Poop – “feces.”
Do you want to know the number one thing that racers talk about?
Sure, we talk about God the other 95 percent of the time, but there is ONE topic that racers barely bring up even though it affects their everyday life. It is when they wake up, when they go to ministry, when they get in and out of transportation, when they have team time, when they go shopping for groceries, when they lay their heads down on their sleeping pads at night, and sometimes even when they have feedback. It is constantly with them and inside them in some form or other, and it can greatly affect their days. Do you know what it is?
It’s POOP!
Traveling from country to country without any set schedule or food source changes what comes out of ourselves daily and, as much as we hate it, it is a HUGE indicator of how we are doing health-wise. Over the past 15 or so months of being on the race, I have come to find 11 foods that will dramatically change your day from bad to better:
- Water – It’s good for hydration as well as keeping you pretty regular. Make sure that you are staying hydrated and the rest of your body functions will thank you!
- Apples – you know the old adage “an apple a day,” right? Well, on the race, it is almost necessary to follow this for the sake of your insides. The fiber in this fruit will help anything stuck inside come out!
- Coffee – if the apple isn’t working fast enough for you, drink some coffee; now THAT will get it out of you ASAP! But be careful and make sure that there is a toilet/ hole in the ground close to you when you decide to go this route!
- Bananas – they’re not only good for cramping and potassium, but they also help to put all of your poop back in one piece when it comes out of you.
- Papayas – if you haven’t gone for a couple of days, this will be your best friend and helper! Just make sure that you don’t eat too much of it or else you will have to be within a 10 foot radius of any toilet/ hole in the ground
- Bread – you probably already know this, but it will STOP YOU UP! Days will pass on the race where you will have not much to eat other than bread and you will start to feel your stomach getting rounder and more solidified under your skin. Although this is something that will cause a lot of problems down the road, it also is a great remedy for those times when you have the runs!
- Rice – very similar to bread, but much more abundant in Africa and South America and Southeast Asia. Sometimes it comes with a little bit of veggies, but don’t be fooled, eat more veggies if you want the rice to leave your system!
- Beans – they’re magical. Eat them. They will help you beyond what you can imagine in the race; not only do they have magical powers to solve multiple stomach issues, they also have some protein for those vegetarians out there!
- Blueberries – it is not common, but it will definitely change the way things come out in the end. They are full of antioxidants, but if you eat too many, your poop will be very green in the end. Don’t freak out, it just means that you are a little too healthy for the day.
- Watermelon – it’s all over the world and it paired most commonly with pineapple in Southeast Asia. Watermelon is good and fibrous, similar to the papaya, and will help you stay a little happier throughout your day!
- Cheese – this is rare and precious on the race, but if you have it, make sure that you handle with caution. Cheese, although wonderful to consume, has the potential to break your day. Also, cheese sandwiches are the MOST dangerous things to eat on the race and need to be paired with one of the multiple foods that will do the opposite effect.
Hope this helps you future racers! Remember, your food can make or break your day – make wise decisions!
As for the supporters, if this still helps, stay healthy and live a long life!
