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Marathons are long. 26.2 miles to be exact. It’s not uncommon for the full course of a marathon to last anywhere from 4 to 5 hours. Throughout this time, it’s really important you try to keep hydrated. Unsurprisingly, this can often mean needing to pee frequently. But how do we go about doing this? What is acceptable? What isn’t?
When runners need to pee during a marathon, they have multiple options available to them. If you are running on a trail then it is usually perfectly acceptable to pee behind a bush. If you’re running in the city, it is often a better idea to find somewhere such as a public restroom or portapotty.
With this in mind, the question should be less about how to pee during a marathon and more about what is acceptable and what isn’t.
What Runners Think
To get an idea of whether or not the runners thought it was acceptable to pee during a marathon, I held a poll with 421 runners to see what they thought. It’s worth noting that this poll may be a little inaccurate, as the question may not have been presented as clearly as it needed to be. That being said, I think the results still speak for themselves.
| Preference | Votes (%) |
| Yes | 185 (43.9%) |
| No | 141 (33.5%) |
| It Depends | 95 (22.6%) |
It’s good to see that almost half of all runners who voted agreed that it’s perfectly acceptable to pee during a marathon. With this in mind, we should look into the options that people have available.
How To Pee During A Marathon
- Find a Secluded Area – A toilet is a given. However, if you need a pee and are in a location that doesn’t have one, your only option is to pee in the environment around you. Try to find somewhere nice and secluded. Also, make sure that the area you do your business in isn’t private property and won’t cause damage to anything you come into contact with.
- Have a Look Out – Again, you’re unlikely to need one of these if you plan on peeing in a designated toilet or portapotty. However, if you need to do your business outside then it may feel more comforting to have a designated lookout close by to let you know if someone’s coming.
- Plan Your Stops Ahead of Time – If you’re focused on completing your marathon in a certain time frame then you can minimize the time it takes to pee by planning the points throughout your run that you want to stop at. If you’re running a race with a clear track set out then runners often have easy access to information giving them possible toilet pit stops ahead of time. For example, the Boston Marathon includes toiles at every water and medical station as well as additional points throughout the course.
- Consider Toilet Roll – This is more relevant if you need to go number two than number one. So I would normally reccomend it for something like an ultramarathon rather than a standard marathon. That being said, if you have the space on you to carry some toilet roll , it certainly can’t hurt.
Best Places To pee During A Marathon
So now that we know what kinds of things we need to keep in mind when peeing during a marathon we should consider what the best locations are to do so.
Wooded Area
It’s generally ok to pee out in nature providing you do it discreetly and at least 200 feet away from a water source. For example, if you’re out running on a trail then it’s fine to stop behind a tree or something similar providing you are far away from anything like a stream. Urine is generally sterile and is unlikely to do any damage to the surroundings.
Behind a Blanket
In extreme circumstances where you’re in a location without a designated toilet and there aren’t any surroundings to cover you, your last point of call should be behind a blanket or something you can use to shield yourself. In extreme circumstances, Olympic athletes have simply stopped in the street mid-run to go to the toilet. This can be somewhat taboo. So if you think this may happen to you, it’s a good idea to carry something that can at least offer a little protection.
Porta-Potty
Porta-potties are generally included throughout most designated races and are usually the best option for runners when it comes to finding somewhere to pee as they’re usually the closest point of call to the race track. A top tip for runners when using a porta-potty is to make sure they’re equipped with hand sanitizer. Whilst porta-potties generally come with a dispenser I have been in my fair share where it has run out.
In A Cafe Or Restaurant
Choosing a public restroom or commercial outlet might require some thought and planning ahead. For example, in a restaurant or shop, it’s often customary to purchase something if you plan on using the toilet. At the very least, you might want to make sure that you have permission to use the facilities if that’s all you plan on doing.
Are There Toilets On A Marathon?
There generally are designated toilets on marathons that have a set track. However, it’s less likely that marathons that take place on locations such as trails have a toilet as often as needed.
We’ve already spoken about how frequent toilet stops are along the Boston Marathon, and it’s a similar situation for other popular races too. For example, the New York Marathon reportedly has portable toilets at every mile point beginning at mile three. At the same time, the Silverton Alpine Marathon doesn’t have any reported stops for the toilet, just an aid station once every 8 miles.
Do Marathon Runners Pee In Their Pants?
