Never fails... why do we feel the urge to pee as soon as the start gun goes off?

It's only natural. No, really, it is. (And I'm not talking about overactive bladders.) There's a few things that go into this equation, but first and foremost, the greatest contributor to having to take that second or third bathroom break before and during the race is because of over-hydration. We tend to take in a greater volume of liquid as we anticipate the need for our bodies to be hydrated during strenuous exercise. But remember, our bodies don't work that way - water storage, that is. As I mentioned before, "Drink to thirst" - drink when you really have to and not in anticipation of needing it for the race. There'll be plenty of water along the way.

"But I have to pee now! And it's only mile marker 2!" I know the feeling, but pay attention to how your body felt during training... did you ever notice you had to make a bathroom call just shortly after starting your run? Ignore it! What you're experiencing is sometimes referred to as "performance bladder" or just simply "nervous bladder." Unless you've consumed vast amounts of water (realistically, 4 ounces just before the start of a race is plenty) you're not going to notice that urge as you push on. Believe me, if you're running, your body will start to go into survival mode long before you hit the third mile.

You ever notice how crowded the port-a-potties are at the first couple of aid stations? Everyone is experiencing that same urge. I know I do! But I also know that the urge will go away as I power on through mile marker 3. By mile marker 5, the port-a-potties are practically unoccupied (no lines, gee, who knew?!) - and by then you'll be well on your way. Even after the race ends, I bet you won't even feel like taking that bathroom break because it won't even be an urge any more! Many half and full marathon runners have reported having very little volume to pee after they finished - so what was with that incredible urge at the beginning?! It's almost like magic - a disappearing act.

However, if the urge continues and even gets stronger as you progress, then obviously you have way too much water in your system - take care of business and next time you'll know better. And bowel movements... well, hey, that's something totally different - that's business that needs attention because quite frankly, I'm going out on a limb here, I predict you'll feel a lot better during the race once it gets addressed.

Say, here's a little project: on your next race, take a gander at the lines for the first couple of port-a-potty stations under mile marker 3, then compare it to the same stations beyond mile marker 5 or 6. Big difference.