Advice need please!

[RI78]

Hi I’ve just done W4R1 and am after some advice please. Every week so far I’ve been getting pain in my calves and shins about half way through. It’s been manageable up until this run with it being 5 mins continuously. I do stretch before I go out and was wondering am I just not stretching enough or am I doing something wrong? Thanks 😊

[Thegirlcandoit Graduate]

Hi. I was the same, my calves were so tight and felt solid. I'm far from being an expert but stretching does help, before and after your run. I treated myself to a sports massage and my calves feel brand new! Whether it's just my legs getting used to what I'm putting them through or the massage (or both) I don't know. Staying hydrated and taking rest days is important too. Good luck with the rest of c25k x

[RI78 Graduate in reply to Thegirlcandoit]

Thank you that’s great! By the sounds of the other replies I’ve been doing the wrong stretches before running 🤦‍♀️. How far are you into C25k?

[Thegirlcandoit Graduate in reply to RI78]

Me too! I did w6r1 yesterday. Will try the non-statics tomorrow.

[RI78 Graduate in reply to Thegirlcandoit]

Just had a look at the stretches and there isn’t anything for shins so may still do those as well

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to RI78]

Calf and Achilles stretches will help, as will general leg strengthening exercises.

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

Try slowing down just a little - it reduces the impact and that can help. If you can run on grass or hardcore rather than tarmac or paving, that will help too. Make sure you always take at least one rest day between runs. Hope at least some of that is helpful !

[RI78 Graduate in reply to ButtercupKid]

Thanks for replying! I’m not going that fast really and was practically walking by the last run lol. It’s a path round a lake I run on so it is hard but with loose gravel

[ButtercupKid Graduate in reply to RI78]

A lot of us walk faster than we run for the first few weeks: there’s no such thing as running too slowly. Pace comes later, after stamina, strength and style. Stick with it x

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

What stretches are you doing before you run? If they’re static stretches (holding the stretch for seconds) they will do more harm than good before a run... those belong after the run while your muscles are warm. Are you stretching after a run?

Hydration, slower running, good shoes and softer surfaces will all help.

[Thegirlcandoit Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Ooh advice on pre-run stretches please if I may... what's best to do before?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Thegirlcandoit]

See my reply below.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Thegirlcandoit]

What IannodaTruffe has linked and said is essential reading. I can’t really say anything more helpful on that subject.

[RI78 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I’m doing the wrong kind of stretches by the sound of it 🤦‍♀️

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to RI78]

Good to learn these things early... don’t worry about it. We see Olympians doing static stretches before races, so of course it’s the right thing to do... what we don’t see is they’ve already done their warmup.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5... has links to dynamic stretches for pre running and static stretches for post running..........they are not the same thing.

In my opinion, post run stretching is by far the most important, if you have done your warmup adequately.

When you push muscles hard and beyond their normal range, they can contract, causing stiffness. By stretching immediately after each and every run you pull out those contractions, while muscles are warm and supple, avoiding carrying them into the next session. This can also improve the blood flow, aiding recovery.

I have done the post run stretches linked to, for the past six years and swear by them, although I do hold them for thirty seconds each and the degree of pull should be on the verge of being uncomfortable.

[RI78 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you! I shall have a look as it sounds like I’m doing the wrong stretches before I go out

[MarkyD Graduate]

Pain in your shins is probably shin splints: there is a pinned post all about that.