w1/r3 failed!

[sbrown1264]

Well after spending the last 48 hours reading up on running techniques and painful calves. I thought I would try a different pair of trainers. I drank a pint of water 30 mins ago and then setup up the c25k app and pressed play! up to that point all was well.....

I got to 10 mins. I think it was the 2nd run and my left calf just was so painful, this time I thought I have to stop. so just sat down and touched the back of my left calf and it is very warm, my right calf seems fine.

I am going to leave it for the time being and just go back to doing my 10000 steps and try to build up some core strength.

Stephen

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Sorry to hear that but you are doing the right thing.

[Buffy007 Graduate]

Rats, just lost all my typing. So I'll be brief. If you're on a treadmill you're probably going too fast. Some people say they can walk faster than they are running. Stretch after every run nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

Keep it slow and be determined mentally. Good luck. Try again when you're ready - but slowly, then slow down some more.

[sbrown1264 Graduate]

I set the incline to 1, and my walking pace is 2.5mph and running speed is 3.7mph. I think if I set the treadmill to a slower running speed, i'm not sure I could "run" that slowly! I hope I have explained myself clearly lol

The runs were not bothering me too much except for the pain in my left calf. The funny thing is I can walk forever when out with the dog, I have been doing my 10000 steps per day, one day last week when I was working, I recorded my steps on a "work" day and my steps were only 5006 which didn't include walking the dog.

Stephen

[AdamB Graduate]

Just try throwing the treadmill away and get outside. The treadmill forces you to move at a specific pace and if it's even slightly wrong you can get problems. Running outside (and take it slowly - don't be tempted to run too fast) means that you can set precisely the pace that suits you. It doesn't matter if your "run" is slower than your "walk".

By the way, you haven't failed. You've just not had a good day.

[Coddfish Graduate]

I agree to try running very slowly outside once the pain has gone, rather than just giving up. And stretch before you crank up the running. I love the programme but take issue with its lack of emphasis on stretching - and particularly that it doesn't include stretching between warm up and run. I always stretch at the end of my warm up before I run - much easier of course if you don't have to stop and get off a treadmill!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Coddfish]

Like almost everything regarding running on the Internet, there is a LOT of contention regarding stretching before running. Most say that warming up muscles before running is good - and some of that warming up can be done by what is known as "dynamic" stretching (things like "butt kicks" as you walk along.) Many others say that the cold stretching of cold muscles is a path to injury through overstretching and also that it actually weakens the running muscles and makes them more ineffective.

I can only speak from my personal experience. As I was already an "old" man before I even started C25K , I was naturally nervous about hurting myself by suddenly starting to run - so I took it VERY easy at first. I am essentially a very un-competitive person - I don't even subscribe to the common adage of "do your best! Compete against yourself!" . So I did take it very easy - I did a 6 week training programme similar to C25k which only had me running for 15 second spurts at first and after 6 whole weeks , only had me running for 30 seconds maximum at a time ( but walking also for 30 seconds out to a distance of 6 Klm) . I did get shin splints for a few weeks - but I persevered with them without buying expensive shoes or having massages or rollers, etc - and they eventually went away, never to return. Since than , I can honestly say that I have never ever had much in the way of any further aches and pains - except for a short while when I bought and used a pair of Saucony Kinvara shoes which are a lightweight shoe with only a 4MM heel to toe drop ( as opposed to the 8mm drop NIKE Free 5.9's that I had been wearing )

In a nutshell, it was conservatism, non-competitiveness and perseverance which has got me to where I am now - my contempories are aghast at what I am doing .

[sbrown1264 Graduate]

update... tried again and completed!

I was quite disappointed I had to finish earlier today. It got to 6pm, I fed the cat and dog, we then sat down and had our dinner. at 7pm we sat down to watch the dog whisperer and I thought I will have another go, so I went upstairs and swapped my trainers again (pair no.3), set up my ipad next to my treadmill and pressed start.

This time I set the walking speed to 2.5mph and when it got to the running mode, left it at the same speed but I jogged on my toes as if I was skipping across water! and I completed it and most importantly without any pain.

Stephen