First paces

[Workerbee]

I'm on w5 and for the last couple of weeks I find the first run so difficult in that my legs feel like concrete blocks but then the next ones are much smoother and lighter. Why is this? I'm doing the warm up. Should I do stretching too?

[RainbowC Graduate]

It's very normal for the first few minutes of running to feel uncomfortable and difficult - but as you keep going, you find your rhythm and settle in to it.

There's no need to add stretching in to the warmup, and there is a school of thought which suggests that stretching while your muscles are still fairly cold is likely to lead to more risk of injury.

[Whatsapp Graduate]

Takes a while for your legs to strengthen, so it is common to get some aches and pains at first, just be careful and make sure you take your rest days. As RainbowC says don't stretch before a run. But it would be a good habit to get into stretching after a run.

[Workerbee in reply to Whatsapp]

It's not so much pain just mechanical heaviness. Useful to know about advice against stretching though.