How do you pee during a marathon?

At M pace

Most LRs will only admit to running 26.2 < 2:30. So, they will only ever admit to peeing at the finish.

Run faster

piss as close to the start as you can. Preferably in a bathroom or port a potty but if not, somewhere no one can see you (you wont be the only one doing that). Don't overhydrate in the days before or morning of. You'll be tempted to because you aren't running much. Train to do most your runs with only drinking water once or twice. For a long run, I like to get water no more than every 4-5 miles. Drink only every 2-2.5 miles in the marathon. If the urge really gets too great, duck in a port a potty on the side of the course, its only going to cost you 15-30 secs or to save a few more secs, slow down and just go in your shorts. All about the pr. Never had to go during a race myself.

Mike Rossi just drives to the nearest starbucks.

Simple enough

I have never had to pee during a marathon. I have run 18 of them. As long as you go before you start, you're losing so much damn water while running it would be odd to have to pee.

I guess it depends on how long it will take you and how much you consumer while racing.

FWIW, I run mid 2:30s and usually only take a in a sip of water at each stop. As much as I can get into my mouth while running.

YMMV

I always use my urethra.

I prefer that method too. It is much preferred over out my ass, which i have done before races. I guess the combiation of nerves and coffee and bad pre race diet may be the primary cause.

No break or break wrote:

How do you pee during a marathon?

"Depends"

See what I did there?

Steve Spence practiced peeing while running before the 91 world championships, where he knew it'd be hot and he'd be drinking tons during the race.

Usually even if you feel the urge it will pass in a few miles and will serve to distract you from the other discomfort you feeling, running distress. Win!

Otherwise do what you must.

If you can't go for 2.5 hours without peeing, you need to see a urologist.

Usually, if I have to pee during a 2hr+ race, it's because I drank way too much beforehand, trying to "hydrate".

Now I drink normally in the days before a race, and don't drink anything that morning (maybe some coffee), until the start line. I drink half a water bottle of sports drink at the line, and during a hot or long (HM+) race, drink at the water stops. The only time I ever have to pee is when doing ultra-distance trail runs... and I think then I do it mostly because I can.

Over-hydration pre-race doesn't buy you anything, but I see TONS of people doing it.

Don't over hydrate before.

In my one marathon I sipped gatorade for the train ride to the start and probably went through a whole bottle from when I woke up to the race start. I had to go a little just before the race started, but the porta potty lines were too long to bother and I figured the urge would go away. It didn't.

I ended up pulling off around mile 12. It costed me 25 seconds.

Wherever you can without offending anyone. I once peed on a tree, looked down and there was a woman peeing about 3 feet from me. Cool story eh?

If you are having a really great race, just relax and let it flow before a water stop and then splash yourself with a few cups of water to clean up as best you can.

Randy Oldman wrote:

Wherever you can without offending anyone. I once peed on a tree, looked down and there was a woman peeing about 3 feet from me. Cool story eh?

Same thing happened to me at Boston. She was on the other side of the tree and we were both swearing about having to stop.

Randy Oldman wrote:

Wherever you can without offending anyone. I once peed on a tree, looked down and there was a woman peeing about 3 feet from me. Cool story eh?

Did she go to the newspapers afterwards and told the world she wanted to meet you again?

No break or break wrote:

How do you pee during a marathon?

You don't. I'm old and slow, ran a 3:30+ marathon on a cold day, over hydrated the days before and day of the marathon, drank ~40 oz of Gatorade during the race and a little water (tired of Gatorade at mile 22). I took a leak 15 minutes before the start and not again until about 40 minutes post marathon.

If you can't hold it that long, you need to see a doctor, unless you're a pregnant woman. Then you must pee every 10 minutes according to experience with my wife