March 12th, 2008
Last Thursday, I woke up with a cramp that felt exactly like a side-stitch you get when running. It hurt a lot merely to be sitting and when I sneezed? Soooo painful. That day I had an interval session, and the funny thing was that as soon as I started running, the cramp disappeared, then when I got home, it was back…the anti-side-stitch, as it were.
Meanwhile, it’s been hanging around for days, but diminished to almost nothing while sitting. Instead, it’s begun to infiltrate my runs, though not during the meat of the run or fast stuff – just during slow cooldown miles.
So today I go out for a recovery jog and get the cramp almost from the start (and I was doing 10min/miles!). I suffered through the run for about 4 miles trying everything: bending, straightening, exhaling on the left footfall, raising my arm, pressing the area, stopping entirely (temporary fix), but nothing was working.
Then I tried something that I must have hinted at during the “exhale on the left foot” attempt…I started forcefully exhaling to the point where I could hear the air huff out of me, like some weird Lamaze class. And in no time at all, I felt the cramp subside till it was gone entirely. That was the first light bulb. But wait, there’s more!
For just three easy payments of $19.95… No seriously, there is more.
Because remember in my 10K report, I mentioned how I was gasping for air and embarrassed by the sound? Well, today I realized that by accentuating the exhale, the inhale takes care of itself and gasping is no longer an option! It’s not physically possible.
So I get back from my run and immediately go on the net, finding an article from a book that explains this stuff perfectly. Took me a minute to realize I already own this book! It’s Programmed to Run by Thomas Miller. I bought it for tips on running form, totally ignoring the section on breath. That’ll teach me to read selectively.
Anyway, here’s the article, and a telling paragraph:
The next opportunity you have to watch a roadrace, observe the breathing techniques of the frontrunners, the midpackers, and the tail-enders as they near the finish line. Typically, the leaders breathe with short, forceful exhales and quiet inhales. The midpackers begin to gasp as they start their drive to the finish. These runners suck in harder as they try to breathe more deeply. Finally, the slowest runners often don’t change their effort or breathing at all.
Looks like I’ve got some experimenting to do on tomorrow’s run. And if it works like I think it will, I may or may not have my fastest 5K this Saturday, but it will certainly be my quietest!
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Flo:
The fact that the pain is there even before the run is rather frightening. I think I would monitor this closely. I hope it is just a breathing thing though.
I have experimented with different breathing techniques as well. I saw Dr. Oz on Oprah one evening, (my wife was watching), and he talked about the true “deep breath” was one in which you pull the air deep into your stomach and not in your upper chest. I was getting ready to head out the door for a 5K run when I heard this so I thought I would try it out. Sure enough, I ran my fastest 5K to date, and it felt easy! I get lazy sometimes when I am running slower and forget to do this, but it does make a difference when I am pushing the envelope.
Keep us posted, boy was that a waste of typing!
I guess I should have read the article. This is exactly what Dr. Oz explained on the Oprah show. I have printed this out to remind myself. Thanks for the link!
That was so not a waste of typing, you must not know that I hang on every word of any running account that says “I did my fastest” “I had my easiest” “It was my most fun”…simply put, I’m a hyperbole whore!
The one thing that quelled my fears about the cramp is that my pal Lara had the same thing happen to her, she woke up with it and it stayed for days. In her case, she had core work to blame it on but since I’m utterly inactive when I’m not running, I can’t use that excuse. It’s definitely abated though, so no ambulances yet.
One more thing about the breath deal; after reading last night, I realize this is what my running writer boyfriends (Glover, Noakes, etc.) call “belly breathing”. I totally thought I was already doing it, considering how many singing teachers have pounded into me “breathe through your diaphragm” over the years, but no. Very cool that you got the same info from watching our lady Ms. O (which of course was only because your wife was watching. mmm hmmm)
Gonna go out in a little while and test the new method….fun, fun, fun!
Paced a woman at the VT100 who finished 40th overall. Almost all the way she made these really strange rhythmic breathing noises. Kind of eee,eee,eee,ooo, over and over for 32 miles. She claimed she got it from a coach who told her that she needed to do something to ensure she was forcing enough air out and that’s what worked for her.
Friend Patrick, sub 4:20 miler in college and sub 2:50 marathoner in his youth claims that until you learn how to exhale you can’t reach your full potential.
Me, over weight, and under trained, do better than people can believe considering my size and efforts. I believe it’s the breathing I learned as a wind musician, particularly the ability to use my diaphragm to force air out.
Millions of meditators and martial artists over thousands of years can’t be that wrong.
Dave, you just made my day. I mean, I thought there was something to this so what an absolute thrill to read tales of it in action!
I can’t believe I’ve read so many books and articles on running form in an attempt to improve myself, while all the time thinking “eh, my breath will take care of itself.” This is turning into a complete eye-opener and I can’t wait to spend more time on it. So glad you weighed in, thank you!