This means not trying any new foods or new running gels on the race day. A large meal can quickly lead to an upset stomach or the aforementioned abdominal cramps.

Stick to a small and light meal. If you keep experiencing side stitches while running, ensure you digest food before running for at least 3—4 hours. This will make sure your body rests before the big go, and your run will feel lighter altogether. By doing a few warm-up exercises and stretches, you supply your muscles with oxygen, boost your blood flow, and adjust stretching ligaments.

Having a quick stretching routine before each run is a surefire way to help prevent you from stopping before the finish line. One of the most common beginner mistakes is running too fast too soon, which hinders your breathing, thus leading to muscle cramps.

By slowing down and finding your average pace, you will make sure your breathing is normal, your heart rate is steady, and your endurance will improve as well! Jumping exercises can be both a good warm-up and a serious workout. There are a plethora of jumping exercises to choose from: squat down jumps, standing broad jump, elevated surface jump, you name it.

So start jumping and say goodbye to cramps! The answer is more carbs and protein. Try to avoid sugar-free foods and gum as these have sugar alcohols that could upset your stomach. Also, try to cut down on fiber-rich and fat-rich foods as well as dairy, as they can only hinder your digestion and lead to cramps or even diarrhea.

Try to stick with nice and cool or room-temperature water. Warm liquids may cause food to move through your digestive tract faster. A recent study showed that electrolyte imbalance is actually more essential when it comes to dehydration to reduce muscle cramps.

While water is required at any time, drinking electrolyte beverages can actually be helpful to prevent muscle contractions or reduce the pain when they happen. It can not only help keep muscle cramps at bay but also settle your stomach.

NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are quite common medications taken by athletes to relieve pain and inflammation. In reality, it can lead to an upset stomach and cramps. As it can also hinder muscle recovery , try to avoid them before and during your run unless advised by your doctor otherwise.

Drinking coffee before or post-workout is pretty common as caffeine naturally gives you more energy and endurance, especially in longer workouts. However, you should also remember that coffee acids can upset your stomach , especially if consumed with additives like milk, cream, sugar, or other sweeteners.

It could be that you have irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies or intolerances — such as lactose — or other digestive issues. It goes without saying that a relaxed mind and body can do wonders for your physical performance.

Try not to tense your upper body while running and focus on your breathing if you want to avoid side stitches. In other words, take more steps per minute. This way, you will protect your knees and hips from too much force and avoid pain or even injury along the way.

By shortening your stride, you will also ensure that your run is smoother and longer, as you will save energy. It all comes down to body mechanics in the end! The last but definitely not the least important tip is knowing your body and how fast and long you can run.

Evaluate your running form, find a comfortable pace, and enjoy the run! Decrease your fast pace for a few minutes and continue deep breathing techniques during running.

A common running sequence is a three-step inhale and two-step exhale pattern. Slowing down your pace will allow you to keep up with that pattern. As you increase to near maximum speed, your breathing will become more labored.

However, you can push through the pain and keep your pace if you concentrate on breathing deep by pushing your stomach out when you inhale and relaxing it as you exhale.

Pre-stretch before running by doing side torso twists. One of the best ways to pre-stretch the area is to lift your arms over your head and lean to the left and right at the waist. Do more lower-back and abdominal exercises; see " Achieve Washboard Abs " for more ideas.

Having a strong core will help you prevent the side stitch. Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist CSCS with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Send your fitness questions to stew stewsmith. Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for fitness and basic training tips, or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.

com has you covered. Subscribe to Military. com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle check out his Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive on Military.

Contact Stew with your comments and questions. Read Full Bio © Copyright Military. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission.

To reprint or license this article or any content from Military. com, please submit your request here. You May Also Like 3 Tips to Make the PT Pyramid Workout More Challenging The PT Pyramid is an all-time classic workout that countless people have used to prepare for fitness tests for decades.

