DD getting stitches when running

[rhubarb84]

DD is 8
She's slim and reasonably active - has an hour's swimming class each week, walks to and from school, does karate. Plus we go swimming as a family, and she does the usual running around at cubs etc.

She's just started doing junior parkrun though and has been crippled by stitches - has to walk half of it.

Today we tried only a small breakfast and well in advance. I also tried to explain the trick of keeping breathing out of sync with the feet. But it didn't seem to help.

Any suggestions? I think she's keen enough to keep trying and see if they gradually go away as she gets used to more running.

If it were me, I'd go no breakfast at all and run fasted, but I don't know if that's realistic for a child!

Get her to hold the arm on the stitch side in the air and try and keep going . It worked for my kids

What about if she wore higher waisted running tights/leggings with some compression on her sides and tummy? That can help.

She probably needs to slow down until she’s used to running that distance.

Thanks - tried that one too but without much luck!

You're probably right - she's already starting pretty slow, but I guess it's the usual beginner runner issue that if you're not used to it, even very slow jogging is a bit too fast to keep at continuously.

Interesting idea! Worth a try since she needs new clothes anyway.

Try getting there earlier and doing a much longer warm up?
So some slow jogging/ skipping interspersed with walking and dynamic stretches etc

My running club training spends 10-15 mins on warm up at least before we do the main training
The serious club runners often run 1-2k just warming up before a 5 k and then the same to cool down

If she gets a stitch in the warm up you can stop and walk it off

Makes a lot of sense. Assuming I can get us organised enough to not be turning up at the last minute!

When I was a child, if you got a stitch, you would touch your toes without bending your knees.

If I get a stitch when running, it’s usually beside I’m dehydrated. Is your DD drinking enough water before running (i.e. in the 24 hours before running; I’m not suggesting she should glug a litre immediately before she runs!)?

5k is something you have to work up to even if generally fit because it involves different muscles and endurance.

So you start with jogging interspersed with walking, and gradually jog for longer intervals. I’d try the couch to 5k method.

“Even if you have done some running, the run/walk method is a highly effective way of allowing beginner runners to go farther than if they tried to run straight without stopping, and in some cases, it can be faster. It also makes running longer mentally easier because it breaks it into smaller intervals.”

Start with a one-minute run and a one-minute walk ratio. Try adding one minute to the run as you get fitter but keep the one-minute walk. Once you get to a five-minute run and a minute walk try reducing the walk by 30 seconds until you can run straight through without <a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240102194102/www.runnersworld.com/news/a38971402/walking-benefits-heart-health-study/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">walking.
https://www.runnersworld.com/beginner/a40267826/couch-to-5k-runners-program/