What Color Is You Pee?

[AnOldUR]

So, you can tell your hydration level when running by the color of your urine. Here's a handy reference chart placed along the trail at a 50 mile race this weekend. You have to have a sense of humor to run that far!

 

[RitalinIV]

50 Miles! Holy crap!
Good luck and here's hoping you don't pee Guinness!

-Ritalin

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

So, you can tell your hydration level when running by the color of your urine.

Um.....Who pees while they are running?......I might pee myself a little if I was running away from a scarey situation, but I wouldn't take the time to match it on a colour chart.....:cross:

 

[AnOldUR]

Haven't done a 50 miler in a while, but when I did it was in the 8 - 10 hour range. If you're hydrating there's a good chance you'll be watering the trees three of four times. Funny stuff. Though I've never seen it, I've heard of guys hanging out their junk and doing a bow legged run to not lose time. I have seen the water trail it leaves behind. Personally, I'm happy to have any excuse to stop for a couple of minutes.

 

[passedpawn]

The marines taught me to watch for dark pee as a sign of dehydration. We were told this during desert training (Mohave) and also during cold weather training (one unit I was with was training for deployment to Norway - look out for the ruskies). During the latter, they suggested you watch your buddies pee in the snow and keep an eye out for him. Uh, OK. You'd be surprised how much work it is to pull an okeo (sled) with a harness around your body, in snowshoes, over long distances.

Regarding running, I wait for the smell of ammonia to know I'm running low on reserves. I don't run like that anymore though.

 

[brewkinger]

I have very little time to run as avidly as I once did, and hydration was always an essential part of my regimen. I used to hydrate adequately when I ran 5K and 10K cross country races and urination was never an issue, as perspiration took care of and tended to balance itself out.

But about 10 years ago I started training for longer races (half marathons) and the such. I conciously attempted to balance the water in and out and usually did pretty well, but on a couple of occasions with hotter weather, I did find myself in the situation to have to urinate.
Tried to use it as motivation to run, but found it was more of a detriment and eventually just stopped on the side of the road.
If I was in the lead or stood a chance of setting some sort of record, I imagine that I would attempt to pee on the run.

Having said that, I did witness runners urinating on the run, most of whom were gracious enough to alert nearby runners what they were about to do (although from behind, it is pretty easy to determine what they were about to do).

The oddest thing I have ever seen, was during the Marine Corps Marathon that a female runner about 50 yds in front of me suddenly veered off to the right side of the road behind a jersey barrier, dropped trou and proceeded to evacuate both her bladder and her bowels at the same time.

Guess that she had more motivation than I did to not lose a lot of time. The whole process took about 10 seconds, she removed her outer shirt and gave one quick wipe and was off on her way again.
As she passed me, she calmy stated "sorry about that"!!

 

[AnOldUR]

. . . a female runner about 50 yds in front of me suddenly veered off to the right side of the road behind a jersey barrier, dropped trou . . .

Running, especially trail ultras, gives you unusual sense of modesty. Late in an event the runners get pretty spread out, yet women running alone in the woods have no problem stepping a few yards off the trail and dropping trou. And as a guy passing by, it loses the impact it would have in real life. Smile at each other, exchange cordial greetings like it’s something you see every day.

 

[brewkinger]

Oh I definitely was cordial and did not find it offensive. Just enlightening.

I ran cross country in high school and college and never once saw this occur. I have never once in 27 yrs of running found it necessary to stop and defecate.

 

[AnOldUR]

You sir have a stronger constitution than I. Over 40 years of running and one thing I've learned is never leave the house without a paper towel. The need seldom arises, but when it does . . .

 

[brewkinger]

You sir have a stronger constitution than I. Over 40 years of running and one thing I've learned is never leave the house without a paper towel. The need seldom arises, but when it does . . .

I never leave the house without an extra layer or a long sleeved shirt at the very least.
Oddly, it never happened when I was a runner, but it seems to happen a lot more frequently to me as a hunter.
There are (were?) many man made obelisks marked with a sleeve in the Adirondack forest.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I have never once in 27 yrs of running found it necessary to stop and defecate.

Even professional athletes can get caught short. It's very unfortunate if there are thousands of people watching who know exactly what you did. :fro:

 

[AnOldUR]

Grete Waitz, one of the best female marathoners ever, is sadly remembered by many for this rather than her running accomplishments.

One of my most dramatic race stories is also my most awkward. I was in the lead of the London Marathon when I got an attack of diarrhea. (This happened again, in New York.) In my mind, there was no question: I had to keep running, despite the shock of onlookers and worse, the television cameras broadcasting the event to millions of people. If I had stopped the race, for any reason, I would have lost. It was not a pleasant experience, but winning those races was.

There are some pretty gross videos out there, but you get the idea.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Grete Waitz, one of the best female marathoners ever, is sadly remembered by many for this rather than her running accomplishments.



There are some pretty gross videos out there, but you get the idea.

Ah yes!! I remember that! You made a good call in not posting a video too! :cross:

Sorry for my s#ccer examples. I don't watch marathons, even less run a fraction of one!