UKC

Just been out for a planned 6.25k after work but got to about 3.75k and was absolutely bent over with stitch I had to stop.

I was running at about 8.5min/mile so not my quickest. I haven't eaten for a while, am well hydrated and have been running regularly.

I don't these all the time but when I do its horrible (and if it isn't bloody stitch its cramps).

Do the other runners on here still get stitch and if so, what do you do to minimise or eliminate it?

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Always seem to get a stitch if I´ve eaten an apple any time up to about 4 hours before a run!
Your situation sounds strange, seems like you had done things right in preparation.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
Very rarely, but when it has occured I've had no idea what caused it, it's been very painfull and all I've been able to do is to stop and walk it out for a few minutes, start jogging again when comfortable.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I thought I had also but its frustrating when you go out and nail a 10k one day and then the next time you can barely do 4.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Do you warm up before you head out the door?

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: I stretch and jog on the spot for a few minutes so that I'm not completely ice cold.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

As soon as I feel a stitch coming I try to take a few deep "recovery" breaths and that seems to prevent the stitch from getting worse.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: Situps fixed this for me, and a lot of other people I know. 20, 30 after every run as a routine.

Apples are off the menu for me as well tho'.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: A friend of mine (very keen runner) told me a good cure. The stitch he claims is caused by breathing out and the impact of your foot. Eg breath out when right leg hits, you can get a stitch on your right side, therefore just skip a step, i.e breath out on your leg going down opposite to the stitch. It's certainly worked for me.

In reply to Steve Perry:

Crap, most of my concentration is use to stop me falling over curbs or running into cars at junctions.

In reply to Steve Perry:

I was taught the same. If I breathe out on my right strike I get a stitch. Left is fine. I was told it was to do there being more organs on the right hand side to hit off the diaphragm.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

It's my theory that you get stitch when you are improving quickly.
Then it goes away. Not had it for ages....

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: I read once that a stitch can be caused by breathing too deeply through your chest which puts pressure on your diaphragm. When you start to feel the onset of a stitch breath through your stomach to relieve the tension.

It works for me.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
might be worth running on a treadmill and gradually increasing your speed until you reach that 'sub-stich' speed whereby you can just feel it coming on. Then train consistently (on treadmill or using a garmin) at that speed until your body gets use to it, before gradually increasing your pace?

In reply to Milesy:

i read this ages ago and seems a) to make ense and b) provide a cure

which is just to alter your breathing rhythm to be not in phase with stride by
taking a few deeper breaths

works for me.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: This may explain why I only get a stitch with running and no other exercise, and it is 99% on my right side.

Interesting, I'll take note of my stride next time.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: Did a nice 10k this morning and no a whiff of a stitch. Go figure?