Coffee, running and forever needing a wee!

[Shoefleur]

Hi, I’m just after a bit of advice. I normally do two short runs (7k) in the week and a long one (15k) at the weekend. I’m a terrible sleeper and am also fairly non-stop in the day and as a result I’ve developed a bit of a reliance on coffee. I’m a zombie without it first thing in the morning but it makes me need a wee constantly! My shorter runs are just about ok but on my long run I have to sneak behind a bush about three times, which I find mortifying and it’s surely only a matter of time before someone sees me! For the past few weeks I’ve been attempting my long run without having a coffee first. It has completely resolved the peeing issue but I’m so tired! I’m not enjoying my runs at all and I feel like I’m hauling myself round. I gave up after 7k today and am now feeling very deflated. Has anyone experienced this and managed to overcome it? Are there any magic coffee substitutes out there? Thanks for reading.

Anyone?

Swap your coffee for an espresso? If it's the caffeine hit you want, but not the effect of drinking a mug of liquid, that strikes me as the way to go. I think there are various caffeine products for sports people but I've never tried them I stick to tea and coffe and live with the consequences - my long runs are in the countryside though, and it doesn't seem to affect me as much. I do a really long warm up so that probably gives me more time to get the coffee through my system.

Probably not what you want to hear but the caffeine that perks you up is the same caffeine that makes you wee! Try decaf.
And maybe a change in bedtime routine and a sleep app to help you get more rest. You can do this, don't give up

I feel your pain, OP. I agree about drinking smaller coffee quantities, can't face a run without some coffee though! I also find I am worse in cold weather and better if I wear a long thermal, my bladder seems to last longer. So what I'd really like is some warm big running pants.......

Can you go for a run mid morning, by then your first coffee of the day should have passed through you. Them reward yourself with a second coffee when you get home?

Thank you everyone. Good to hear I’m not the only one but sorry you’re struggling too!

Tricky. Dehydration may be making you tired, but if you drink lots before a long run that will cause the needing the loo problem. How about plenty of water / herbal tea a couple of hours before the run and then going to the loo right before you leave.

If you really think you need caffeine pre-run, get sports energy gels - lots of those have caffeine. Try SIS or High 5 for example (check you aren't buying caffeine free ones). They won't cause the loo problem the way drinking a bottle of lucozade would.

Do you eat before a 15km run? You need a decent amount of carbs on board for that. You can also tuck a gel into the waistband of your running tights and have it half way of you are beginning to flag. Or just good old fashioned jelly beans for a quick sugar hit....

Do you eat before a 15km run? You need a decent amount of carbs on board for that

No you don't! 15k is only what - 8 miles? 9? So at the outside end, you're looking at no more than a 90 min run even if you're very steady. Based on that, I'd recommend one small coffee beforehand, max . No food if you've had a decent dinner the night before. And no gels or water during the run unless you really need them.

But if you need more caffeine than one coffee (which it sounds like you do) then there's some caffeine gum for runners - Blockhead Energy Gum - that really does work. It's potent though, so even though I'm a real coffee addict, I tend to save it for the last mile or two of races, for that extra kick. Tastes vile but does the trick.

Get yourself a shewee. Also, if you wake up in the night, do go to the loo then.

In my experience, caffeine irritates my bladder so while I drink loads of it during the day, I do try to run in the morning before my first coffee, otherwise I'm the same as you, except with the added stress of a city centre location so no bushes and a weak pelvic floor. I run in dark black leggins

It takes me about 1 hr 45ish to run 14k and when I checked on one of those calculators I was pretty well bog standard for whatever age I was then (early fifties anyway). I am slow but know women my age and older who run slower, so I think plenty of people would be out for more than 1.5 hours over this sort of distance.

Smaller coffee won’t necessarily work as caffeine irritates the bladder, so makes you feel you need a wee even for the smallest amount of liquid.

Can you change the time of your run so you’ve had a coffee but the run is at least 45 min after the coffee? That way the immediate effects of the caffeine have worn off.

Alternatively gradually wean yourself off coffee - you should feel less tired once your body isn’t so reliant on it (and you might sleep better especially after a big run)

Thank you everyone. Will definitely be getting some of that gum! I don’t run really early. I normally go at about 10 at the weekends and after work in the week so I’m pretty well hydrated/nourished by that point. I’d never make it round without eating a couple of hours beforehand! Annoyingly, even if I’ve had a coffee at 7am and run at 10.30, the problem is the same. I wish I’d never started drinking the stuff. Thanks again and happy running!