stitch while running

[beginnerrunner]

I'm currently on week 2 of couch to half marathon. I'm doing run/walk 2 miles and 3 miles 5 x per week and a swim. It gets more in the next couple of weeks.
My problem is I quite often get a stitch while running. I don't eat or drink too close to running. I am very overweight and unfit but not sure if that has an impact.

My other problem is speed. I am sooooo slow. Yesterday I did my fastest 5k and it was 46 minutes. Slow, slow, slow! Help!

apparently you can minimise a stitch by bending over and touching your toes. I always forget to try it though.

I always wonder if elite runners don't get stitches or they're so tough they can run through it .

Sorry, it's not 5 runs. It's more like:
Monday - rest
Tues - swim
Weds - 3 miles run walk
Thurs - 2 Miles run walk
Friday - rest day
Saturday - 3 miles run walk
Sunday - 2 miles brisk walk

It goes up next week to running not run/walk

Thanks meglet. I'll try that. It really hurts when it happens.

When you get a stitch breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose, it helps it go quicker.

You're only two weeks in so please stop worrying about speed! Work on endurance and being able to keep going. You will get faster as you get fitter but now is not the time to worry about that!

Stitches - I find it helps to clutch the side affected and press hard while bending at the waist a little. Or slowing a bit. Or altering my breathing, forcing long breaths out.

The amount I get has decreased as I've got fitter

Thanks guys. I'll try to stop worrying about it all. Only 5 months to go until half marathon and I want to run a lot of it. No easy task at 5 stone overweight.

Fair play to you beginner! I have to avoid eating and especially drinking at least 2 hours before a run. I also found as I lost weight and got fitter, I got fewer stitches. If one does strike, I try running through it, usually passes in 5-10 mins, or else just stop and walk until it's gone, maybe a minute or so. Good luck with your training!

Thanks Kanyes. Unfortunately they seem to last ages, even if I slow to a walk. When I used to run, they did get easier as I got fitter so fingers crossed that happens afain.

i was told to stop, stretch up over my head with the arm on the side the stitch is and take slow deep breaths. I always used to get a stitch at the same point of a run, but now that I have got better I very rarely get them. Another suggestion is to regulate your breathing so you do not breath in and out on the same foot strike. So maybe breath in for 2 and out for 3 steps, apparently this helps. Good luck with your running, good on you for taking on a half marathon; I'm in training for my first one after working up from 5 and 10ks. You will get there, forget speed, concentrate on time on your feet and it will all gradually get better.

Ouch. It was particularly bad this morning. Stich lasted 15-20mins. 5k took 47.15. Booo!

I find I get stitches when I try too hard. Like go off too fast at parkrun, or don't adjust my pace to go up a hill.

Honestly, don't worry about speed - I would suggest you're putting too much junto your run intervals and not recovering fully during the walk sections. Try and relax your effort for a week and see if that helps?