Calf niggles - only on week 1

[foxyfi1]

2nd run got cramp in calf and was sore after so rested for two days, felt fine so ran today, but although no cramp fell like have pulled same calf muscles. Any advice??

[paul2014 Graduate]

It may just be that you are not used to exercising these particular muscles? I know mine ached for the first week or two but it's only natural if they haven't been worked for a while. Hopefully it's nothing more than this but if it is a pulled muscle then I would probably rest it for a few days before trying again. Good luck.

[foxyfi1]

Its just on the right calf, the left is fine.....

[paul2014 Graduate in reply to foxyfi1]

Maybe more than just aching muscles then. Do as dottiemay suggests re stretches and take it really steady to see how things are. Good luck.

[dottiemay Graduate]

Just make sure you don't go too fast. If it's still a bit tender after the next run, make sure you do some gentle stretches then put a covered ice-pack on it for a while, and maybe rub in some ibuprofen gel.

Hopefully it's just muscles complaining, but if it starts to feel painful rather than uncomfortable, STOP. A few extra days rest is far preferable than a prolonged lay-off with injury!

[estherd86 Graduate]

Both my legs really hurt after W1R1, less so after W1R2. I'm about to start week 7 now and various things have hurt at different stages of the plan. Sometimes I've taken an extra rest day which has helped. It doesn't matter if the 'weeks' actually take slightly longer if you need more rest days, but you will get used to the exercise and not be so sore as you progress Good Luck.

[Robert_Barker]

I had exactly the same thing, with only my right side aching at first. I did some stretches afterwards and then would stretch them out a bit a couple of times while I was doing my warmup walk and its now week three and my calfs seem better. Good luck.

[Hidden]

Stretch loads, and if that doesn't work consider compression socks. I wouldn't have made it to week 9 without mine. Good Luck!!!