How can you stop yourself from getting a 'stitch' when you run? I get so far and have to stop, not because im out of breath but because of the shooting pain in my side :(

Do you 'stoop' over when you run? Try to run as upright as poosible, shoulders back & chest out, and regulate your breathing so you are taking deep breaths in and out

I could be wrong but i always was taught in school a stitch is caused by lack of oxygen to your lungs and around your body etc, are you breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth and making a concious effort to do so until your body gets used to doing this? I can run now and not get a stitch as i think your body adapts to breathing properly, but at first i was like you, i got a stitch...

As others have said it's in the breathing.  If you get a stich change your breathing pattern. :)

i used to get really bad stiches when out road running however never suffer from them on a tred mill, I think because on a tred mill y posture is better as I have a mirror next to me to remind me to be upright.

Oh and try not to stop when you have a stich, that could be the worse possible thing to do.  Running it though is the best way I find.

My hubby used to run x country and he said you have to run through it as best as possible.

There are all sorts of reasons given for a stitch. Being bunched up. Eating too soon before running. Best tips i can give that have helped my runners is dont eat anything big within 2 hours of running. If you need something. Eat banana, cereal type bar etc. Make sure you run straight. If you bunch up you dont get as much oxygen into your lungs. So make sure you make am effort to pull your shoulders back to open your chest when running. And if you still get a stitch, keep running but slow slightly, and this is a weird one. Press your thumb and middle finger together lightly. And run like that for a while. It works! Any more tips just ask :) lea :)

Thanks for your advice, ive only being running/jogging for a week now, every morning with the dog in an attempt to shift some of the last couple of years xmas weight. Doing ok, but that stitch is flooring me! will now concentrate on the breathing and trying to carry on through the pain :) intruiged by the thumb and finger together trick will try that tomorrow! thanks again :)

> the thumb and finger together trick

Is it a distraction technique???. I used to get travel sickness as a youngster and was really poorly on a school trip once (felt awful for my friend sat next to me) My teacher gave me a 20p piece and told me to squeeze as hard as i could. When he came back to check, my knuckles were white but i had totally forgotten about feeling ill :-)

> My hubby used to run x country and he said you have to run through it as best as possible. <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" height=10 alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif" width=20>

I would tatally agree with him. Deep and slow breathing helps too, but be sure not to hyper ventilate..

Well...i did it! ran the whole 'track' without stopping for breath and no stitch!  the breathing exercise worked wonders and i found if you are concentrating on that they you forget out other things i.e legs aching etc! Thank you all loads :) :)

Good on you , are you desperate for the next run now?
There is nothing like having a good run to make you want to have another ;-)

Another thing I found helped was to have a favourite song or multiplication tables. The eights are very good for up hill!

Lol, think i'll just stick to the music :) maths isnt my strong point...and apparently nor's running :)