The wall. A term familiar to everyone in the throes of marathon preparation. For some, it comes sooner than others. An allergy test can help you identify things that may be standing between you and that personal best.
An allergy has many side effects which will harm your chances of becoming the next Eliud Kipchoge. Below are four that may be holding you back from greatness.
1. Emergency bathroom break
As Paula Radcliffe can testify to, when you gotta go, you gotta go. This, regardless of the fact you’re midway through your run. There’s nothing worse than a sudden urge to visit the toilet when there are none to be found. If you’ve consumed something which disagrees with you, you increase the likelihood that you’ll be caught short. An allergy test can spare your blushes and help you identify foods that could put you in this predicament.
2. Bloating
Getting your breathing right on a run can be one of the most challenging aspects, and a stomach which feels like its full of air is only going to add to your troubles. One of the most common symptoms of food allergies is that feeling of a balloon-like stomach full of air. There are a high number of foods which can cause excess gas. We wrote an article with tips to help manage bloating, but, an allergy test can help you identify the foods that turn you into a blow-up doll.
3. Skin irritability or rashes
Runners nipple. Any runner who has gone through this ordeal can tell you what a painful experience it is to run with this common irritability. Did you know that a food allergy can cause skin irritability or even rashes? With so much of your body rubbing against your clothes throughout your run, this will cause serious problems, potentially infection. Finding out which foods or substances cause breakouts for you is vital in avoiding this potentially dangerous symptom of an allergy.
4. Migraines
When you can barely bring yourself to open your eyes, a marathon training run is pretty far down your list of things to do. If you have an allergy that you’re not aware of, that can cause migraines whenever you come into contact with them. If this is a substance you’re around frequently, then this is going to have a real impact on your marathon preparation.
Find out what’s keeping you from a podium finish with one of our allergy tests.
