HEALTH NEWS

20%

The number of Brits who admit to using their credit cards to pay for health foods and exercise.

Source: According to a survey carried out by MoneySuperMarket (moneysupermarket.com).

YOUR MAGAZINE MENTIONS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A POO BEFORE A RACE. MY RECENT DISASTROUS FIRST ATTEMPT AT A MARATHON WAS DUE, IN PART, TO MY INABILITY TO DO THIS. ANY TIPS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS PLEASE?

Bowels cause so many problems for runners! It’s not always possible to poo on demand so going before a race is hard and not always needed. It depends what your regular bowel habit is like and whether you’ve had any problems in your training runs. It’s easier if you’re someone who usually poos in the morning. The best trigger to get things going is the gastro-colic reflex; this means putting something in your stomach to encourage your bowel to move. Allow plenty of time on race-day morning to eat breakfast and have a hot drink; caffeine can act as a laxative in many people. Keep well hydrated in the days leading up to your marathon because inadequate fluids quickly lead to constipation. If you like to load with carbs before a race, then be wary of which you use. A bucketful of pasta will bung you up so try a baked sweet potato instead.