AIBU to think this is disgusting (needing a poo while on a run)

[Nixen]

Not a poo troll I promise, just ... staggered(!) that one of my friends disagrees with me on this and wanted to gauge opinion!

Don’t ask how the subject came up but my friend H (herself a keen runner) mentioned in response to a news article that her friend J stops for poos during her run ... ‘ She has a stomach issue, running makes her poo 🤷‍♀’ apparantly J takes wet wipes with her but H has never asked if J takes dog poo bags / nappy bags with her, so we’re not sure if she picks it up or just leaves it.

H really really doesn’t see the issue, thinks it’s super judgey to think this is disgusting, says dogs bird etc all poo outside. My view point is that things like this are what separates us from the animals!

Of course if J had an accident and was cut short / poorly I would be so sympathetic, how horrible, but to habitually choose to do this - I think that’s grim!

What do you think mumsnet? Am I really being unreasonable?!

If you know you have bowel issues it can’t be that difficult to plan a route that has toilets along the way, take poo bags with you or run on a treadmill in a gym instead.

YANBU

Assume you were all suitably horrified at Paula Radcliffe?

Honestly, is no one here an endurance athlete? This is just par for the course in my circles tbh.

Well, I was watching the Dublin marathon a few years ago and one runner decided to soil themselves and finished the race covered in poo 💩

Ophelia if this happens to someone as an unexpected one off I am sympathetic. It’s a bit grim but these things happen.

If someone does it over and over, without changing their habits to stay near loos, that’s not on.

I have no idea whether Paula’s was a one off or not but would like to think so.

Yeah that disgusting Paula Radcliffe eh? She should have limited her runs to a little trot to the local Sainsbury's and back or just got a treadmill.

Why does your choice of hobby entitle you to poo where other people may walk??

I don’t run and don’t recall ever having shat outside, but where I live and dog walk (huge rural common with free roaming animals) there is so much shit everywhere: cow, horse, sheep, dog, rabbit... I don’t see that a human, caught without a toilet, going discreetly behind a bush or burying it is any worse. In the middle of the path or where it could be trod on is pretty rank though 🤷🏻‍♀️

I compete in a high level sport that I've invested a hell of alot of gruelling training and money in. If I needed to shit mid way through competing, no matter what, it could be the Olympics for all I care, there is no way in hell I would do it on the street, in full view of the public and TV cameras. I'd write it off as a bad comp, learn from the experience. I'd rather that than be forever known as the woman that openly pooed on live TV. Shes said herself that she will never live it down.

Also, has the OP indicated this person is a professional athlete whose career will be curtailed by her not being able to plan a route that involves a toilet stop if need be?

More shame the TV for focussing on her to be honest. That's pretty disgusting of them.

The TDF peloton has regular stops where they all hop off and pee over a verge. Strangely enough they are not all highlighted on live TV.

I just don’t know how they relax enough to poo in public, I think the fear of Susan or bob running along and catching me would make my bottom close up tbh.

Humans use toilets, they just do. It’s bad enough to see a little toddler weeing outside when caught short but an adult no just no.

Of course Paula’s wasn’t a one off. This is a common enough issue for runners.m, probably women runners especially due to the pelvis design although I’m not an expert. If she did it off the path in an isolated area I don’t really care. Peoples front yards is a bit much though.
Nappies are not an option, the chafage would be awful. I still have scars on my back from some chafage during a kayak race 15 years ago now.

I mean, I'd take some Imodium or run on a machine (at the gym if I could hold on for a few minutes, otherwise a treadmill at home).

If her bowel issues are really worse than that she should wear an adult nappy.

I am gobsmacked at the people saying if its an emergency they do it where feet won't tread in it, why are they not picking it up like dog walkers do? Don't just leave your shit there! Absolute filth.

most of my runner friends do the same.

Thanks didn't realise this was normal - this has put me right off running.

I was going to mention Paula Radcliffe too!

I'm not a runner or a dog owner but I think dogs rolling in human shit seems to balance the cosmic sense of justice after all the times my kids have stepped in dog shit Well quite.

What this really illustrates is the lack of access to toilets, whether that's council-run or local cafes etc and people using access as a weapon. People have said you should find a route with loos. That is not always possible. I don't have this problem, but do often need a wee (usually before a run or race, but very occasionally during a run). As an example, my local railway station doesn't have ticket barriers so I can plan my route to go by there and use the loo. But if the hi-vis army of ticket inspectors is there, they'll be difficult.

As for joining a gym, that generally costs at least £50 a month. Membership of my running club is £27 a year. I've never actually been on a dreadmill except for gait analysis, I can't imagine it makes you want to run.

I'm sorry this is absolutely disgusting

If it was a one off emergency I'd be sympathetic but a regular occurrence?

If your hobby means you he to regularly shit in public then you probably shouldn't be doing it. Or find a route with regular toilets along it

Hikers bury it and then burn the loo roll or take it home.

As for joining a gym, that generally costs at least £50 a month,

Generally where?!

Basic gyms cost from £16 a month here. Average cost would be around £27. I don't know anyone who is paying at least £50.

@Timeywimey10

Nothing beats a run outside, treadmills are rubbish and gyms are expensive, yes. So if I knew I was going to shit myself running, i would go to the dr to get my bowel issues looked into, and in the mean time find a different hobby.

@Namechange84

In my area there are the standard gyms which are anywhere from £10-£35 a month, and then the sports club With a pool type places anywhere from £45-£90 a month.

This thread is weird. If she poos on scrubland and off track where people don't generally walk it's not really a problem. It'll just break down, the same way fox shit and badger shit break down. Producing waste is something every living thing does - it's part of the definition of being alive. It's not really anything to be afraid of or disgusted by. No, I don't want to walk in it or wash a dog that's rolled in it but I'm not going to hold my hands up in horror at the idea of taking a dump somewhere outside that isn't a toilet.

My view may be partially skewed by the fact that I spend a considerable amount of time picking up horse poo, which being mainly broken down grass is less grim than human shit. But really, the world won't end because someone has an al fresco shit. The world as we know it may end if we keep using resources at an unsustainable rate but shitting in the woods? Not really a problem.

Ciley it's very unlikely to be an independent bowel issue - it is a response to doing the running, and being out for hours perhaps running. I don't think people doing coach to 5k are regularly pooing themselves, it's a longer distance thing. I think it would waste nhs time to have this looked at if this is literally the only time she has the urge.
I wonder, to all the treadmill advocates, why dog owners don't get treadmills to walk their dogs on? Could it be there's something about being outdoors that's beneficial in itself?

@CileyMayRhinovirus yes the three with pools, spas and other parks near me are between £35 and £48 but obviously you don't need a pool to run.

Although now I'm wondering if the same people would just take a shit in the pool if they were swimming in the fast lane and didn't want to get out .

What the actual fuck is wrong with people that makes them a) want to do a hobby that makes them shit themselves in public and b) think it’s acceptable to shit themselves in public. NO hobby is that important! NO hobby is worth that. Hell no marathon/Olympic medal is worth that. If I was president of sports I’d make it an automatic lifetime ban for anyone caught defecating in public at any point in their lives beyond the age of 3.

If she does it behind a bush and picks up after herself I have no issues