Anxiety can cause you to breathe rapidly and can lead to cramping.
Runners commonly experience cramps. It can happen in your stomach or legs, and can make you feel as if you can't go on. However, don't let cramps stop you from running. Employ a few simple preventative measures and you will be on your way to running a marathon.
Instructions
1. Eat at least two hours before running. Never eat right before running, as you will increase your risk of getting abdominal cramps and bloating because the food has not been properly digested, says Cindy Dallow, Ph.D., a sports dietician.
2. Stretch your muscles before running. Do side torso twists by putting your arms over your head and alternating to the right. Stretch your calf muscles by sitting with both legs straight in front of you. Place a rope around the ball of your foot and grab the end of the rope. Flex the foot toward your ankle and the toes toward your knee. Repeat on the other side.
3. Pace yourself. Start your run with 10 minutes of walking or very slow running. Jerry Napp, a Tampa Bay running coach, states that the warm-up will slowly increase your body's blood flow and raise your core muscle temperature. This will help lessen your chance of cramps.
4. Practice deep lung breathing while running. Put your hand on your stomach and breathe deeply. You should feel your stomach rise and fall. Inhale for three breaths and exhale for two breaths. Military.com states this type of breathing oxygenates the muscles. Jeff Galloway, a runner who competed in the Olympics, states that improper breathing is a main cause of side cramps.
5. Hydrate your body properly. According to MedicineNet.com, a person who weighs 180 lbs. should drink at least 0.5 liters of fluid an hour for the three hours prior running. Drink a few sips of water every hour during long runs. Proper fluid intake hydrates and relaxes the muscles, thus reducing cramps.
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