Disappointed im crippled with stitches what am I doing wrong?

[Yellowsunset]

So I'm on week 2 and legs are not too tired and breathing is fine I'm not running badly out of breath. But crippled with stitch in right side.

I am taking deep breath controlled. I did warm up walk along with some stretches etc.

I ate breakfast at 7.50 and started running at 5 to 10 o clock. So 2 hours after food. Had been to 💩.

Well hydrated in advance.

Only for the stitch I could have ran on. I tried stretching and breathing extra deep snd then it was time for last 90 sec run and I tried but pain was crippling.

So didn't quite complete today's run. Disappointed as I was loving it.. it was raining steadily and I actually LOVE running in the rain lol

[Yellowsunset Graduate]

Any help appreciated. But Ideally direct things to try. Simple lol

Not links to long reads. If you think helpful thats ok send anyway I can read another time when more time.

[Djboom Graduate]

Not a very experienced runner by any stretch , just graduated earlier this month. The advice I received about avoiding stitches was to slow down and that’s what I tend to do now whenever I feel a stitch coming on and it has worked for me so far.

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to Djboom]

Well done you on graduation! I hope to get there before Christmas 🎄

So keep going but slow the pace? My stitch seems to drag itself out. So when you slowed down, and it went away... how long roughly to it eased? And after it eased, Were you able to go back to previous pace and run stitch free?

[Djboom Graduate in reply to Yellowsunset]

I had a few runs earlier in the programme where I had a stitch and had to stop. And after that when I felt as if one is developing I check my pace and slow down until it passes. Nowadays, it doesn’t really happen as I try to ensure I don’t start off too fast.

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to Djboom]

Thankyou, maybe I was going a little fast for my ability just yet. Will pace myself better on Saturday. Thanks again!

[misswobble Graduate]

Try and stay upright and don’t swing your arms across your body. When we tire we can slump, so if you find yourself doing that, haul yourself up. Laura used to tell us to imagine we were trying to peer over a tall hedge

Slow down too 🙂

I used to get rotten stitch. I used to stop completely, touch my toes then reach for the sky with my arms up to the sky, lean over into the stitch, back to centre, then lean over to the other side

Running hills strengthens the core but I noticed more stitch As your core gets stronger, hopefully you’ll lose the stitch.

Good luck 🙂👍

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thank you. Did u wait to stitch had completely disappeared before trying to run again? Did it come back within the same run?

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Yellowsunset]

Yes it did. Touch toes again, etc etc.

It improved as I got fitter but it still occasionally happens on my trail route. The haul yourself up thing is good. “Chin slightly leading the chest, eyes up”. To quote the great Coach Bennett 🙂

Relax too as being tense won’t help 👍

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thanks again. Useful tips. Will defo try this to get rid of stitch quicker.

Hoping breathing and pacing myself better will mean I will avoid one.. fingers crossed.. well prepared now with information and what to do if get one. Thanks

Roll on Saturday 😄

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many people make the mistake of breathing too fast.........deep breaths need to be slow and full, then expel the breath fully by blowing out hard after holding for a short time.

Relax and be calm and slow your pace.

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you will try this preventative measure next time. Michael did say about the four steps breathing in and four out if I picked him up right lol

Will work more on breathing and concentrate on this rather than pace. Thank u 😊

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Yellowsunset]

I would forget the timed advice on breathing, as mentioned in the guide to the plan, it doesn't work for many people so just breathe normally.

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you so much. Will try this. Fingers crossed it will work.

Can I ask.. is it OK to run again tomorrow? Day after.. seeing i didnt do the last 90 second run? Or should I still skip a day? I dont feel like I done much its just the stitch was my only hindrance. Thanks in anticipation

[Magellan Graduate in reply to Yellowsunset]

Skip a day. Your rest days aren't just to give you a rest, they're to let your muscles rebuild themselves.

Was any of your route downhill? Running downhill feels easy so it's natural to go fast, but downhill running can make a stitch more likely. Slowing down is a good idea.

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to Magellan]

Thank you magellan,

No its all pretty level. Its a kind of a lake walk at a park i done today.

Starting to feel a little in muscles now 3 hours later. Will take your advice and skip a day to allow muscles repair. Thanks 😊

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Yellowsunset]

If you read the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5... (yes, I am afraid it is quite long, but full of vital info) you will find a lot of your questions answered.

When you run, the impact creates microtears in your muscles, which repair and strengthen on your rest days, not while running. Without rest, repair and strengthening are compromised and injury risk increased.

Rest days are crucial.

[Yellowsunset Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you, will read this tonight! My evening cuppa reading .. I think I've read it before but will be good to read again and remind myself of things I obviously didn’t take in! 🙈