The Lazy Triathlete

My go-to research site: Wikipedia

First, their preventative tips:

Improve fitness

Strengthen the diaphragm by using exercises such as those that aid respiratory rehabilitation

Strengthen core muscles (abdominals, lower back, obliques)

Limit consumption of food and drink two to three hours before exercising (in particular, drinks of high carbohydrate content and osmolarity (reconstituted fruit juices))

Drink water beforehand to prevent muscle cramps

Warm up properly

Gradually increase exercise intensity when running

Exhale when the left foot hits the ground, and inhale when the right foot hits the ground

Run on soft surfaces

And while some of their ‘curing’ tips (“Stop running” and “Lie down on your side”) won’t work for race day, they do have some pieces of advice that I should keep in mind.

Try belly breathing; inhale while pushing out the stomach, and on the exhale, relax the stomach muscles

While running, exhale when your foot strikes on the opposite side that the side stitch is located. For example, a side stitch on the right, exhale hard when your left foot strikes the ground.

Reduce the frequency of breathing (e.g. in jogging, inhale for four steps and exhale for four steps)

Do not breathe too hard, shallow breathing for a few minutes at the same time maintain oxygen input levels.

Relax the mind and do not focus on the stitch itself.

Put pressure on the affected area, not enough to hurt, but just enough so the pain subsides.

Shallow, less-frequent breathing? Really? I guess it’s worth a shot.

17 days.