Ginger, Anyone?
[assistant editor's note: the following is reprinted from the Western Mass Club's Trail Running Newsletter at "Will Run's" request. If you can help with any information, his e-mail contact information is available from the editors on request].
In the past I have written in great detail about my running adventures as I slowly made my way up through the ranks of ultra-running. This year I finally "hit the top" so to speak with my first 100 miler at Vermont. Since I have no plans on challenging Peter Palmer's record on the Appalachian Trail this will be as far as I go for now. I tried to write about all the little things that I found helpful as I increased my mileage in the different events. How the loop courses at the Finger Lakes races helped me mentally get into the higher miles. How drinking cola helped settle my stomach on a very hot first 50 miler, using Conquest instead of the sugar based drinks, the different types of food I tried over the years and what worked well for me and what didn't work so good.
This year at the Vermont run I heard about something else and although I didn't need it I have been wondering about it ever since. Many runners dropped out of the race due to nausea, either caused by the heat, food and drink that didn't agree with them, or whatever other reason. At one aid station I overheard one runner offering a nausea victim some ginger that he swore always solved his nausea problems. Well my curiosity was aroused and I had to catch up to that fellow to find out more. This is what I learned from that runner who claimed to be a veteran of many 100 milers. It seems several years ago he had to drop out of a race due to extreme nausea. The next day he went online seeking answers and ideas. Supposedly he found out that several of the top ultrarunners in the country swear by ginger to solve their nausea and upset stomach problems while running. He showed me some chunks of ginger that he was carrying and told me I could buy them in the supermarket. All you do he said was "chew them up, bad taste and all, and wash it down with plenty of water." It's supposed to work within minutes.
Well, after I got home I checked at my local supermarket. There it was in the baking and spices section-- a bottle of crystallized ginger chunks. (McCormick spices-- about $6.95, should last you for many years.) I seem to remember years ago hearing about eating ginger snap cookies to prevent sea sickness so I guess this would be along the same lines.
Anyway, have any of you heard of this or do any of you use it? Does it really work? Any help would be much appreciated!
-- "Will Run"
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