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Stitches and trails
By Spike (aka "Running for Beer") | October 2, 2007
Beginner’s Tips
That’s me being the beginner passing on some tips that have helped me. I don’t expect these to be of use to the ‘real’ runners, but some other beginners may get something useful.
Stitch
I get this quite a bit. I tried quite a few suggestions before I found one that worked for me.
First, accept that its almost inevitably your own fault. This may help put you in a better frame of mind to correct the situation. Its usually (for me) due to eating the wrong food or to soon before running.
Then I exhale fully followed by a large inhale, then repeat. This usually works though sometimes I have to do it a couple of times. The theory behind it is that its just a muscle that gets a cramp, so it just needs a stretch to set it right. Whether true or not it seems to work for me.
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Diary
Saturday 29th September
Off road 4 miler. I put on my Walsh’s and headed off across the moor. The going is very tough, even though it has been comparatively dry recently. I am still unsure of my footing on the moors, not quite sure whether the next step will hold me or sink in. I try to follow a trail that I’m not sure if it was made by man or beast. Most likely beast judging by the droppings.
The trail takes me down to the cliff edge, the powerful sound of waves crashing against the rocks. I pass a couple of small sandy alcoves and the piles of large stones that mark the place a dry stone building once stood. I am warily watched by the sheep as I plod on my way, slowly, carefully picking my next step and gradually starting to feel more at ease with the conditions underfoot. Any momentary complacency is likely to quickly be met by a boot full of peaty water.
Sunday 30th september
Road 6 miler. Started off fine. Not expecting any problems on a very short ‘long run’. This is part of my easy lead in to training, and the mileage will be double next weekend. I got a stitch about a mile in, probably because I didn’t leave long enough after eating, but I controlled that without letting it cause any real problem. Then at about a mile and a half in I just completely lost all energy. I’m not sure what caused it, was it the unusually warm weather, the lack of thought about diet, perhaps the wine the night before? I’ve also had this happen before when I’ve had a sports drink 10 minutes before running – I feel good for a mile or two then die. Is that coincidence? I felt really ‘wobbly’ and as if I could pass out (was id dehydration). I felt sure that if I had a small packet of Haribo, two or three little sweets would get me over it, but as I didn’t I had to take a 2 or 3 short walk breaks and keep on plodding.
I was glad to get back home and a while afterwards had a bit of a hot flush going on. Maybe I’m still seeing the end of a cold. Let’s hope tomorrow is better.
Monday 1st October
2 Mile recovery. Was hoping to get the run out of the way before starting work, but it just didn’t happen. Think I’m starting to get used to sleeping on the floor again now, but still have a bit of an achy back. Only a 2 miler today sounds pretty straight forward and easy to fit in, but I have to fit it in alongside trying to catch up on work after a 2 hour conference call, cooking up a pot of ‘cowboy stew’ and before collecting my daughter from dancing and getting the two of them up to bed. Julie starts her Gaelic lessons this evening, which clash with the end of dance lessons.
The run was good, got back well inside my 20 minute mental timeframe. But then, it was a good day with very little wind. Won’t stay that way for long. Bit of a twinge in the left knee but I hope its getting better not worse.
With job done I got the girls to bed and let Sydney choose the storybook. She chose a gaelic one, so I struggled through a few pages trying hard but really not doing well with the pronunciation. I have found a weblink to an audio for that book so will have to study that for next week.
Topics: Spike (aka "Running for Beer") |