dale3 wrote:
Jordan, I appreciate you chiming in and offering your thoughts.
I haven't read the linked article but will later today, and in the interim, I wanted to follow up to get your thoughts on electrolytes and stitches.
In a pure running race at 10 km that is finished in 30 to 35 minutes, do you think taking in additional electrolytes in the day or two leading up could help to prevent a stitch? Once it hits during the race, you are pretty much screwed as you watch your pace drop a good 30 seconds per mile and trying to be reactive at that point is pretty much pointless.
I've never had a stitch issue to the same degree in a 5 km run race or a short course triathlon, partially because it seems to be running that causes the stitch as you noted, and the 10 km distance seems to be long enough at a high enough intensity that it can trigger this, whereas something a bit shorter or a run off the bike that is a bit slower seems to be okay.
I generally race on a completely empty stomach for an effort of this length to prevent GI issues (train the same way with early morning sessions), so not sure if that could have anything to do with it, but its something I'd like to get sorted...
The nice thing about something simple like a sodium load is that it is super easy and cheap to try. If you use Stacy Sims (founder of OSMO, co-founder of Skratch) rule of thumb, you can just do it with Kosher salt. It's not ideal, but it's cheap. Just make sure you don't use iodized salt, because you'll get too much iodine. So if you just take a big hit of sodium the night before and morning of - meaning 1500-2000mg night before AND morning of - you can see if it helps.
I can't imagine for 5km/10km that racing on an empty stomach would matter much. But certainly can see if you are doing it in the morning, you'd want something to at least bring your blood sugar up after sleeping. You shouldn't eat much. But I'd think you'd want something after not eating since dinner.
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