Newbie with slightly sore thighs!

[Feistlet]

Having been inspired by a friend, I have started C25K this week along with another friend.

I am not a runner - never have been! Having spent the last two years having three surgeries, chemo, radiotherapy and taking goodness knows how many prescription drugs, I am now taking control and getting fit and losing a bit of weight.

I completed W1R1 on sunday and noticed some discomfort in my thigh bones when running - nothing major but it was there. This evening I have completed W1R2 and the same occurred, if anything a bit more uncomfortable too. Now I'm back home at rest they are pinging and throbbing a bit.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Wrong running technique? Just normal? Jump in the bath? lol

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[misswobble Graduate]

It's normal to feel it if you've not been exercising. I jump in a hot bath post run, usually containing 2 cups of Epsom salts

Just do the run walks very slowly. No need to rush. Slower the better in fact.

Your body will protest at the new exertions but as long as you take it very steadily you should be ok. You can have an extra day between runs if needs be. You could do other exercise on your non-run days, eg walking, cycling, swimming, dance, gym etc

Good luck!

[poppypug Graduate]

Well done for taking up this programme , it will be one of the best decisions you have ever made I promise !

As long as its not actual physical pain as in " Ow that's agony and making you stop " pain , I would say its most likely new runners niggles. Just our bodies way of getting used to the exercise

Take extra rest days if needed, theres no harm in that . I used to take 2 or 3 days between runs just to let my body recover .

Good Luck and enjoy it ! xxx

[b275 Graduate]

My guess is you're trying to go too fast too soon (like I did) On your next outing try walking just a bit slower, not striding out quite so far. Then when it's time to run, run just a bit faster than your walk. It's all about being out for xyz time at the moment. Before you know ity you will be running for 30 minutes, not necessarily 5K BUT 30 minutes!!

Remember you are trying to get your body to do something that it hasn't done for years. I promise you it does get easier.

Well done on starting this amazing journey!!

[Feistlet Graduate]

Thanks so much for the encouragement and advice. A friend's husband who is a personal trainer also suggested I might be heel striking and that I should aim for mid foot instead. I have no idea which part of my foot is hitting the ground first! Will take it slowly and pay more attention to my technique on Thursday's run.

[davidhwynn Graduate]

If you ever have the misfortune to hear an elephant pounding away behind you, gasping for breath, shouting out loud obscenities at Laura telling her that "No, I'm not recovered and ready for my next run!" also like you rattling with precription drugs .... that'll be me. I'm quite harmless, so if you DO have the misfortune to hear that awful sound behind you, just don't panic! You could try running a bit faster to escape, because I can't, so that would definitely work!! I can't help advise you about the pains as I don't know, but I was never a runner either, I even hid away when school cross-country runs loomed large, for me that was more than half a century ago. Being honest I'm now still at W4R2 stage yet, I can't say yet that I'm enjoying it like many (most) of the guys tell you that they do on this fantastic forum. What I am doing is getting fitter, already moving better each day even when I'm just walking about, getting up stairs without being out of breath ... and feeling pretty damn good with myself, no matter that I haven't got far in the programme yet and that I go SOOOOOOO slow it's nearly going backwards. This forum is what keeps me going. By the way, Laura says land with heel first to avoid injury - how the hell would I know, I'm just grateful my feet are still moving!!

[Feistlet Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

Haha that did make me laugh! All the runners I know take a sharp intake of breath when heel striking is mentioned and shake their heads solemnly. Am supposed to be running W1R3 this afternoon and was planning to focus on my technique, trying to land more on the front of my feet. Having said that, everything still hurts just a tad and it's so bloomin cold, there's a possibility my friend and I might defer run 3 until tomorrow. W2R1 already scheduled for Sunday morning so definitely not wimping out! Sounds like you are doing amazingly well - keep up the good work!

[EmmaSheila52]

Weeks 1 2 & 3 my knees ached & ached, I also got tight calf (left only, never right?) Then in week 4 I slowed down & did the whole session & realised nothing ached & I didn't look like a raspberry! Slow down, keep going & well done!!!