On week 4 but my calves are struggling more than my lungs.

[TomOg]

Hi

So I feel like my calves are holding me back on this program. I’ll get to about halfway through a session and find my legs can’t physically move any quicker.

Ill be tired by the end of the session but definitely not exhausted. Is this how the program was designed to be? Should I maybe repeat week 4 once I’ve completed it? I kinda feel like I’m cheating my way through it

Thanks

[SnailRunner71 Graduate]

Are you running slowly?

I'm on week 4 and I do a very light jog which is slower than the brisk walk. I've not tried to go faster yet!

[Hidden]

I’ve just completed W6 and still have trouble with my calves, especially if I try to go a bit quicker. As many have said before, embrace your inner snail 🐌 and so long as it isn’t painful keep going.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Try some regular calf exercises to help those calves

runnersworld.co.uk/3-steps-...

[TomOg]

Fairly slow yeah but faster than my walking pace. I feel like I’m not pushing my stamina if that makes sense.

Should I just keep doing what I’m doing and get through it?

Or should I repeat the week to get my pace up? I feel like crawling through it isn’t the same as actually running for 5min. I’m a bit confused

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

If you complete...move on...

Run slowly and lightly... kiss the ground with your feet...relax your shoulders, your arms, your hands your face... and slow it down more...

Some exercise on rest days is necessary to help your stamina and strength and this needs to be upped as you move through to the longer runs.

There are loads of exercises out there than can help..

e.g.

active.com/running/articles...

Strength and Flex is useful too..

healthunlocked.com/strength...

Well done.... just go gently and move forward

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

You should be able to hold a conversation all the way through your run, and so straight away after as well... so exhausted shouldn’t come in to this really.

Post run stretching, massage, foam rollers all good on the calf muscles.

I would move on after every completed run, but it’s your journey.

Well done

[TomOg]

Thanks guys I appreciate the advice.

So I my calves will catch up eventually? I just have this fear that I’ll reach the last week and not be able to come close to finishing a session because my stamina hasn’t reached the level it was meant to. I don’t if that makes sense.

So do you think I should do leg strength training on my rest days?

I tend to make excuses for myself and I think that’s what I’m doing now.

I’ll carry on as long as I’m able to complete the session, if not I’ll repeat it until I can.

Thanks

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to TomOg]

Counter intuitively, you build stamina by running slowly, not by pushing hard. As your legs strengthen you will be able to speed up without the same risk of calf tightness and be reassured, you will manage to finish the longer runs, albeit not quite so fast.

Most elite runners spend 70-80% of their running time at an easy pace.

[TomOg in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Ah okay so nothing to worry about. Thank you