Newbie with sore legs (W1R1)

[Lovalatte]

Hello couchto5k community... this app is amazing and I’m super excited to be participating! I completed w1r1 yesterday and my hamstring muscles are so achy today which has surprised me. Just wondering if this is the norm?

[Chocolover]

Yeah I say it's normal if you're not use to exercising. See it as a positive.. You must be doing something right if you can feel it. After exercise maybe its a good thing to take a bath after to relax your muscles?

[Lovalatte Graduate in reply to Chocolover]

Thank you chocolover my 2nd run is this afternoon and I have my lush bath bomb ready for a therapeutic bath afterwards

[Chocolover in reply to Lovalatte]

I love lush... Sounds lovely

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Oh yeah... aches will come. I saw them as my medal of honour for working the muscles. Do stretches after your runs and keep moving on rest days... find some cross training, go for walks, try some yoga, swim... whatever you like, and try to avoid sitting too long at a time. Enjoy the journey.

[Lovalatte Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you unfitnomore... I am going to walk for 40 minutes on rest days to keep things from seizing up. Can’t wait to graduate in 9 weeks time

[nickhard Graduate]

Hi, great job getting started.

Might be worth stretching for 5-10 seconds each muscle group after a run, before is good too! Don't forget to stay hydrated too!

Keep up the good work!

[Lovalatte Graduate in reply to nickhard]

Thanks nickhard I will spend more time on stretches etc

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Yup... normal aches and pains... Your body saying.. what the heck is going on!!!!

You will know the difference between that and injury pain!

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Please d check this post out for great advice....slow and steady. keep posting and enjoy...

Get your after run stretching done too!

[Lovalatte Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you for the encouragement and link to the post

[stuartwildsmith]

Yep that’s the norm! Keep going the second run is easier

[Oasis54]

I’m the same after my first run! Has taken me by surprise but glad to know it’s working. Am planning on doing more post run stretching to help with it tomorrow.

[Lovalatte Graduate in reply to Oasis54]

Me too good luck with your 2nd run

[Mercmancouchto5k Graduate]

Hi, I laughed when I read this because this last week I have felt the same as I did in the first week. It is a little strange, at the same time, to have aching legs, but yet to enjoy the feeling when you get up to walk and there is a spring in your step that has been missing for decades. I am just about to do my graduation run later today, but have been resting 5 days after over-exerting myself (unintentionally) by doing 17,400 steps on New Year's Eve. The run was planned, all the other walking around shops and doing errands for others, and taking the dog out for a walk just before midnight wasn't planned, but I felt smug at having done 14km! So I have rested before this final milestone. I hope your aches will feel good after a while. They come and go. Try not to overdo the exercises. This course is amazing enough by itself and you don't need to do additional work either

[Lovalatte Graduate in reply to Mercmancouchto5k]

Mercman WELL DONE and here’s sending you lots of positive running vibes for your graduation run! Thank you for the advice too... much appreciated

[Mercmancouchto5k Graduate]

Finished it an hour ago and decided to laze around for the rest of the afternoon. I feel amazing. Thank you

[sparks_80]

If you haven't come across it before then it is worth looking up DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. It is quite common to experience soreness in the hours or days after strenuous or unaccustomed exercise. It shouldn't last for too long, and the advice above will see you right - hydration, stretches before and after, and resting up between runs. Keep up the good work 😀