I guess i am a bit of a lurker here on aus.bicycle but i have a bit of a problem stemming from last weeks race. I had a severe stitch. I guess you know the severe pain in the side of the abdomen under the ribs. I only race E grade at Hefron in Sydney each week but last weeks race was the fastest we have done in the last couple of months. I held onto thr bunch that broke away even tough i was struggling with the stitch. In the sprint i dug extremely deep and came up with a win. During the cool down i thought i was going to explode as i could hardley breathe due to the stitch. During my training ride on Sunday morn the stitch came back and i was struggling but i still went better or so it seemed. Thursday i took the dog for a hard walk and i felt that familiar side pain again even though i was not going real hard.
I guess ny question is in two parts 1. How to avoid a stitch? and 2. any remedies?
I guess i am a bit of a lurker here on aus.bicycle but i have a bit of a problem stemming from last weeks race. I had a severe stitch. I guess you know the severe pain in the side of the abdomen under the ribs. I only race E grade at Hefron in Sydney each week but last weeks race was the fastest we have done in the last couple of months. I held onto thr bunch that broke away even tough i was struggling with the stitch. In the sprint i dug extremely deep and came up with a win. During the cool down i thought i was going to explode as i could hardley breathe due to the stitch. During my training ride on Sunday morn the stitch came back and i was struggling but i still went better or so it seemed. Thursday i took the dog for a hard walk and i felt that familiar side pain again even though i was not going real hard.
I guess ny question is in two parts 1. How to avoid a stitch? and 2. any remedies?
Stomach breath - where you move your diaphragm?? when breathing. Think: pushing your guts out when you breath in. Also stretch out the side the stitch is on. If it's on the left, lean to the right to stretch it..
Taking in enough electrolytes? I know I wasn't..
Keep an eye on how you are breathing. Lots of short sharp breaths isn't the best way to go about it. Try to regulate your breathing. Match it with your pedaling. If you feel a stitch about to start, go from 1 breath per 4 pedal strokes to 1 breath for every 6 or every 2 (arbitrary numbers..).
I guess ny question is in two parts 1. How to avoid a stitch? and 2. any remedies?
I've usually found that I get it if I eat too much too soon before riding. I try to eat a modest amount of something easily digested about an hour beforehand. But eating during a ride has never caused problems.
I guess i am a bit of a lurker here on aus.bicycle but i have a bit of a problem stemming from last weeks race. I had a severe stitch. I guess you know the severe pain in the side of the abdomen under the ribs. I only race E grade at Hefron in Sydney each week but last weeks race was the fastest we have done in the last couple of months. I held onto thr bunch that broke away even tough i was struggling with the stitch. In the sprint i dug extremely deep and came up with a win. During the cool down i thought i was going to explode as i could hardley breathe due to the stitch. During my training ride on Sunday morn the stitch came back and i was struggling but i still went better or so it seemed. Thursday i took the dog for a hard walk and i felt that familiar side pain again even though i was not going real hard.
I guess ny question is in two parts 1. How to avoid a stitch? and 2. any remedies?
