The Dreaded Side Cramp

       For many with a sensitive or moderately-sensitive stomach, like me, running in the morning can often propose a difficult problem. It forces you to find something to eat that gets your metabolism going, stops the grumbling stomach, and gives you energy for the upcoming run and day. However, finding the right breakfast is not as easy as one might think. If you eat too much or something that is too heavy, you have to carry it around with you on the run, making you feel sluggish and often times giving you a mild case of the stomach cramps. Side cramps are absolutely no fun, you can take it from me! Side cramps force you to deal with them usually the entire run and make it rather uncomfortable to breath, because every time you inhale a pain stabs you in the side. At the same time though, they are such a mild issue that you usually feel compelled to bear through the discomfort and not complain. So overall, eating too much right before a run may tame your loud stomach, but is it worth the heaviness and semi-twisted feeling in your gut? That is the question, because eating too little is not much fun either.

        If you are one who decides on the option of not eating breakfast, you face very different issues. The most annoying and obvious of these issues is that if you do not eat enough, you are hungry the entire run, which is clearly not a good feeling (I know, I know, I told you it was obvious)! This hunger feels even worse during a morning run because you have to deal with the fact that your metabolism is not warmed up and running yet after resting for the last eight or so hours of your body’s inactivity during sleep. In addition, running on an empty stomach can almost make it seem as if your gut is eating itself (this is clearly WAY over dramatic but you get my point). This feeling comes from the fact that running is making your hibernating body burn calories even faster than it normally would on an empty stomach.

       The solution to this problem is one that everyone needs to take the time to experiment and figure out for themselves. I generally opt to eat a less extensive breakfast before I run because my stomach is more sensitive, this usually means that I pick up a banana to eat on the way to practice. My friend however, is so hungry in the mornings that she practically eats a four course meal and is completely fine during the run. Whatever works for you is the right thing to eat, you just have to know your body and the way running and food affect it.