Sore today

[dolphin84]

Morning

Quick question. After my hubby said I should change the way I run, I made an effort yesterday to run on the ball of my feet. Today my ankles are sore and my calf muscles feel very sore! Is this normal? Did I do it wrong?

[Michael_W Graduate]

There are all kinds of running styles but from my own observations not that many people run naturally on the balls of their feet. Quick runners certainly spend less time in contact with the ground than the plodders but that I think is more to do with speed than anything else.

Rather than fundamentally changing your running style, I suggest that you try instead to maintain a natural upright posture, looking ahead and with loose relaxed shoulders and hands. One thing to watch out for is that you don't over stride, such that your heel makes first contact with the ground. Instead your stride should be short enough that your feet rotate beneath your body.

If there's something you see in running more than most sports it's that there are all kinds of physiques and running styles. No one size fits all.

Hope this helps.

[dolphin84 in reply to Michael_W]

Thanks Michael. So will I be ok to run tomorrow? It's hurting just to walk at the minute, hoping it'll let up.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

There is lots of talk about right ways and wrong ways to run. It is a bit of a minefield I think. The one thing I do know is the body takes time to adapt to any changes and it has to be done in increments to avoid injury. One of the reasons that the program has the length and run/walk breaks it has is to allow the muscles and joints adjust to a new way of doing things. To just change your running overnight even if it was the correct thing to do would stress your muscles and joints out. Your muscles have adapted to your joints and to change the way you run you have to coax them slowly. Your aches will subside but I would think about a gait analysis and some stretches if you really wanted to change before changing things too dramatically, when running on the balls of your feet does not come naturally you can have a tendency to run on tiptoes which is a slightly difference foot strike to running on the balls of your feet and really not very natural. It is only a cm difference but it will put all your muscles out.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Take the advice offered by Realfoodieclub ..you have to, quite literally, run your own journey

[MarkyD Graduate]

Your marriage vows 'To Love, Cherish and Obey' do not apply to running.

During a run, all three of these are suspended, particularly 'Obey'. So next time you are running together and your hubby 'helpfully' gives some advice, you can explain - in whatever language you want - that you'll not be doing that. Run your own way.

'Obey' - from the old English word Obeisance, meaning to give the respect worthy of a person. If they are not worthy of respect, you don't have to obey !