I hope you’re enjoying this new series! There are so many things I’ve learned the hard way, and my hope is that by sharing, I can help you learn them the easy way – by reading about them instead of having to experience my mistakes. Here’s part 1 if you missed it.

Today we’re going to talk about . . .your stomach.

No, not how to whittle it down or get that flat belly you’ve always wanted. Rather, what running does to your stomach.Specifically what distance running can do.

I am not blessed with a, shall we say, balanced intestinal situation. My stomach is very prone to upset anytime I’m stressed, tired, angry, sick . . you name it. I’ve seen my doctor about  this(and you should, too, if you’re concerned) but there’s nothing serious. I just carry my troubles in my gut and it especially comes out when I run!  And I’m not alone.

Because of this, I’ve had to learn a few things the hard way.

You have to figure out what foods your stomach can tolerate the day before your long run.

Before I have a long run coming up, I avoid alcohol, dairy and anything too high in fat. This is not fun, but necessary, or I will be very sick during my run and it’s just not worth it. If you’re preparing for a big race, this is something you’ll need to experiment with because everyone is different. My big, exciting pre race carb loading meal is typically (wait for it) noodles and butter. Seriously. Before the Chicago Marathon my friends and I went to this FABULOUS Italian restaurant known for it’s amazing pasta dishes and wine. And I had noodles and butter.

When you try to reach too far beyond your current mileage, your body will, um, expel everything.

I can feel my stomach start to rumble the moment I cross that threshold of what I’m really trained for and what I’m trying to do. For example, when I’ve only gone to 8 miles in a long run and I try to do 10, around 9 things start to fall apart. It’s kind of a good thing, though, because it keeps me from overextending myself. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. A bathroom becomes important NOW. Or, as a friend once said, I’m having a Bridesmaids this is happening moment,

Race nerves plus travel tummy are a bad combination.

When I travel for races, I have a non-doctor approved trick of taking one Imodium the night before the race. Lots of runners do it and I’m sure it’s a terrible idea from a medical perspective, but it enables me to finish a race without hours in a port-a-potty. OK, maybe not actual hours but during a race it feels that way. And it could even be a placebo affect but I don’t care. It works and I’m sticking with it.

You can’t just take any energy gel during your run for fuel.

On the course, amazing volunteers (who got up very early and are out there for no money by the way) are handing out lovely energy chews and gels. The brand varies by race. If you can figure out what brand will be handed out during your race, that’s awesome because you can try it on a long run and see if your stomach is OK with it. If you haven’t tried it out prior to race day DO NOT TAKE THE GEL OR CHEW. Seriously, just don’t. It’s not worth finding out, 3 miles later, that your stomach does not like that particular product. Experiment when running long and remember, it doesn’t have to be a designated race fuel – I’ve had great success with raisins, rice Krispy treats and Skittles, all of which are significantly cheaper than the sports chews and yet give you the sugar you need to get you through. Cheaper and just as good for the win.

You may have thought that all you had to worry about in your distance training was your heart, your legs and what your’e going to wear (more on that in our next installment). But truly, your gut matters. And if you don’t figure out how you’ll treat it, it will work against you and we can’t have that!

So go with your gut! And happy running.