Stitch W6 R3

[Pepperaholic]

Hi All!

I’ve completed week 6 now (yay) and for the most part when I’m into my stride I feel like I could continue for ages. But this week W6 R2 and now R3 I found myself getting a mild stitch in one side.

For R2 it was before eating anything that day (early morning) so it can’t be related to food.

Advice?

To get through it I just slowed right down (although I hadn’t been going any faster than usual).

I’m wanting to find out why it’s happening and/or things I can do to prevent them?

Any advice welcome! Thanks!

[FurtherFaster]

The two things I've found help me beat stitches - first timing big 'out' breaths timed with when the foot on the painful side is taking steps, and if that doesn't work then lifting up that arm and bending it over my head for a few strides.

As for what causes them....for me it often seems to be from breathing incorrectly (too short breaths or out of sync with my pace), or too much or too little water too close or too far from my run - i.e. so many varying factors I've stopped trying to guess what's casued my stitch haha and just found ways to deal with it!

[Pepperaholic Graduate in reply to FurtherFaster]

Thanks! I’ll try those if it happens again!

[nowster Graduate]

One tip is to change what you do with your abdomen when you breathe when you start to feel a stitch coming on. If your abdomen normally goes out when you breathe in, draw it inwards instead. Push out on the exhales. (And vice versa.)

[Pepperaholic Graduate in reply to nowster]

Thank you! If it happens again I’ll try this out!

[StoneDragon Graduate]

I've had a few stiches now too - I just slow down a little when it happens and focus on my breathing. One trick I read was to breath with your steps and count an even number in (breathe in for 4) and exhale an odd number (breathe out for 3). Seems to have helped me. I'd like to know why they happen to me too but I think I'm going too fast and my breathing is too shallow and I'm paying the price.

Well done on completing week 6 - that's another milestone run - I completed W7R1 today so it was a repeat of the run you did and I felt pretty good. Good luck with week 7.

[Pepperaholic Graduate in reply to StoneDragon]

Thanks a mill! I’ll try the timed breathing, I’m due my w7 r1 today so hopefully it won’t happen but if it does, I’ll try this out and the others above.

I’m the same, would love to know why it happens!

And thanks! You too, well done. You’re one ahead of me so I’ll gauge how hard it is from you! Good luck with the rest of week 7!