Ok, so I have searched the internet for ANY solution to this problem. Nothing has worked so far. Let me start with some background info first though Image may be NSFW.
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I am 32 years old, female in the military. I have never been a runner or even a jogger. I was a dancer for years, so I had that whole anerobic thing down pat! When I joined the military I realized that I would soon have to become a runner - or at least a jogger. The first few years I struggled, I would almost white out (bordering on fainting) when I would run. I couldn't run much more than a kilometer without thinking I was going to die. In 2008 I weighed in at 225lbs on a frame of only 5'6", yes... I was big. I lost a bunch of weight and got down to 145-150lbs, felt better - still sucked at running though! Gained weight back again, and ended up at 185lbs. Last year was my Ah ha! year... I finally figured out nutrition, and what I could and could not eat, how much exercise I had to do, and since July of last year I have dropped from almost 190lbs down to 130lbs. Diet played a HUGE factor for me. I eat mostly chicken, sole, turkey, with only the occasional bit of pork or beef (always lean). I eat my veggies - mostly spinach, kale, edamame beans, sweet potatoes, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, cukes, etc - not a lot of carrots, white potatoes, corn or other more "empty" veg. I don't eat pasta - never really liked it. I do eat quinoa if I am looking for a rice or a grain type of food. I don't eat much in the way of breads (usually gluten free if I do eat bread) and not lots of dairy - some yogurt, the very occasional bit of cheese - but I don't crave these things. I have cut my salt intake as well. I don't drink juice or soda. Seriously I usually either only drink water or jasmine tea with a bit of honey in it. I have nearly completely cut refined sugar from my diet too. So a pretty clean diet I would say.
I started training for the Army's annual "Army Run", it is an event where it is either a 5km run or a half marathon. To celebrate and keep pushing I elected to sign up for the half marathon - it's in September.
I have been running 4 times a week on a varied schedule. It has built up from a 5km start and now I am running upto 14km. A typical week is usually Monday 10.5km, Tuesday rest, wednesday 5km, Thursday 7km, Friday Rest, Saturday 5-7km. It does vary week to week, some weeks monday's I do a 14km run. Anyways, I have battled through painful IT band pain - physio didn't help but INCREASING my pace did!
So my problem now is that I am getting some seriously bad side stitches usually on my left side under the rib. It usually starts around 7-8km into my run. Very rarely I can run through it - most times it gets so painful my body physically just stops on its own. I am getting sooooo frustrated with this!!! I have googled and read every article on breathing and tried it all, it doesn't seem to help... I had a medical so I asked the nurse about it and she said it was likely because I usually run in the morning and I run on an empty stomach. She suggested eating something light. I tried this today before my 7km run. I had 2 VERY small pieces of rye toast with a bit of peanut butter on them. I figured carb+protein. I waited almost 45 minutes before setting out on my run, I drank some water and did my usual routine. 2-2.5km into my run I got the mother of all side stitches, I almost passed out. I desperately tried to run through it. I would inhale and belly breathe, I would exhale sharply when my left foot struck the ground, I ran with my right arm over my head, I ran with both arms over my head, I tried pushing in on the sore spot, I tried slowing down, speeding up, I tried doing all of that together at the same time!!! NOTHING worked! It just got worse and worse and worse! My body finally stopped me and I ended up walking most of my route and was so mad I even shut off my running app and said "F*** it!! I will try again tonight! I will just walk briskly the rest of the way home!!" how disheartening!! I have noticed I have been getting more and more stitches lately as well. I got one while hiking the other day!!
I need help! I am so determined to run, I am getting better at it! My pace has improved incredibly. I can maintain my pace within 10-15 seconds per kilometer over a 10.5km run. I have been running my shorter (5km runs) around 5:45-6:00/km, my 7km runs are usually 6:15-6:30/km and my longer runs usually around 6:30-6:50/km.
I need advice on how to deal with this, I am getting sooooo frustrated!!!