I’ve got a friend who I’d like to be weight training with. We’ve both got university gym memberships. It’s quiet there in the morning. I suggest we meet there at 7,-before work, lift for an hour, grab a quick bite to eat, and then off to work. She makes a face and declines. “I’d have to get up at 5 am,” she says. But why? I mean I was planning on a 6 am alarm and could probably snooze once or twice and still make it. The reason was delicate. Bathroom scheduling.
Nat isn’t so delicate. I once suggested doing something at 7 am to her. I can’t remember what or why. It must have been good. She laughed. “No way. That’s poo o’clock.”
A few friends on the bike rally like the later start, 9 am, because you get up at 6 and start riding three hours later. Plenty of time for breakfast and bathroom. That seems like a lot of time to me. My life is simple that way. I get up, I drink coffee, I go. There. Done.
Life isn’t so simple for everyone. I get that. There are sometimes lengthy discussions in the breakfast line at the bike rally about what foods are and aren’t good for regularity.
My suggestion of just stopping en route is often met with disdain. But stopping for number two, is worse again if it’s a race.
I know it’s an issue for runners who race because I see a lot of stories about this in my newsfeed:
- How to Make Yourself Poop | Runner’s World
- How to Poop Before a Race (Yes, It’s Important!) – Women’s Running
- Tips #15 — Poop Before You Run | Running Advice and News
- How to Make Yourself ‘Go’ Before a Race – Healthy Tipping Point
So what’s your story? Is it an issue? What if anything do you do to make sure it happens before you race, run, or ride?
And hey, here’s Canada’s favourite emoji, only all rainbow coloured and sparkly! They had stickers like this, rainbow poo emoji, at Pride. I don’t get it. But then, I’m more British than Canadian in some things.
