I'm loving running, but keep getting a stich as soon as I start

[fustyarse]

Any ideas how to prevent?

I never used get them,but now the minute my feet hit the ground I'm gettng one in my right side

I've tried the belly breathing and blowing out hard technique, whch is somewhat effective, but I need to know how to stop it starting in the first place!

I run in the moring, before eating. I usually have a cup of tea before I leave.

It's annoying because for the first time n my life I'm really enjoying running,and my body's getting stronger - I feel I could go much further if it wasn't for this pain in my side...

Help,please!

[aquavit]

Have you tried having something to eat an hour(ish) before you run? I've got no scientific reason to think it would help with the stitch but I always find my runs are happier if I've eaten something, even if just half a banana 30 mins before.

[nocake]

Try starting slower. Walk first then gradually break into a really easy run and build up to whatever pace you're training at.

[AnnieLobeseder]

It'll be that cup of tea. I get a stitch if I have more than a few tiny sips of anything in the hour before I run.

[fustyarse]

nocake - I'm pretty slow anyway,and honestly,it starts immediately!

I usually get up at about 6.30/7am, have tea straight away, take dcs to school for 9 and run on the way home, 2 miles tops

Often I have a quick cuppa just before leaving too, so I'll drop that one and have a banana with my first cup

Please don't make me give up my tea!

[nasu]

Apparently it's caused by the stretching of ligaments which attach the diaphragm to the liver, which is on your right. According to Runner's World it may help if you exhale when your left foot hits the ground and inhale when the right foot does. Haven't tried this, but I found that after regular running for a number of weeks I stopped getting stitches. Stick with it!

[fustyarse]

thanks - so you think it'll go away ther more I run? I'm out at least 4 times a week and would like to increase my distance. I can't go for more than 40 minutes atm.

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

The only times I've ever had a stitch is when I've had a coffee in the hour before running. Happens like clockwork.

I can get away with one coffee when I wake, but if I have a second before I take ds's to school I get a stitch on my run.

[squirrel007]

I used to get stitches all the time when I first started out, but they gradually disappeared as I got better. I still don't eat or drink anything for at least an hour before running though as I would still get one.

The breathing on your left foot seemed to help a bit, or you could slow right down and try to run through it? That's quite hard though, but I did find that they'd eventually go away.

If you are keen to do more but can't get through 40 mins, how about doing some interval training and trying to go faster rather than longer, until you stop getting them?

[ladylush]

I'm not really a proper runner - can do 5k but not usually more than twice a week these days but I always get stitch if I eat something less than two hours before I run. My digestion is slow