How to avoid stomach problems on Cape Epic

[blind76]

Hi

almost everyone I was talking about Cape Epic mentioned stomach problems... 
We are from Europe and we will be staying in Airbnb.

What can we do to limit our chances with getting these problems? What to avoid? Any vaccination?
Is the food and water safe in race village and feed stations?

Thank you

[Shebeen]

50 minutes ago, blind76 said:

Hi

almost everyone I was talking about Cape Epic mentioned stomach problems... 
We are from Europe and we will be staying in Airbnb.

What can we do to limit our chances with getting these problems? What to avoid? Any vaccination?
Is the food and water safe in race village and feed stations?

Thank you

problem a: getting a virus/bug from just the amount of people around

Water is normally single source throughout the race, it will be fine.

food should be ok, but it's things like communal taps/cutlery that you need to be careful around.

personal hygiene is important. wash your hands when in race village, especially round the bathrooms. Just pretend anything that is touched by other riders is infected with covid and you'll hopefully be fine.

 

problem b: stomach problems from your own nutrition is another story, it will be hot. plan and train with what you intent eating as much as possible.

 

 

 

[pieterrussouw]

I have done a couple of Epic's - my 2 cents....

1. It is normally not the food - the food is good and safe and so is the water

2. Most stomach issues are caused by race nutrition - stomach is not use to the volumes under such extreme conditions

3. Water points - check your hands when you eat

4. Be careful of High 5's  - rather just wave at people around the course.

 

 

[dave303e]

The last 2 major adventure races I raced ended in major jippo guts. From advice from doctors, research and experience this is what I found.

There are 2 major reasons for getting it in a race

You either going to catch it from food, water or sanitary conditions or you will have ingested food your stomach cannot handle(usually to many carbs).

Food is the easiest way to be careful. Race bars and gels are safe. Be weary of big open platters of food and big containers at water stations. You never know who had a bossie and then grabbed a potato and has been wearing the same gloves a few days in a row. So a sealed bar or gel that you have had in your own pocket is a far safer bet.

Drinks - I now treat everything, use the tablets as instructed. If you have sachets of carb drink powder, tape a tablet to the side and then drop it in as you mix it. Give it some time before drinking though. If you are using fizzy rehydrate tablets, place a treatment tablet between each fizzy tab so you always dump one of each as you mix. If it is a really good source of water(ie coming straight out a borehole or a clean mountain stream with no settlement above) then go for it and enjoy. I am weary of the big plastic jugs at races, seen far too many just filled from the nearest tap.

Wash your hands regularly, change your gloves daily, hands out of mouth.

River water in SA is dodge at best, so if you swim keep your mouth shut, be careful dipping caps in water and things like that.

The other cause is too many carbs, if you get the farts from 3 or 4 gels your stomach is likely battling. What often happens is you get desperate mid race and start hammering drinks an gels left right and center. What was a fart after 3 becomes much more lively when you do it day after day and more and more... So train how you plan on racing. Get those gels and high carb drinks in plenty while training, you will see you stomach will get batter at handling it over time. I had 8 gels in a 2 hour run yesterday and didn't flinch, but it has been a long time in getting ready for it. Also 8 caffeine gels will destroy you. So make sure your gels are not all caffeinated. 

 

Treatment- this is a big one and can save your race.

Nausea- A lot of nausea tablets can be taken as a suppository, so pack 2 to carry on you at all times. Try take the 1st one, if you throw up that one then the 2nd one goes in the back door for a guaranteed success.

General - Kantrexil seems to work great mid race- I have had a doctor prescribe it to me now as a just in case during the race. The stuff just works. It is an antibiotic though so speak to your doctor first. Lot's of doctors will give you good advice to prepare or for just in case.

SmectaGo- picture a gu gel but to stop the loose stools. Super convenient to carry/pack and super effective. Can confirm you can take it while riding with ease.

Then if you get sick - up the amount of fuel you are putting in and up the amount of rehydrate as well. 

