Wk 4R3

[kazwindy]

Soooo ive completed week four but found I had to go sooo slow - my calf's just keep ceasing so need to work on plenty of stretching in between runs.

Bring on week 5!!!

[Ugifer]

Well done! Slow is fine. Slow is good, in fact.

It was about a year before my calves got the message that I was a runner now and they were just going to have to deal with it! Don't worry - it comes. Just keep it up and stay slow to keep those injuries at bay and eventually your legs will get the message!

Good luck for week 5!

Ugi

[kazwindy in reply to Ugifer]

Thanks so much!

[gary_bart]

I went slow today, and I think it might have done me good. So yes, slow can be good, I suppose. I think this is an individual thing. For me the point where I start to really enjoy a run is more over toward my version of fast. Flat out fast hurts, of course, but slow can feel "stifled" (I find it hard to express the feeling properly). So a day like today where I went quite slowly, yet enjoyed it, is a good day. I've found another "happy speed" I suppose.

If it becomes a struggle and the "run" you need to use to keep up with the week you're meant to be in starts to feel like a cheat, why not just do the entire week you've already completed over, but just a little bit faster? That way when you progress, you run at a pace that feels right for you. It's fine to pull right back to survive a hard run, and keep running to the end, but I hate having to do that from the very start.

Like I said, we're all different. What you need to do is just find your own sweet spot, and aim for that. That said, expect to maybe find the "nice slow speed" one day, too.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Slow is good Kaz, infact any speed that allows you to finish a run without collapsing in a heap is good Seriously though, have you considered getting a foam roller to roll your calves with. Hurts like H*ll but sometimes gets out those knots that stretching doesn't quite deal with. Yoy could also look at the Strength and Flex podcasts.