If we regularly stretch, move, balance and strengthen our muscles and joints, we will improve our flexibility, mobility and During your "thinking about serving" process, you may find several options that appeal to you, and deciding on what branch of Get the scoop on discounts, pay, benefits, and our latest award-winning content.

Right in your inbox. View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page. Here is a workout I like to do to check progress, or lack thereof, in a variety of running styles and benchmark distances. It is possible to get through your training program with running only a few days a week, but your risk future injury.

The focus is to run shorter and faster runs in the week and a long, slower run at a comfortable pace on the weekend.

Most of the time, I receive emails from people who are seeking to pass their PFT, and just as many who wish to max out their The PT Pyramid is an all-time classic workout that countless people have used to prepare for fitness tests for decades.

Military Fitness Army Fitness Navy Fitness Marine Corps Fitness Air Force Fitness Coast Guard Fitness Special Operations Fitness General Fitness Workouts More.

Military Fitness. How to Avoid Stomach Cramps when Running. com By Stew Smith, CSCS®. Published July 02, A Marine asked about running during the USMC three-mile run. Related Topics: Physical Fitness Test - PFT Prep Workouts Marine Corps Fitness Running and Cardio Air Force Fitness Army Fitness Coast Guard Fitness Navy Fitness Military Fitness.

Stew Smith, CSCS®.

Another contributing factor to cramping is not properly warming up and stretching before you run. Before hitting the pavement, take a few minutes to warm up your muscles and prep your brain and body to transition from resting mode to running mode. Check out our Best Warm-Up For Runners article for some quick, light exercises to get you started.

As mentioned above, your body needs to prepare for the force and high impact of running. Firing on all cylinders right out of the gate is not wise, as sudden changes can strain and fatigue muscles and lead to cramps.

Running too fast too soon also inhibits your breathing, which can cause side stitches and abdominal cramps. Be mindful to breathe from your diaphragm instead of taking shallow breaths from your chest.

Adjusting your pace and gradually increasing your running intensity and distance is vital for avoiding cramps and injuries. Especially if you're a beginner runner or returning after a break from running, ease into your training by starting with shorter distances and speeds, then gradually build up your intensity and mileage.

Check out our expert-crafted training plans for further assistance. Improper running form can strain muscles and cause cramps, so it's critical to maintain good posture, stride, and foot strike when running.

Wearing the right shoes affects your running form as well, so be sure to lace into running-specific shoes that are the right size and fit and offer you support where you need it.

Seek professional advice to help you discover your gait , foot type , and running style to get the best shoes for your specific needs.

Above all, pay attention to your body's warning signals. If you feel a cramp coming on, stop and stretch the affected area immediately and gently massage the muscle.

If you're experiencing pain or fatigue, don't push on through. Give your body time to recover by taking rest days to prevent the overuse of muscles, which leads to injuries , leaving you sidelined for longer. Whether cross-training at the gym or going for a swim, there is great value in incorporating a variety of workouts to strengthen your muscles and core , help build stamina, and improve your conditioning and range of motion.

Ultimately, to best prevent running cramps, you need to cover all your bases by monitoring your hydration and electrolyte intake, warming up and training at an appropriate level to reach your goals with proper running form, and lastly, take the time to stretch out your muscles afterward with a foam roller to help relax and restore muscle balance.

If you continue to experience severe and persistent cramping, consult a health professional for further evaluation and treatment.

Muscle cramping in the marathon: aetiology and risk factores. When the temperature outside heats up, hydration becomes a big obstacle for distance runners. The running community in Minneapolis is indignant about malfunctioning drinking fountains. In fact, the nutritional component can be as, if. Thanks a lot for sharing this article.

Great and very informative article. Last Sunday I ran a marathon and not surprisingly at about 30 km the twitches started on both calves.

It was my 32nd, so it was not the first time, however this was was the worst, could mot run more than a few hundred meters without stopping. It was frustrating because I was otherwise feeling very fit and could have finished with a good pace.

