Week Seven. Oh the aches !: Hello, I've been... - Couch to 5K

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Week Seven. Oh the aches !

Redheadcat profile image
RedheadcatGraduate
8 Replies

Hello,

I've been progressing through the programme quite well so far until this week! Last week I found the twenty minute runs not too difficult, but now doing the 25 minute runs this week my body seems to be objecting! It's not to bad during the run itself, but now I seem to ache very badly afterwards and need two days rest rather than just one. Is there some leap between 20 to 25 mins which causes this?

I'm a middle aged woman aged 54 and somewhat overweight so it's not surprising I ache really!

Have to say that the C25K is excellent and I'm really enjoying it so don't want to give up!

And I wont.

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Redheadcat profile image
Redheadcat
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8 Replies
davelinks profile image
davelinksGraduate

Are you stretching your muscles? Make sure you are, and do it properly

dagshar profile image
dagsharGraduate

Not sure about a leap, but it was roughly at this stage that I used to be really achy especially the next day. Fortunately I was never in pain whilst running. It took weeks for this to disappear completely and doing regular stretches certainly helped. I seem to be going through an achy phase again, but witj slightly different muscles. We are asking a lot of our bodies (especially as we are not in our 20s anymore) so we shouldn't be too surprised. Enjoy the pain as a proof of you hard wotk, but clearly if it doesn't get better with time or starts hurting while you are running, then you should seek medical advice.

Ugifer profile image
Ugifer

I would echo what has been said above - the ache is your muscles recovering from the damage that you do to them running. That sounds like a bad thing but actually it's just the opposite.

Both your muscles and your cardio' fitness improve by being stressed and then over-recovering. That means that every time you do an activity that's beyond your comfortable level, your body recovers past where it was before. It's a whole series of tiny steps back, followed by slightly larger steps forward.

So long as you are aching rather than hurting then you are only causing the microscopic stress damage that will provoke your muscles into recovering stronger. However, if you are still aching by the time of your next run it may mean that you need slightly longer breaks between runs (or better stretching, as suggested above).

If you start to feel that you are hurting rather than just aching then you need to take it easier and maybe rest for a while until you recover. So long as it's just aching then "embrace the ache"! It's doing you good!

Redheadcat profile image
RedheadcatGraduate

Yes I have been stretching before and after but I probably need to do more stretches and as you say, do them properly. Is there a stretch routine someone could recommend? Thankyou

MarkyD profile image
MarkyDGraduate

Hiya RHC... here you go... post-run stretches:

nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

*** THESE ARE ***NOT*** OPTIONAL *** :-)

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply toMarkyD

^^^ Do these and you'll be amazed at the difference

Also, take an extra rest day between runs if you need you. Good luck :)

Tomas profile image
TomasGraduate

I'll just repeat what has already been said. Stretch, stretch and then stretch some more. It might not be as much fun as running, but it's actually quite pleasant once you get used to it.

Redheadcat profile image
RedheadcatGraduate

Great. I'll do the stretches recommended. Thanks to all.

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