run breathe run

last night, i did intervals training. well, i attempted to do so. however, i wasn't able to finish the drill because i had side stitch while running. what is side stitch?

today, researchers refer to this nagging abdominal pain by the much more technical and scientific term, "exercise-related transient abdominal pain" (etap). regardless of what you call it, the pain is often enough to stop runners and swimmers in their tracks and hold their sides in agony.

so, i asked my coach why it happened. he told me that it has something to do with my breathing. he asked about my breathing rhythm and i told him that i inhale when my left foot strikes the ground and exhales the next time my left foot strikes the ground. i was told that i should've breathed differently according to my speed and effort. the slower i go, the slower i should breathe, he said.

well, i did some research and found out that he's right (more on that later) and it makes me feel proud and relieved that my coach actually know his thing. not that i doubt him but knowing he's no fluke makes my breathing easier. hehehe.

though the cause of side stitch is still unknown, there are some theories regarding its causes. they are as follows:

1. too much food intake before running
2. improper pacing
3. quick and shallow breathing
4. lack of warm-up

so, knowing the causes of side stitch, it is now easier to avoid it. so how do we avoid it, exactly? here's the list:

1. eat mildly pre-run
2. regulate your breathing
3. invest in a solid warmup

hmm, so what if i get side stitch during a run? there's a solution too! here's what you have to do:

as with any muscle cramp, the best immediate treatment is to try to stretch the cramping muscle as much as possible. how do you get to the diaphragm on the inside of your body?, try altering your breathing pattern. take a deep breath in as quickly as you can, to force the diaphragm down. hold the breath for a couple of seconds and then forcibly exhale through pursed lips to restrict the outward air flow. you may also find that bending forward can help you expel as much air as possible.

with all these new knowledge, i hope to get a better breathing rhythm in my runs and i hope to preven side stitch that stops me on my tracks during runs. i hope i helped you somehow, too!

happy running!

references:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/aa053100a.htm
http://askcoachjenny.runnersworld.com/2012/05/four-ways-to-stop-the-dreaded-side-stitch.html
http://www.bodyresults.com/e2sidestitches.asp