The OH has started C25k to support me in my training for Great South Run (another story for another day). He's in week 1, and hasn't been going every other day, just when he can fit it in and has done about 4 runs now I think. Every time he goes running he gets pain in his foot, at the front, in the angle between the foot and the leg. It is more of an ache than a sharp pain. He can feel it for the next day or two, but to a lesser extent. It is sore enough to make him want to stop running (and walk instead) but that said he still has the pain on the walk breaks. Anyone got any thoughts on what this is and how it can be resolved. He isn't wearing proper running shoes, just some old trainers but the same ones every time. I have suggested he try different shoes next time and see if that makes a difference, but after that I'm all out of ideas, which is where I'm hoping you lovely folk will come in handy...
Thanks in advance
Written by
TheMagicalPixie
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Well, suggestion number one is get some proper shoes. Many of us on here encountered similar issues until we bought shoes based on gait analysis. That doesn't necessarily mean spending megabucks. My current trail shoes were £34.99. My road shoes were about £60, but I have seen them cheaper since.
When I first started C25k I had much shin and foot pain. When I got my gait analysed and bought proper shoes it went away like magic. I still had a bit of muscle ache etc as I built up strength and distance. In fact, i still do running 2 hours, but that is quite normal. Enduring some discomfort is part and parcel of running. Suffering pain is not.
If proper shoes do not resolve the problem then perhaps there is an underlying cause, but I would say treat probability is that it lies in the shoes.
I think rignold's suggestion is good and would also suggest making sure he stretches calves and the front of the ankle during the warm up walk and also during the cool down as well on the rest days. In fact quad and hams stretches too to get the whole leg more balanced. He may want to look at how his foot is striking the ground too - is it too much heel strike?
I thought you might suggest proper shoes, I'm sure that will help (I know it helped me massively) I should have said I did suggest this but it's more a cause of if someone is going to say "OMG that pain is runners ankle, don't run with that or his feet will fall off!!" then he doesn't want to invest in shoes he will shortly have no need for! He also doesn't enjoy running like I do, so doesn't want to invest in shoes (he's a tight git!) at this stage without knowing whether he will have thrown the towel in in a months time.
I will suggest doing stretches, that does make sense. When he gets tired, he said after halfway through the podcast (week 1), he lands less on the ball of his foot and lands more flatly (I think his description was slapping the ground with his feet more!) but at this point in the run he already has the pain, so assuming he is landing correctly initially, before it deteriorates with tiredness then it shouldn't be that.
As well as proper shoes (he could think of paying out for them as an incentive to keep running rather than just stop) get him to loosen his laces a little. The feet swell whilst running so what seems nicely tight to begin with becomes too tight as the run progresses.
There are some posts on here (and other places on the internet) about different ways of tying laces to get around similar issues.
I felt exactly the same as your husband,,, didn't want to pay for trainers if I was going to jack in the running after a couple of weeks. However, I soon realised it was worth getting them to minimise pain and hopefully reduce risk of injury which would only put me off even more! I'm glad I paid the money, and have since bought another pair! It's not worth running in old trainers and potentially causing damage to yourself
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