In my case it is clearly electrolytes imbalance cramp. I am looking forward to apply your recommendations for the next races. Thank you, Martin. I HAVE GOT A PAIN UNDER MY KNEE AND A BIT HIGHER STILL AT THE BACK OF MY KNEE.

EVERTIME AM FEELING PAINS AND TIGHT AT THE HAMSTRING. I SOMETIMES FEEL PAIN ON MY KNEE AND AM ALAWYS WEARING KNEE CAPS. I WAS CUT OFF AT THE LAST CUTT OFF DUE TO THESE CRAMPS AT COMRADES LAST YEAR. AM RUNNING AROUND 6 TO 7 MINUTES A KILO, AND I WANDA AM FAST PEASE HELP.

Hi Pauli, are you sure it is cramping, did you read this post of ours? This is a great article. I have 3 marathon under my belt. First one was horrible, with whole body fatigue at mile The follow year I cramped at mile 23 but was able to push through at a slower pace.

I knocked off 1. I took 7 years off of running and got back into it. I found my base was not enough for the training and I found myself not able to keep up with his recommended pace. I was able to do the miles although I kept getting sick colds and getting injured DOMS , and calf soreness.

Cramping at mile I took salt stiks and gu during the last two marathon. The last two marathons the cramps were due to muscle fatigue. I ran a positive split both times, unintentionally during this last marathon, so I know I have to get used to running on tired legs and doing tempo runs.

But its so hard to maintain marathon pace on tired legs for miles. Hi James, glad to hear you enjoyed the article, sorry to hear about your struggles with the marathon, but this article may be helpful for you to make sure none of those things happen again and to make sure you are treating the right issue.

Many people get them confused, and it may be that you are treating the wrong issue. We have lots more articles that can help you, just sign up for our newsletter anywhere on this page, and we will send them directly to your email!

So how to prevent cramps while running? What causes abdominal cramps, side stitches, or muscle cramps is still debatable; however, there are speculations as to what might provoke it. One possibility for abdominal cramps is that heavy breathing overworks the diaphragm , the muscle that pushes air in and out of your lungs, and that combined with the force of each stride may cause the diaphragm to spasm, resulting in pain.

Another plausible reason could be the irritation of the lining of the abdominal and pelvic cavity because of intense physical activity. And eating a large meal or drinking lots of sugary fluids can push the stomach against the abdominal wall, causing rubbing, and eventually, side stitch pain.

On top of that, insufficient carb intake, dehydration, or lack of stretching can cause your legs and calves to cramp mid run, which is likely to stop you from finishing the race. We combined exercise and meal planning for the most effective way to LOSE WEIGHT.

Ideally, you want to avoid any cramping troubles altogether. This means not trying any new foods or new running gels on the race day. A large meal can quickly lead to an upset stomach or the aforementioned abdominal cramps. Stick to a small and light meal. If you keep experiencing side stitches while running, ensure you digest food before running for at least 3—4 hours.

This will make sure your body rests before the big go, and your run will feel lighter altogether. By doing a few warm-up exercises and stretches, you supply your muscles with oxygen, boost your blood flow, and adjust stretching ligaments. Having a quick stretching routine before each run is a surefire way to help prevent you from stopping before the finish line.

One of the most common beginner mistakes is running too fast too soon, which hinders your breathing, thus leading to muscle cramps. By slowing down and finding your average pace, you will make sure your breathing is normal, your heart rate is steady, and your endurance will improve as well!

Jumping exercises can be both a good warm-up and a serious workout. There are a plethora of jumping exercises to choose from: squat down jumps, standing broad jump, elevated surface jump, you name it.

So start jumping and say goodbye to cramps! The answer is more carbs and protein. Try to avoid sugar-free foods and gum as these have sugar alcohols that could upset your stomach.

Also, try to cut down on fiber-rich and fat-rich foods as well as dairy, as they can only hinder your digestion and lead to cramps or even diarrhea.