Not stitches after all...

So... today started very badly.

We got up at 6am to go for our first Week 7 run, and the weather was really awful. It was raining hard, really windy, and freezing. My fiancé suggesting bailing and going back to bed but I pulled on a jumper and got out the door anyway, determined to get on with it.

I was planning to start cycling through anti-stitch suggestions from fellow runners so I ate half a banana and took a bottle of drink with me this time - someone suggested that going out running completely on empty might not be helping.

Almost as soon as we started I could feel a pinch in my side, and it was already painful by the time I hit the five-minute mark. I had just heard the podcast woman say that we had got half way when the pain got worse and I went into a walk. I just couldn't face more than ten minutes more of running through the pain.

As soon as I stopped I regretted it, felt like a massive failure/quitter and had a big tantrum in the rain - throwing my bottle on the floor and crying like a loser. I was just so frustrated that I couldn't finish, especially when I had made the effort to go out in the cold and wet - it just felt like I was trying really hard and getting sod all back.

We went straight home after that and after calming down I had a bit of a think. I'd done all the usual things to both prevent and cure a stitch and nothing had even come close to helping. They weren't getting better as my fitness improved, either - in fact they were happening earlier and earlier in each successive run. They were also quite low down in my abdomen. I began to wonder if it was a stitch at all...

Luckily I had a doctor's appointment this morning for a repeat prescription so while I was there I mentioned all this to him. He gave me a prod in the ribs and found a tender spot, and he told me that he thinks that I have pulled/strained a muscle attached to one of my floating ribs, so I am not getting stitches at all, after all that! He says that my body is adapting to the new exercise and that I am using my lungs a lot more as I breathe deeply during running, so my ribs are having to move about more than they are used to (plus jiggling about as I run) and I have just strained something. He said I can run through it without doing any harm unless it is too painful for me, but I can just pop some ibuprofen or paracetamol and carry on if I like. He said it can take a good 3-6 months for the body to adjust to running if you've never done it before and my body would strengthen in time.

I am still really annoyed about giving up this morning but I am so relieved that I know what it is! I am going to take the weekend off and see how I feel on Monday with some tablets to help with the pain.

Onward and upward!!

[RhonaL]

Great news. I didn't realise that it takes that long for your body to adapt but it makes sense. Good call to ask the doctor. You also now know that it is just a matter of time for your body to heal and that stitches won't be a continual problem for you. You'll whizz through next week.

[glendam52 Graduate]

I was in agony last week from something similar last week but not actually when i was running. Discussed it with a dr and thats what we decided it was the over breathing causing costrocondritis imflamation of the cartilidge in the rib cage. I think it helps when you know what it is and it will settle down.

[glendam52 Graduate]

ps you are not a failiure you gave it your best shot even when you were in pain.

[Hidden]

I'm just impressed you went out knowing it was going to hurt - you are so not a failure - you're amazing! Good luck with the pain and I hope your body catches up with your determination very soon.

[hollyO Graduate]

Gosh, you are one very determined person! When you are recovered you will emerge Usain Bolt like, Iam sure

[Mumtum]

Oh that's really interesting because I've been getting stitches lately, the last one started during the warm up walk!! That's never happened before and I just thought that maybe I hadn't drunk enough during the day, but your doctor's diagnosis sounds more likely. Good luck for your next run, your determination will definitely get you through