How much pain is normal?

[Maxi80]

Hey guys.

I’m just on week 3 so I’m starting to get somewhere. I think.

Just wondering how ‘bad’ your legs should feel? Or if indeed there should be any pain/tightness/soreness??

Thanks

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Running should be pain free, run a little slower, drink plenty of water, if pain persists have a few days off running and hopefully the pain will have ceased.

[afjoyce]

My first 2-3 wks were dominated by the responses my legs were making to running- well jogging: Some pain going gradually from my groin to my ankles, the heaviest feeling in my lower legs imaginable, shaking legs after the run. This forum was hugely helpful and I slowed down, drank more, stretched after each outing, had hot baths, some ibuprofen and by the end of wk 3 the aches and pains had considerably reduced. I’m now approaching wk 5 having repeated wk 4 in order to increase my stamina and strength. Good luck but persevere.

[Lookslikejames Graduate]

I had pain and discomfort in my legs the whole way through, up until around w6 when it became an issue with my calves.

So I went nuclear on it and tried to cover all bases. Dynamic warm up stretches, static cool down stretches, hydration, foam rolling and a gait analysis and proper running shoes all helped massively. I’m even considering doing some yoga.

It’s important to listen to your body though, if you need an extra day off, take it. You’ll feel better for it and probably have a better run. I had 16 days off with my calves, and thought about dropping back to a previous week. People on here convinced me to pick up where I left off and I was amazed at how well I did.

Good luck, it will get easier 👍🏻

[Ian5K Graduate]

I think your legs will remind you that you’ve just had a run that day.

If it’s uncomfortable, or even impossible, to walk around afterwards without wincing, that’s not normal.

[PMcL1966 Graduate in reply to Ian5K]

I do like that feeling in my legs after I’ve ran. You’re right in pointing out that it shouldn’t be uncomfortable.

[acountrycabbage Graduate in reply to Ian5K]

This is an interesting thread. I’m trying to figure out the difference between pain vs soreness myself. On run day I notice discomfort when I get into bed at night. It’s not enough to keep me awake or anything but my legs feel so ‘awake’ and achey. I wonder how normal that is.

[PhoenixRise Graduate]

Pain (as in shooting pain) is not normal. However, aching muscles will be! Especially at the beginning of the programme. I ached a lot for the first few weeks - my legs were just adjusting to this new activity. Plenty of water on both rest and run days, baths and stretching all help! Still now, if I go further or faster then I’ll ache a bit the next day because the pace/distance is new for the body. But it’s short lived and getting far less than the walking/running intervals. You’ve got this! 💪

[Maxi80 in reply to PhoenixRise]

Yeah, I’m just talking about during the actual running not afterwards. Afterwards I’m perfectly fine. It’s just during 😖

[Frooji in reply to Maxi80]

I get the lactic acid ache during runs and can't see how I can go on...but somehow do. It's building new muscle and I'm on week five and working through it. Rehydration and stretching really are so important.

[TheAwfulToad]

You shouldn't feel pain. You might feel some general soreness/aching the next day, but severe joint or muscle pain suggests you're overdoing it.

[Maxi80]

Hey everybody, I’m just talking about during the actual running not afterwards. Afterwards I’m perfectly fine. It’s just during 😖

[acountrycabbage Graduate in reply to Maxi80]

Hmm, don’t think that sounds good Maxi. Is it your knees? Maybe compression support sleeves could help? Have you been for a gait analysis yet? Could be time. I’m wondering about getting a foam roller to aid recovery too.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Any kind of new exercise regime, putting new muscles groups to work in a way they haven't been used to for a long time, if ever, is always to involve some level of discomfort that you aren't used to.

When you exercise a muscle above and beyond it's normal use, you are stressing it. It's this stress and the subsequent recovery that makes in 'grow back' stronger and a bit bigger.

DOMS - delayed-onset muscles soreness is VERY common for all of us. Whether that's after few hours of gardening for that first Spring time clear-out after Winter, lifting and moving around furniture, or doing a few push-ups or... putting our legs to work by running.

It's all very very normal, a part of life and requires a little mental resilience on your part. You need to understand the difference between aches (momentary, lasting a few hours maybe) and pain (short, sharp and lasting effect, over a period of days).

DOMS can last for several days but is harmless - it subsides and then you're good to go.

Genuine pains that don't clear up after 24 hours are of greater concern. You should not jog or run if you're in pain beforehand.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Maxi80

This may be useful - it's the Mike James 'the Endurance Physio':

".... I simply advocate that mild / moderate pain based on your own or an individuals understanding of pain, which is based on a 0-10 scoring system (0= pain free, 10= max pain) as a helpful yet simple way to do this.

... In simple terms, I’m ok with people training in pain that sits in the 3-5/10 zone during or shortly after the session, but returns to their baseline score within 24-36 hours. Now, baseline doesn’t necessarily need to be be 0/10, but it’s the level they associate with at rest.

Inappropriate pain would therefore be classed as pain about 5/10 or pain that fails to settle to baseline within 24-36 hours.

Depending on response to session (positive or negative), then the distance, intensity, speed, type or frequency of the training can be altered accordingly.

Pain and exercise is a very nuanced topic, and it’s impossible to be absolute or black and white with it.

Hopefully this guide will help somewhat. "

[Maxi80 in reply to John_W]

Awesome mate. Cheers. Thanks for posting all that info 👍👍👍