A week last Sunday I was about 3k into a gentle run so well warmed up and feeling good and on a regular route when - Ping! Ow!
Sudden pain out of nowhere in my right calf muscle pulled me up short. No idea why, I've been running for nearly 3 years now and have never done anything of the sort. So, I had to limp all the way back and rest up and dig out the frozen peas and foam roller.
It seemed to mend pretty quickly and after a couple of days there was no more pain on walking. I was very good and patient. Thought I would give it a proper rest. I tried a bit of running on the spot - all good. Covered my 5k route at a very brisk walk - no ill effects. Great.
So yesterday having rested all week, I tackled a 3k run/walk. First 5 running intervals felt fine then, you guessed it -ping again and I am back where I was a week ago.
Now this is new to me. I thought I knew my body pretty well by now but obviously misjudged my readiness. So I now have a dilemma. How long do I rest for even though it is already feeling a lot better ?- is it a physio job? Where will I find the patience to sit around and let it heal? And how to prevent it in future?
Dear friends, I don't expect you to have all the answers but just needed to share my frustration!
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Ullyrunner
Graduate
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Well that's pretty sucky. I can't give you any answers but I can carry your frustration for a while to give you a break. Hope it sorts itself out - mayhaps a physio is needed?
So many questions Ully.. and not sure on the answers.. I know when Ignored the twinging knee, it was a mistake... Horrid bad luck for you x
Maybe a couple of days more, exercise gently, and then give it another very gentle go? If it re-occurs, then definitely seek advice from the knowledgeable ones
Not a wuss.. it is so easy to cause real problems..
I am going very steadily...Although I am fairly fluent in the French language, the thought of explaining to a french doctor that, yes, I know my toe was fractured and yet I still ran on it.. does not appeal!
Really sorry to hear that Ullyrunner☹️. Sounds like you may have a small tear(?).I would rest it longer this time but for how long, that depends on the severity of the tear I guess. A good sports physio would probably be the best person to see (at a cost, of course!😮). So frustrating when you have done everything right but a little patience now will get you back out there, so hang on and fingers crossed you will not be on the injury couch for too long. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.x
Sorry to hear this Ully. I would go and see gp or physio just to be on the safe side. Physios are helpful also for advice on preventing this reoccurring. Hope it feels better soon x
Oh Ully, not you! I assume you don't need new shoes? Have you changed your route? More uphill perhaps? Or, have you been doing anything outside Runnng that could have aggravated your calves?
It seems to be pretty common amongst runners but I hope, after a few days icing and rest, you'll be good to ease back into it.
Thanks IP - shoes are about 3 months in so should be fine. Route is one I have run literally 100 times - and there are no such things as hills where I run!
Not all bad news though I don't think Ully. I reckon I had the same thing a few weeks back. I rested my pinged calf - which happened like yours out the blue - for about 8 days I think, then tentatively ran. Pulled up again. In the end I rested for 3 weeks. I had a race booked so was pretty keen not to miss it so I rested. Three weeks seems an age but it's not in the great scheme of things. By race day I had lost a bit of puff but my calf was fine.
It could be a pull or a tear. You can get micro tears apparently. Ruddy painful if you run on them but not at all if you walk. Strange as it may seem. You think if you can walk ok you can run. Not so. You could rest a week then have a trial jogette. If you pull up after that give it longer. Good luck Ully!!! Fingers crossed for you x
I did that in week 5 and had 9 weeks off running which was awful! Physio helped I had four sessions at £50 a pop and exercises to do as well as icing it 4 X day. I could barely walk a few yards initially. Now several months on its still weak and geta tight but I can run 33 minutes!
Such bad news Ully. Everyone else has given you the advice I'd give you: rest rest, rest a bit more and then try a little run and see how you go. Good luck m'dear xx
Ooh Ullyrunner , ouch and then ouch again! And you had had a rest and everything. No medical advice just lots positive thoughts flinging your way. You are so supportive to us all. 💐💆 so rest up awhile✨✨✨
I wish I could help Ullyrunner but I'm just not knowledgeable enough in the injury dept. So all I can do is send big virtual hugs and really hope it sorts itself with simple rest without having to resort to the physio. 🙅(that's the closest I could get to a 'hug' picture)
It doesn't sound like a bad tear, wait another week maybe, then run for just 10 min. I don't know how much you're running usually but build back up slowly, 2-5 min increments per run, stop if you get pain and go back. Sounds like a small tear. Perhaps you just landed unluckily and didn't pick up on it. Hope it is sorted soon.
Ouch Ully, sounds very frustrating! Right after my graduation I hurt my right calf muscle running - it felt like a quick, very painful "snap" - makes me think it was a small tear.
For the first day and a half I could barely walk without support, I iced and elevated it, but then went on vacation in Greece and had to walk quite a bit. It was alright but a bit painful for the next couple of days. The good news is that after a week I was able to run a very slow and gentle 3k.
So you could be in for just a week on the IC, maybe much longer. I really, really hope for you that it is just a short visit on the IC. Go see that physio!
Ouch - I have done this too, in fact it was shortly after I graduated, I was overstriding trying to do the Stepping Stones podcast and Ping! It was really sore going up and down stairs etc. My experience was just like yours and misswobble 's, I tried to run too soon and the pain came back, so I then ended up taking three weeks off by which time it had healed completely. Be gentle with it and ease yourself back in gently.
I am in a similar position with an injured quadriceps which I rested until it seemed OK, ran on a few times and ended up back where I started and worse. I am resting again and seeing a physio, and although it pains me, won't run again until I am cleared (which I hope is this weekend). It's also never happened to me before. I think get an expert view and be prepared to rest until they say you are ok.
I am in the same position after trying to increase my distance. In retrospect too quickly. Ended up struggling to walk particularly up and down stairs. Rested a few days and managed 2 slow 3ks but pain came back again. Not as bad as before but still sore to walk. Trying to be patient and rest it for longer before trying again but finding it hard. Hope we are all out of this elite club soon !
Ouch- sorry to see you are injured. After 3 years I am sure you know your body well so if it's not better soon Maybe a trip to physio to find out what it is and how to prevent in future? Hope a short rest will be all that's needed.
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Horrid bad luck for you x
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