I haven't got a specific injury as such, I just think it is general wear and tear. I have been running a lot more frequently recently, 01/09 - 9K, 03/09 - 7K, 06/09 - 10K, 09/09 - 9K, today - 7K. After today's run my knees hurt (I have patella ligament issues), my left hip hurts (related to sacroiliac joint) and during parts of the run today my right ankle and shin felt like I had massive amounts of lactic acid. I always expect some pain after my runs and overall the benefits of running far outweigh a bit of pain which I am prepared to put up with it, but I feel I need several days rest after today's run and then start again next week, hopefully refreshed.
Does anyone else feel that their body struggles to cope with the rigours of running?
I personally don't think I could ever even consider running a marathon, my body wouldn't be able to cope, maybe its just the way I am made!
Cheers
V.
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Visionon
Graduate10
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I don’t run fast enough to get niggles! There are benefits to being a 🐌 😅
Maybe a few rest days are in order? Do you do yoga? I find that really helpful on my non running days. Look after your body and it’ll look after you. 😀
If you have a look on YouTube for Yoga with Adriene, she does yoga for pretty much every part of the body. I use her videos a lot and they’re great I think. Might be worth a go at least. 😀
Unless and you say that you are not training for a marathon I think you are running those distances too often and too close together, have about 4 days off running to rest or do other exercises, even a bit of cycling like I do.
After the short break from running, run 1 longer run a week, perhaps a 10K on a Sunday, if you wish to run on a Tuesday or Thursday, run a 3K or a 5K, perhaps a 5K parkrun on a Saturday morning, that way you should not get so much pain in your joints.
I don't really want to run further than 10K, just want to be able to run regularly. As cheeky said, maybe mixing up running with yoga is a good idea, not sure that will help my joints though.
On the Ju Ju 10K plan, apart from running there are some non running days that you can do yoga, especially planks, I do planks to a couple of YouTube videos, if you wish to know which ones, I will tell you if you reply to this post. 😊
Wow those are some distances you’ve been clocking up, well done! I think ju-ju started very slowly and with short distances, probably max 5k to start with or even less.....
One thing I’ve learned, and this is me specifically - it has taken my body a long time to get up to the distances I do at the moment, we’re all different......I’m thinking about doing the advent challenge in December, I’m not sure I could run every day, (possibly.....starting with a daily mile perhaps....) but I know I could do an activity every day....
I agree with others, in that you do need recovery time, depending on what ‘races’ I get into over the coming months, I’m thinking of occasionally taking a whole week off running.....just to allow good recovery time........my key thing is keeping the enjoyment more than anything else.
Thanks madge, I must admit I enjoy nothing more than running through the lovely countryside we have here, but I think I need to reduce the distance and have just 1 longer run each week, disappointing but needs must!
Bodies are different and respond differently to distances and frequency. I spoke to two runners last night, both of whom unable to run longer than 5K or so, non stop at medium speed effort, more then 2-3 times per week. I am now relaxed enough to run 10k each time but it's taken time to build that up. Marathon training is a proper test where a body learns in a simple way whether it can or cannot pull it of, especially given the frequency when you run on three consecutive days with distances of up to 16k. If your joints rebel at that stage than it's a bit too much of an effort. I was, luckily, alright but it took lots of loving care when it came down to stretching and downtime between the runs.
Thanks for the insight mrrun. The way my joints feel at the moment I am not sure that I will ever be able to run 10K every run, I will have a few days rest and then keep persevering.
Yes I too think you are probably trying to do too much with not enough rest in between. Listen to your body. It will tell you. I agree that IF you want to increase distance you have to have a plan, but if you don’t then just mix it up a little more. But you ARE doing very well getting those distances you are doing. Just don’t overdo it because you will injure yourself and not be able to run at all for a while!
Yes I have had several periods on the IC so know that feeling. I feel like my muscles are now in tune with running, it's now the joints which I have trouble with.
In my own experience, and I'm currently at 30 miles/week, if you want to run longer and more often you need to look after your body.
I use a massage roller every night on hamstrings and calves. I spend usually 10 mins after every run doing low level aerobic stuff working the joints, knees/hips etc that are needed in running combined with dynamic and static stretching. I ensure that I'm eating within a suitable window that my body has resources to aid recovery (plus recovery shakes for runs over 9 miles) as well as having ensured that I'm not running on empty to start with.
Tons of water? I'm usually in the 2 to 3l/ day bracket, up to 5/6 in the super hot weather.
That's a lot of miles and recovery stuff. I have a really good healthy diet, so no trouble there. Water, same as you generally 2-3 litres a day. Can't really do shakes, as I am a type 1 diabetic, and they affect my blood sugars too much.
Doesn't have to be shakes; on runs where you've pushed harder or run for a longer duration then reward your body with roughly 20g of protein of your own choosing, within 30 mins of stopping. That is the peak "window" which really hits the spot. This helps repair muscles and aids in recovery. I normally only use this for runs over 9 miles/1.5hrs but I did used to on harder, shorter runs too.
Yea, it sounds a lot but 10 mins after a run soon passes and the roller varies based on tiredness, if I'm knackered it might only be 5 mins, if not 15 plus a few extra stretches for back and glutes. I want to run long, so it's worth it to me.
I've just seen you had surgery recently... did the doc clear you for running? Your body may still be recovering/re-calibrating from that experience.
What did you do about your shoes? Have you replaced them or at least had them checked by your local run shop? When the support breaks down you can expect new or the re-emergence of niggles in feet/ lower legs.
If a change is as good as a rest, then the opposite is also true. Nothing wrong with a little recovery break, or even a week of really short slow runs... the plan I’m following to HM has weeks where the mileage drops before increasing again, and I love them when they come up.
It would just be nice to be able to run a marathon distance, why does anyone want to be able to do it? I don't feel as if I am running too much, it's only 3 times a week...
I think there is a natural curiosity, "could I really do the marathon distance", especially if/when you get up to/close to HM.
Having reached marathon distance and having decided to go even further, as I've pointed out, you get what you put in. If you want your body to give you/achieve more, you've got to put in the time and effort and ensure you treat it right to get the maximum back.
3 runs a week, of any length, isn't really an issue, but not giving your body what it needs (and every body is different) to recover, is. 👍🏻
I am, though, not close to HM, so even less close to M.
I think it's a combination of curiosity and chasing achievement as well as knowing your abilities. I will not be a marathoner. Instead of beating myself up about it, I am happy with what I can do. Pushing the boundaries, of course, is exciting. Just push it sensibly.
I know you do. I talk in general.
When you run or do any kind of exercise for that matter you actually damage the muscles you use for that exercise. You need to have rest days so that those muscles can repair, when they repair they actually become stronger than they were before.
So you have to rest if you want thins to improve, take it easy a couple of days per week.
I've only been running for nearly 6 months so take that into account : ) but if you want to run every day or frequently, I would think you need to slow one or two of those runs down. It might be possible to do those distances with that frequency, but maybe not as fast. Some of my slower (they are all slow lol) runs seem to help me recover, just keep the muscles loose without putting any pressure on them.
Yes, but I believe it's all connected. Tight muscles and tendons pull on joints and restrict movement, or make it more painful, or make them move slightly differently. When I had to see an osteopath she manipulated my joints but also massaged the muscles /tendons connected to them to free them up.
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Am I finally a runner🤔
7K between falling trees
This is how dim I am...
