Completed week one

[Philip-r]

I've just completed week 1. I'm 44 and haven't run since pe classes at school. I do have a problem with painful calves after running for 1 minute, it seems to be getting easier though. Is this a normal problem?

[Usain_Balti Graduate]

Hi Philip-r, I think you answered your own question when you said "...haven't run since pe classes at school."

It's taken you 20 odd years to get this unfit so you're not going to undo the damage in a week.

Take it slowly and do stretch those muscles afterwards.

Keep posting and let us know how you're progressing.

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Yes -- all kinds of things are going to ache/get sore !! But take it easy - be aware that there is "sore" and there is "painful" , which are two different things. In time soreness will go away as your muscles/tendons get stronger and get used to what you are demanding of them. However, even then , I occasionally get tight/uncomfortable/ calves for no apparent reason. Happened to me on an 8K run last week -- which followed a previous 8K run 2 days earlier - calves were very unhappy - could have been the different shoes I that was wearing ??

[Pigivi]

Great, well done for finishing the first week!

We all had niggles at the beginning, if it's just niggles there's not much to worry... it's the body adapting to new motions and efforts... and there will be aches and niggles all the time - as Bazza said, some are just soreness and some are pain...

[Vitty Graduate]

Make sure you stretch between your warm up walk & before the run and then again at the end of the run. See nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/... for different stretches. Also make sure you have the right shoes

[mfamilias Graduate]

When I started it was the same for me - except you can add 2 years to the age, and imagine 28 years since I left the local comp and joined the couch potato squad. My calves and knees hurt and my lungs burnt for the first three weeks, then they remembered what they are supposed to do and 5 months later they are dealing with 10 -15km a week. Hang on in there, it does work

[Philip-r Graduate]

Thanks everyone, its getting better. I just completed W2 R2 and I got a slight stitch towards the end (first time since School). Good news in the Calves dont hurt as much!

[IronChamp]

Glad to hear the pain is easing. For sure, even after stopping running for a few months, the pain is greater for a few days longer than before. Sometimes our knee bones can get a bit loose in their sockets until the muscles are stronger. Remember to recover your calves: cold water and massages can help ease any tightness, and best to stretch after a short warm-up and aslo after each run.