crappy run :( (Read 935 times)

Yesterday noon I had an awesome run around Lake Harriet in Mpls: I felt on top of the world, I found a rhythm and stuck with it, I didn't have to stop and walk once, etc. Well, this morning I decided to do an "easy" run of about 2 miles around my house (the flattest course I could come up with). Not two blocks into it, I got a side stitch which stayed with me the entire way. I cut the route short (ended up being about 1.75 miles), but it was really disappointing and difficult. I was in such a great place yesterday, and now I'm so discouraged. I know that everyone has bad runs, but I'm trying to figure out why it went so badly. Usually, if I run first thing in the morning, I have a small bite to eat. Today I only had a few gulps of water, put on my contacts and running shoes, and went out. Also, should I have waited longer after my run yesterday? I haven't yet worked up to running consistently every day, since I find that I run much easier with a rest day or two in between. Oh well. Tomorrow: active rest (elliptical at the gym), Friday: back on the sidewalks!

Side stitches...ugh! Luckily they seem to be something that is rare once one has been running for a while. I got them fairly frequently when I first started. The trick is to concentrate on your breathing and time it better with your steps. I get them sometimes now if I am running with someone and talking, since it makes my breathing more erratic. k

I experience the same occurrences with runs on subsequent days as well. I, too, felt great yesterday on my run and then today... ugh... felt like my legs were 4 times as heavy. I think that goes back to what Ed said about a good, hard run the day before. There will be good days and bad days. Hang in there!

Thanks to all for the advice and encouragement! I have tried some breathing techniques in the past (inhaling deeply, then doing a series of short, quick exhales) and that seemed to get rid of side stitches a couple of times...normally I try to keep my breathing at 3 steps in and 3 steps out (I think this keeps me at a pretty slow, easy pace and prevents me from going too quickly and burning out). I'll try the other techniques, though, next time I find myself in pain! Thankfully, I can see that I don't get them as often as I did in the very beginning, so I guess I can deal once in a while if it means that eventually I won't have them at all - won't that be exciting! I'm just going to focus on the great feeling I had during yesterday's run. You guys are great motivators!

oh my! another fichtel! have you ever seen this? http://fichtelgebirgsmarathon.de/ someday I will run that. sorry to hijack the thread.

Wow, no I haven't! Are you a Fichtel as well?

I've never met an unrelated Fichtel, either. That's awesome. I bet we get the same stupid prononciations when people try to say our last name aloud! You don't know any Fichtels in Minnesota or Texas or Oklahoma, by chance? I'm related to them.

Yesterday noon I had an awesome run around Lake Harriet in Mpls: I felt on top of the world, I found a rhythm and stuck with it, I didn't have to stop and walk once, etc. Well, this morning I decided to do an "easy" run of about 2 miles around my house (the flattest course I could come up with). Not two blocks into it, I got a side stitch which stayed with me the entire way. I cut the route short (ended up being about 1.75 miles), but it was really disappointing and difficult. I was in such a great place yesterday, and now I'm so discouraged. I know that everyone has bad runs, but I'm trying to figure out why it went so badly. Usually, if I run first thing in the morning, I have a small bite to eat. Today I only had a few gulps of water, put on my contacts and running shoes, and went out. Also, should I have waited longer after my run yesterday? I haven't yet worked up to running consistently every day, since I find that I run much easier with a rest day or two in between. Oh well. Tomorrow: active rest (elliptical at the gym), Friday: back on the sidewalks!

The others covered the fatigue factor. Another potential issue is electrolyte replacement. If you like bananas, those are always good. Also, for side stitches, you might try a set of situps before your run. If you get them during a run, what I do is bend over and suck in/tighten my gut as hard as I can two or three times. Could have been worse. One time I got crazy and ate a plate of nachos one saturday night hanging with the friends, and I love jalepenos. Then I had a 4m race the next day. Big mistake.

As much as I love running now, it pains me when I hear people say they had a bad run....It's so funny because the majority of people (non-runners) don't understand the whole concept of a bad run...To so many people, EVERY RUN IS A BAD RUN...he he he... Good luck on your NEXT run!