That is my 2c and learnings. But speak to a doc, they are often happy to give you a backup plan for if the stool sample hits the fan.

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, blind76 said:

Hi

almost everyone I was talking about Cape Epic mentioned stomach problems... 
We are from Europe and we will be staying in Airbnb.

What can we do to limit our chances with getting these problems? What to avoid? Any vaccination?
Is the food and water safe in race village and feed stations?

Thank you

Most people suffering from stomach ailments are doing so  due to poor diet during the race.

They eat heavy meals in the evening that does not digest well, After 4 to 5 days their digestive system says "enough" and the body stops processing the heavy complex stuff.

Avoid the heavy red meats every evening. Steak is not good recovery food, It takes a couple of days to break down and pools blood around your stomach which makes your digestive system work too hard for  the amount of exertion you are putting in every day.

Eat protein but keep it simple, Eating a vegetarian diet during the Epic is not a bad idea, Just make sure you get enough protein in. Grilled fish, lentils, Humus, etc.

Carbs are actually your friend during the epic but avoid the complex carbs like pasta. Eat rice. If you can find Sushi that would be ideal. 

try to head to Dinner early, as soon as the tent opens for dinner. This gives your body more time to digest food before bed time. If you're in bed by 9pm don't eat later than 6pm. Also have lunch, even a light one if you finish in time. Otherwise a good recovery shake after a late finish and then dinner. If you can't eat lunch or dinner, then something is wrong. You either ate too much on the bike and your body is struggling to digest or you're heading toward digestive distress. You may also be dehydrated so lace your water with rehydrat for the few hours after completing the stage. If you have too much you will just piss it out, but you need to recover eletrolytes to allow digestive enzymes to do their work. Break the cycle and the system falls apart

 

Not every "stomach bug" at the epic is a virus or bacteria. Many riders aren't running fevers ( i got that from the medics at the last epic I rode) so their symptoms are due to other digestion related issues.

 

See a Dietician about a in race meal plan. this will help you regulate your intake and keep your digestive system lightly loaded 

Edited January 15 by DieselnDust

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Stay away from any food that's open and communal during the stages, especially boxes of jelly babies, baby potato's etc at the water points. Riders are wiping snot with their gloves and grabbing handfuls of food out of those boxes. Go for food wrapped in plastic rather or take your own nutrition.

The communal toilets... wrap yourself in cling wrap before going into one of those and cut a hole for your ass. Then wash yourself in Detol when you come out.

Best tip is just be aware all the time and keep your hands out your mouth and nose. Start a course of Probiotics a month before you come over to strengthen your gut immunity.

 

[Shebeen]

4 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

Stay away from any food that's open and communal during the stages, especially boxes of jelly babies, baby potato's etc at the water points. Riders are wiping snot with their gloves and grabbing handfuls of food out of those boxes. Go for food wrapped in plastic rather or take your own nutrition.

 

surely that is the case for every single race out there with food tables?

epic seems to be more about the village.

My evidence is anecdotal, and I'm guessing yours is too., what do the race doctors say, surely the covid editions would be excellent examples of higher hygiene standards, did they have lower issues?

[BuffsVintageBikes]

I've been to almost every Epic, only once as a rider/racer and all other times in some assisting capacity, mostly as a camera biker. I've managed to avoid the sh*ts by just keeping a very careful hygienic protocol. And we eat the same race food, sleep in tents and use the communal toilets etc. For that week I carry wet wipes on me permanently and use them like a paranoid mother wiping little Johnnies hands.

The first race post covid saw most of the feeding stations having the food prepacked to avoid contamination but I'm unsure if it will be the same now as people have relaxed a lot.

[DieselnDust]

15 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

surely that is the case for every single race out there with food tables?

epic seems to be more about the village.

My evidence is anecdotal, and I'm guessing yours is too., what do the race doctors say, surely the covid editions would be excellent examples of higher hygiene standards, did they have lower issues?

its hard to tell and the doctors i chatted to also aren't sure because there were digestive system issues albeit less, which pointed more to diet being the main causal.

