I am putting this out there as it pertains to hydration…how often is normal to have to pee on the bike? I mean if asked to hold it or wet your self the answer is wet your self you are so uncomfortable. I know this is n=1, but if I have 8-10oz of coffee and 16-20oz(at 150lbs this isn’t crazy high consumption) of water through out the Day leading up to an evening workout in 60-90 min I will need to stop at least twice with this sensation. That clearly won’t help any style of racing. This seems high to me, however I am nervous about working out dehydrated(way scarier than glycogen depleted) so I continue to hydrate to this level. Hopefully we can call SCIENCE on this one but I Appreciate any thought anecdotes and “no scientific evidence to back this up” input thanks in advance
Try peeing before your ride? I never have to stop for a 90 minute ride.
Are you saying you drink 30 or less ounces all day long and then have to pee twice in 90 minutes? If so, I’d look into this. There’s lots of possibilities, including prostate, kidneys, bladder, etc. Does it only happen on the bike? Are you peeing multiple times during the day with only 30 oz in you? Lots of things to consider.
Pretty much it once I’ve started to move ie cycling or running, I have begun to sweat more during workouts and hydrate adequately in post. The core of the question is more is it reasonable to have to go that often while riding. I only included the pre workout hydration as it seems to be the crux of I just have the coffee i don’t usually have the overpowering need to stop and talk to the trees
Been dealing with this for a long time. I’ve tried a few things after going to a doctor, who said “you’re all good but you can try x drugs.” Something along the lines of Nuun. I didn’t want to be on any drugs for the sake of USADA and it wasn’t a confident recommendation on their end. I drink what I need to earlier in the day along with the sodium I’ll lose. Replace what I have to for a ride during it. I have just accepted that after a warmup I give a piss. If I need to go during a workout or ride, I do it in a spot where there’s a planned recovery. Say 3 sets of 3x3 VO2 Max are ongoing then I wait to go between sets.
First stop should be a doctor.
Just quick thoughts:
- Finish the coffee at least 30min before the workout
- No expert here but look up electrolytes/osmolarity of your drink (you said it’s plain water) with regard to sodium. Does Salt Intake Affect Urine Production? | livestrong
- Of course ask a doctor
Honestly, i think you’re WAY under hydrating. I’d definitely talk to a doctor. I have a similar issue, btw, but it’s more like a need to go every hour all day long. I even go a few times during the night. I hydrate much more than you do throughout the day though. I’ve been through lots of things: blood/urine work, prostate, colon, Flomax (had no effect), and now we’re trying a drug that relaxes (enlarges) the bladder. Good luck!
It’s gotta be 2+ hour ride for me (pre race nervous pees excluded) before I need to go. On the trainer at home I consume a bottle every 30min (yes I know) and on the road it’s about half that rate.
When I get home it catches up and I go numerous times in a short span.
Not uncommon for me to do a 6 hr race and not have to pee at all. This probably means I’m underhydrating I guess.
But it varies a lot by person. I peed once during Leadville a couple of years back, whereas a friend of mine said he had to stop at least 10 times.
Have you tried riding without caffeine?
Overactive bladder is a very common problem and can impact individuals of all ages, children, adults, and elderly. In men, it can develop secondary to prostate enlargement where some obstruction is created and this leads to secondary symptoms of urgency. However it can also be primary overactive bladder. Everyone knows people that just have to go to the bathroom a lot more often.
For some people there are things that make it work. Caffeine and caffeinated beverages, diet sodas, juices high in potassium are some common example. Coffee can be particularly bad for some people because not only can it be a large volume of fluid, but it typically contains a fairly large amount of caffeine, which acts as a diurectic and stimulated the kidneys to produce more urine. Another common trigger for some people is cold weather.
As mentioned, getting checked by a physician is an important first step. You want to make sure a urine sample is checked and there is no blood in the sample. Blood in the urine could indicate something more serious is going on and a referral to a urologist would be warranted. You also want to get your blood electrolytes and creatine level checked. Some doctors offices will be able to scan your bladder with a small ultrasound device to make sure you are getting your bladder emptying after you void.
If everything checks out, I’d suggest limiting the caffeine to first thing in the morning (which you might be already). It will be out of your system by the evening workout. Try and drink mainly water during the day. Void right before your workout to ensure your bladder is emptying. If all of this doesn’t help, then there are options with medications to discuss with a physician.
This sounds great advice. I think that caffeine certainly reacts with my bladder in a negative way, and I seem to remember someone saying there was a link between caffeine and aggravating the prostate. However, I do try and drink a coffee an hour or so before a TR workout to try and get the other performance benefits…
Instead of the coffee, you might want to try a gel or chews that have caffeine. This will cut down on the fluid volume but still get you the performance bump of the caffeine.