[kevinmcp]

When I get off the bike and start running I tend to feel good. The problem is I very quickly get a side cramp that doesn't allow me to push as hard as I know I can. I've tried varying amounts of gel, water, gatorade on the bike thinking that was causing the problem, but no luck.

Even when I run in training it seems that if I pick up the pace too much the cramp comes back. Any suggestions? Thoughts?

[sfricks]

Kevin, sorry for your ills. Interestingly enough, to date there is no real scientific proof of any theory on what causes stitches. I used to suffer terribly and it seemed to get worse with effort.

One theory who's remedy seemed to help me was related to breathing. It's believed by some that when the frequency of foot strikes equals the rhythm of breathing, the muscles of the diaphragm stretch disproportionately. To avoid this, you must be conscious of your inhale/exhale cycle and avoid matching your breathing to your foot strike cadence. I was taught to do this by taking a "cleansing breath" every 60 seconds or so. This is a long slow inhale/exhale that breaks up the breathing rhythm and makes you conscious of the breathing pattern.

I can't say this fixed my stitches but I can say that they went away about the same time I started this technique.

Good luck!

[kevinmcp]

Thanks for the advice. I went out on a run yesterday and as best I could made sure not to breathe in time with my stride. I wasn't totally cramp free but almost! Thanks for the advice. I also ran my fastest pace in weeks.

[wannakona]

It works the other way for me. I need to get into rhythm with stepping and breathing in and out. When i get side stitches, by the way i get them less and less as i train, i start breathing more with my stomach. Breath in all the way expanding your stomach and breath out all the way tensing your abs. A few breaths like that while running and it goes away. It seems like it's a regular cramp and you just need to stretch it.
Works for me.