I don't understand why water point food isn't prepacked anyway. Okes are eating way too much at those water points and contaminating everything with their sweat, snot and butt cream hands <what don't be surprised m have you ever seen okes wash their hands after leaving using the loo or applying butt cream? >

I'd been interested to see the percentage of woman that suffer gutt distress either viral or gutt fatigue related vs men. Women tend to have a better sense of personal hygiene than men and eat more prudently

[NotSoBigBen]

A bit anecdotal but after some advice from the Sheriff and my GP my brother and I took probiotics starting a few days before and then every day at Epic. Were careful as we could be as far as hygiene goes without being stupid about it and had no stomach issues

Did the pleb meal and sleep tent option .... luck or planning we'll never know?

 

 

 

[blind76]

Hi guys thanks for all your suggestions... MTB community is really something special...

['Dale]

5 things to consider:

1. Suppressed immune system under the physiological and psychological demand can easily let any threatening goggas in.

2. Many goggas are airborne and, even if the race village is lekka and social, rather place yourself in a social distancing bubble.

3. Unfortunately, mass produced food is always risky, whether at fuelling stations or for meals at the race village.

4. Training the fuel tank (types of food and preferred mg per hour) prior to the event is crucial and a predictor for sustained and safe energy supply. Replicating what you eat in training at the event is important, whether in-racing or for recovery. Should I do the Epic, I would put a system in place to take control of my nutritional and hydration needs, where possible. Three months of focused training and bags of cash is worth protecting.

5. Tummy issues can also be a result of severe performance anxiety, sleep debt or restlessness and sheer exhaustion, not necessarily viral or by some contamination.

Sterkte to all that is racing the 2024 Epic.

[Zebra]

7 hours ago, dave303e said:

You never know who had a bossie and then grabbed a potato and has been wearing the same gloves a few days in a row.

As a 3-time Epic finisher, i feel i MUST explain to our esteemed overseas rider what a, er… ‘Bossie’ is…🤣….

A ‘Bossie’ is a Bush-Poo.

The End. 

[TeamBaja]

Done two races and one as a volunteer. As a volunteer nothing happened. The first time as a racer we were both fine. Last year my teammate was I'll on day one, he is more or less a local. I felt a bit off, but not terribly sick. 

Part of this is because your body is really low on defense (immune system) the demands and stresses of the race are huge. So any bug will easily enter your body. As a habit I eat yogurt (plain) after dinner does it work maybe. So try to be aware of what you do, a extra wipe or wash is a good practice. If you get Ill, take it easy and finish the stage.

Good luck 

[SwissVan]

On 1/15/2024 at 2:19 PM, BuffsVintageBikes said:

Stay away from any food that's open and communal during the stages, especially boxes of jelly babies, baby potato's etc at the water points. Riders are wiping snot with their gloves and grabbing handfuls of food out of those boxes. Go for food wrapped in plastic rather or take your own nutrition.

 

          /\ THIS /\

and stay away from the same at the finish each day…. I still get nauseous thinking about those Woolies sandwiches they used to hand out each day.

Try prepack your own food and snacks for each day, put some real food in your gut not just gels….unless you’re used to living on gels

When / if you get sick 🤢 REHIDRAT is your best friend, make sure you take enough sachets with for the whole week, if you don’t need them there will be someone who does and you’ll have a buddy for life.

Edited January 17 by SwissVan

[TeamBaja]

On 1/17/2024 at 1:01 PM, SwissVan said:

          /\ THIS /\

and stay away from the same at the finish each day…. I still get nauseous thinking about those Woolies sandwiches they used to hand out each day.

Try prepack your own food and snacks for each day, put some real food in your gut not just gels….unless you’re used to living on gels

When / if you get sick 🤢 REHIDRAT is your best friend, make sure you take enough sachets with for the whole week, if you don’t need them there will be someone who does and you’ll have a buddy for life.

Last years. lunches were awful nothing like the quality of the woolworth, from before. I didn't eat one last year.