except drain my wallet. I think for some people it is diet related, but with me it seems to be caused by the buildup of lactic. Basically I finish the race, pout around for about 5-10min with my legs/arms in excruciating pain, then the pain begins to go away and about 2min later my stomach turns and I have to find a trash can.

It is weird to me that some people seem fine after races whereas I'm an absolute wreck for 20-30min. Everyone's different I guess.