Side ache and C25k question

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BAtobe
BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just got back into exercising again and have a couple of questions. Side aches: run through them or stop? I think I remember as a kid being told to stop but I felt like I could run through them and so I did. I also just finished C25k week 1. Day 2 and 3 whipped my tail. I am terrified of starting week 2 already. Should I do week 1 again before starting week 2? should a week get easier before you begin the next week or can you continue on even if you struggle? Thanks in advance!

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  • edena1987
    edena1987 Posts: 66 Member
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    I will repeat weeks until I feel comfortable moving on. Take it at your own pace. As for the side aches, I got these quite a bit. I try to exhale heavily when the opposite foot hits the ground. Sometimes that works, sometimes I have to stop. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water!!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    I run through them. I've found that if I stop and walk it doesn't go away any sooner than when I run through it.
  • thatblueyedchic
    thatblueyedchic Posts: 128 Member
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    It gets easier every time. I was like that too in the beginning but before I knew it I was running for 15 minutes straight and feeling like I could keep going. Put some songs that pump you up on your ipod and push through it. You'll be feeling good in no time.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    Repeat weeks if you struggle! It's not a race to finish the program. Get there in your time. I've been working on C25k since early February, and on week 7 now.

    Side aches happen for many reasons. Top 2 are not breathing deep enough and not being hydrated enough. Gotta breathe into the belly while you run. I do 2 steps in breath, 2 steps out breath.
  • lynette111
    lynette111 Posts: 77 Member
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    Side aches/stitches can come from not breathing deeply enough so it is very important to get your breathing correct. I believe that will definitely help with your endurance as well. Focus on the breathing and the running will get easier. Good luck!
  • joankpoirier
    joankpoirier Posts: 281 Member
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    I also "DO OVER" workouts.. I am doing P90X taken into consideration my age and fitness level when I started..
    When I am finished my first 90 days The plan is to start all over to see how much easier I can do..
  • jmach002
    jmach002 Posts: 113 Member
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    no reason you cant repeat a week on C25k or even do the "week" work out five times before moving onto the next series.....


    as far as the side ache (FYI this will get medical).....typical side aches or side cramps that are experienced during exercise especially one that has you breathing harder (ie running) is usually a diaphragmatic spasm. there are a couple of ways to get over this. they are: 1) take slow deep deliberate breathes, the diaphragm is a muscle and this will "reset" the muscles to work in-sync again 2) bare down or cough that does the same thing as mentioned in number one. personally i find slowing down and taking slow deep breaths to ease mine the fastest without making me dizzy.

    now the side aches can be something more serious especially if they come on at rest see your doctor is u are concerned that something else might be going on
  • slara75
    slara75 Posts: 26 Member
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    Is it like a cramp? I was always told that you get cramps/side aches from not breathing right and not getting enough oxygen. Try to make sure you're breathing right. When the side ache happens take deep breaths while running. Hope this helps. With C25K I will repeat weeks. And there were times I thought I wouldn't be able to move on to the next week but would surprise myself. And good music does help!
  • thirtyandthriving
    thirtyandthriving Posts: 613 Member
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    IMO:
    Side cramp I run though as much as possible. Sometimes inget it pretty bad where it hurts to breathe and then I have to walk through it for a few minutes... This has only happened a couple of times.

    I did c25k back in sept-November. I was 5'8 200-220 lbs and had not ran for exercise ever.

    I moved forward every week no matter how bad I did. I almost always meet the requirements for each session. I thought I would die but kept moving forward. I don't feel that there would be much benefit of repeating weeks that you have completed sucessfully. If you fail miserably them consider repeating a week.

    I am now training for a marathon and my minimum run ever is 3 miles (now).

    You can do it!!! :)
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    I got them when I was doing C25K. I would breathe deeply and press hard on the area where the stitch was while I was still running. I've noticed that I don't get stitches anymore. I still eat a banana about an hour or so before I head to the gym, but I also make sure I take a lot longer to eat it instead of gulping it down just to eat it (the only reason I eat then is because I am headed to the gym, I'm not hungry yet). So if you are eating something an hour or two before going, try to eat it more slowly.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    If you feel like you're terrified or overdoing yourself, redo the week. Running should be enjoyable, and if you're really dreading something, I don't see the point in pushing yourself too far just for the sake of sticking to a schedule. I train for half-marathons, 10Ks, and marathons without a specific plan that I feel like I must religiously adhere to, because I've found that forcing myself into runs I don't feel like doing takes a lot of the joy out of my runs, and exhausts me far more often.

    As for stitches, I run through 'em. I once had a terrible stomach on that lasted for at least 3 miles, which I literally "crunched" myself around to help ease it, but I ended up having a great 8 mile run once I got through it.
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
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    I really appreciate the responses! I definitely think you pinpointed the reason for the side aches, I need to pay better attention to my breathing and carry water with me. As for C25k, I guess I will weigh my options and maybe do another day of week 1.
  • angng
    angng Posts: 137 Member
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    I've found the most effective "cure" for side stitches (especially when I was a beginning runner, or stopped running for a long time and started again) was to just slow down until they subsided. Or run slower in general. Work on covering the distance (even if your pace is glacial) and worry about speed later on (if you even want to!).
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
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    Make sure you're well hydrated on days you run...don't just guzzle right before and during your workout (actually unless you're doing a long distance (like 1hour + run) you shouldn't have to take your water bottle with you)....I personally find these are the days I get side stitches. When you get them slow down but you don't have to stop or even walk...and breathe deliberately so your breath fills your stomach...a bit of this helps.
    I've repeated a few C25k week...if I can't finish the run or struggle with it too much I'll repeat. There's no shame in doing so, some of the weeks are hard. But I'm on week 7 now :-D
  • crimsontech
    crimsontech Posts: 234 Member
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    I don't have a problem with side aches (I think they're called side stitches) but I just finished week 2 of C25K. I seriously considered doing the week 1 routine a few more times but then I changed my mind and decided to trust the program and I was amazed that I was able to finish week 2! (And I just got under 300 pounds, so if I can do it...)

    I'm in the same boat as you are now... dreading week 3 and wondering if I'm actually going to be able to do it... but I'm going to power through it and see what happens.

    It's up to you, and it won't hurt anything to repeat the week 1 routine a few more times, but I bet you're capable of more than you think you are. :)
  • vegamy
    vegamy Posts: 204 Member
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    Should I do week 1 again before starting week 2? should a week get easier before you begin the next week or can you continue on even if you struggle?

    I didn't repeat any of the weeks (though you certainly can, and plenty of people do). But it didn't get easier for me when I was going week to week, it was always challenging (well, running certainly got easier over the weeks, but the perceived effort level always got harder). I just slowed down a little when I felt like I was dying.

    I also used to get side stiches and don't anymore, I ran through them and in my experience, it's from not breathing deeply enough.
  • crimsontech
    crimsontech Posts: 234 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as you are now... dreading week 3 and wondering if I'm actually going to be able to do it... but I'm going to power through it and see what happens.

    It's up to you, and it won't hurt anything to repeat the week 1 routine a few more times, but I bet you're capable of more than you think you are. :)

    Follow up: I just finished Week 3, Day 1 successfully! It was very difficult, but then again it's always been difficult... but I did it! I hope you decided to power through and do it, too!

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