Originally Posted by tbobby
Your problem will only get worse as you age. You'll need to plan your potty time ahead and take Imodium as an insurance policy. I spend lots of time fishing offshore in boats without heads and have seen my share of humiliated guys doing the squat of shame off the side of boats. Did you know that catfish are called "turdburglars". Girls, somehow, have much better control over their bowels and rarely get themselves into these predicaments. Also, the urgency can be proportional to last night's beer and Taco Bell intake. Good luck.
Not really. Actually, biology gives us less of an advantage then men. While I consider it a bit gross to go through the anatomy of defecation, I can say that men have a slight advantage over women, making it a bit easier for them to "hold it in" longer. When women have to go, because of our biology, we just can't hold it in as long.
Well... and we can't unzip and pee either, so that's no good!
Personally, when I started cycling, I noticed the same thing. Now, I don't eat a meal before my rides- I will stick with juice and powerbars, and leave it at that. When I finish my cycling, I will have my meal.
Since for women, it's much worse, because when you have to go, it's not like we can stand behind a tree and expect privacy, so if I take longer rides, I know my route ahead of time, and I know where I can stop for the bathroom. Long rides are always pre-planned, and I plan the breaks, and whether or not I feel like I have to go, I go to the bathroom anyway. I call it my "preventative pee plan (or PPP)".
If you have to eat before you leave, I would say right before you leave, you should definitely get some toliet time in. That may also help. Either eat something higher in fiber that can rip through your system, so by the time you get on the toliet, you'll be able to pass it, or try for a meal that's a little higher in complex carbs, so it would take a little longer to digest. Either way, definitely, you should get on the toliet for a few minutes before you leave and see if you can do the PPP. It works for me, it can work for you too!
Good luck!
Koffee