This has intrigued me for a while, so apologies.
So I am a regular kind of guy, regular as clockwork, and a first thing in the morning person. I have a high fibre diet with no restrictions.
However, when I do a few long consecutive days in the saddle it all goes to pot.The last two events both involved about 18 hours riding over two days and two notable things happen.I have no desire to have a #2 and I become increasingly windy.including the day after.
Any idea of the cause? I do try and eat normal food whilst cycling, so I made houmous and felafel wraps but also muesli bars and pub grub of course. Hydration could be the issue.i do try and drink regularly but for the jennride at least it was incredibly hot.
Any idea of the cause?
18 hours on the saddle over two days?
There is nothing natural about maintaining the same position for hours on end, and an unnatural position at that. Are we talking about road riding where variations in posture are even less than on a MTB?
Same, I just thought I retained anything I ate for a few days as my body recognised what was happening and was wringing the last calorie out of whatever I ate. Seems to settle and go back to normal after maybe 3 days, always by 4th day. Could also be how blood is diverted from the stomach in higher intensity exercise and that may happen to a lesser extent but enough to slow digestion during long (but lower intensity effort) multi-day rides and races. But a few days in and you're burning through everything you can get in.
18 hours on the saddle over two days?
There is nothing natural about maintaining the same position for hours on end, and an unnatural position at that.
I know .. people will even do that sat at a desk for 5 days in a row
Dehydration?
I always assumed it was you’re body using more of what was going in so less needed to come out
My bowels tend to go on temporary shutdown whenever I'm on holiday, away for a couple of days etc. I'm sure it's psychosomatic. Rights itself after 48 hours or thereabouts.
i ride everyday, and spend weeks away cycling all day long. my routine is the same whatever. i start the day with a pint of water, then a cup of tea and a pot of black coffee. by the time the coffee is drunk i need a richard.
whenever I'm on holiday, away for a couple of days etc
Same here, travelling puts things out of sync for me 🫤
My bowels tend to go on temporary shutdown whenever I'm on holiday
Likewise, have always assumed it's something to do with 'different' water, without really analysing it any more than that. Can be the same if I do a couple/three days walking and camping, so quite similar to OPs observation.
Never underestimate the enjoyment of a wild dump with a view.
Never underestimate the enjoyment of a wild dump with a view.
I dunno Matt.
That poo with a view turned sour with the first cleg bite on my bum cheek. It was even more sour for the folk who witnessed me jumping around bare cheeked spanking /swatting the clegs away.
Try adding a few SIS gels to your ride diet, you'll be making like a bear in the woods before you can say WTF.....
18 hours on the saddle over two days?
That's only 9 hours/day for two days. That shouldn't really be a figure that's totally out there.
Sounds like you’re keeping a log.
more coffee
I've heard great things about Picolax.
OP here. Both last two were gravel rides. The jennride in the lakes which was super hot on day 1, and the nym300.
I like Ton's fluid start to the day and still suspect dehydration as a primary cause.
I've avoided SIS stuff for years because of the side effects, or should that be rear effects.
18 hours on the saddle over two days?That's only 9 hours/day for two days. That shouldn't really be a figure that's totally out there.
Yes it's not necessarily a huge amount for a regular and experienced cyclist (it would be for me though!) but my point is that the human body didn't evolve to engage in the same activity involving the same posture for 9 hours at a time. And a fairly unnatural posture at that.
Constant physical movements of the body in day-to-day activities such as standing, sitting, twisting, bending, stretching, etc, can have a positive effect on the bowels. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that keeping your body fairly static, apart from your legs, for 18 hours over two days is likely to have a negative effect on your bowels.
I think its fear of foreign khazis, myself. Whenever I go away for work, holiday, riding etc, my guts go on strike for 2 or 3 days, no matter what or how much I eat, I can literally be full of it. And then the angry otter will decide to breach the picket line at the most inopportune moment - usually hanging in a harness 20m up, or in the middle of a meeting where vanishing for 15 minutes to throw the kids off the Humber Bridge will be frowned upon.
Also - as soon as I walk back in through my own front door the turtle will have its head out, which just adds to the psychosomatic feel of the whole mess
I did LEJOG last year in 9 days - so about 8 hrs a day riding - must admit that the first couple of days went the way the OP describes but after that....I would say my bowels had never been in better shape! Just keep at it and it'll settle down would be my view/experience....
I've avoided SIS stuff for years because of the side effects, or should that be rear effects.
I find Torq and Veloforte stuff easier on the stomach/bowels
ITorq and Veloforte - Perhaps I should try them out