If you’ve ever watched the Olympics or the typical running movie you may have seen this happen. If not, you may be surprised by the question.
Marathon runners do pee in their pants. However, unless you are running at an elite level, there generally isn’t a need for marathon runners to pee in their pants. The only circumstances when this to accepted as the norm would be when an Olympic runner is attempting to complete a marathon in a time under three hours. Otherwise, it’s a much better idea to stop along the race to go to the toilet.
Forgetting whether or not it’s acceptable for a moment, runners should be aware that peeing in their pants during a marathon can result in some nasty irritation to the skin. Urine can be quite acidic. So having it in contact with your groin can result in some serious chafing problems. If you’d like to know more about how to handle groin chafing when running I’ve written an entire article on it which you can find here.
Is It Acceptable To Pee Your Pants During A Marathon?
If you’re an elite runner who is in a competitive race, then it’s generally considered acceptable to pee during a marathon. In distances longer than a marathon, it is seen as even more acceptable to do this. You don’t just need to take my word for it. Take a look at what the guys from Ironman Hacks have to say about it:
With this in mind, runners need to try and remain respectful when peeing their pants on a marathon. Runners should try to stay out of the way of others or else it can get out of hand. For example, the supervisors of the London Marathon had to specifically tell runners that they shouldn’t be urinating on people’s front gardens. You can read the full article here.
Is There A Way To Pee Less During A Marathon?
If you’d prefer to simply not worry about peeing during a marathon, there are a few things you could consider to prevent this from happening.
The main way that a runner could reduce their chances of needing to pee during a marathon is by reducing their intake of water. However, this is generally a very bad idea. As you run over long periods your body produces sweat to help keep you cool. This, in turn, can dehydrate you if you don’t drink enough water.
Interestingly, there’s some evidence to show that if you start running hydrated, then you’re less likely to pee as you continue running. According to Runners World, this is down to an anti-diuretic hormone that helps to decrease the amount of urine that flows in the bladder.
It’s also worth noting that staying calm could reduce the amount that you need to pee. When I ran my first marathon, I was very excited and anxious about getting going. The result was more than three pees in an hour. So it helps to stay cool, calm and collected when you’re running a marathon.
What To Wear When It Comes To Peeing During A Marathon
If you’re planning on running whilst peeing or if you’re simply thinking about what impact a pee on a run will have on your kit, it’s a good idea to consider what you should be wearing.
Runners who need to pee during a marathon will benefit from wearing quick-dry clothing that can wick away liquids. This will help to prevent any chafing that runners could experience from urine coming into contact with clothing. Runners should also make sure that their clothing can be removed quickly and easily to avoid any time lost to untying and tying back up clothing.
In addition to clothing, there are also some external pieces of kit and equipment that runners can use to make peeing during a marathon easier.
If you’re a woman, peeing effectively outdoors can be especially difficult. For this reason a Shee Wee such as this one can come in especially handy. These Shee Wees are designed so that women can squat and pee without worrying about making a mess, they conveniently come very lightweight and with a secluded bag that could fit conveniently into something like a hydration backpack.
For marathon runners who don’t have urinating in their surroundings as an option. It’s worth noting that they can potentially carry their pee with them. These Disposable Urine Bags have been designed for travel and emergencies. Their very compact and are designed to take a large amount of urine. What’s more, they are also made to hold vomit. So if you’re a runner who suffers from an upset stomach these bags could offer the perfect solution.
Should I Keep Running When I Pee?
We’ve touched on peeing when running already. But to be clear, stopping to pee when running and continuing to run whilst peeing can be two very different things.
Runners who don’t want to stop running while they pee can feel free to keep moving. However, peeing without stopping can mean that the pee spreads much more around your legs than it otherwise would.
On top of this, runners need to be especially wary of other runners around them when doing this. It’s one thing to openly pee in front of people. But to do so in close contact with the risk of it coming into contact with another runner is something else.
Do Marathon Runners Poop Themselves When They Run?
Similarly to peeing during a marathon, there is a good chance that you will need to stop to poo at some point.
It is far less acceptable to stop to poo in the street during a marathon as it is to pee. Runners should always use a restroom when it comes to pooping during a marathon.
You may think that you can get through an entire marathon without the need to poo. However, it may be more likely than you think. According to experts, running causes your body to send blood from the GI tract, the tube that goes from your mouth to your anus, to your musccles. This process can significantntly increase the chances of you needing to poo.
