50+ How to avoid the niggling muscle injuries?

[stepover]

New here in desperation. I'm 50+, used to cycling. Over the past 2 years I've tried C25K twice before. Both times I started at Week 5 and was comfortable. Both times I got to 5k but kept on picking up calf and thigh injuries that broke my routine and ultimately the habit. Now I'm starting again. New shoes. Tarmac only. What else could I do this time to avoid those injuries?

[la_fouinard Graduate]

There’s a lot of excellent advice posted elsewhere about stretching and slowing down. I won’t repeat as someone else will cover this I’d imagine. If not have a look at IannodaTruffe’s pinned posts for more detail.

I’ll offer a bit from my experience as a supplement. I found I got a lot of aches and pains over the first several months. As fast as one sorted itself another one appeared. With the benefit of hindsight I think there were a few causes.

Firstly I walk quite a lot (2+ miles a day) on hard tarmac. Swapping to trainers with padding to adsorb the impact in the walking made a huge difference to the aches and pains I was getting.

Secondly I’ve had to stick at 5.5K for quite some time (5 months) to slow my body to adjust. For me it seemed to be a very slow process of letting my body adapt before going any further.

Thirdly I found some steps in the C25k too rapid a change for me. I spread it out over 15 weeks and had to take 2 weeks off in addition for shin splints.

Finally keep an eye on what surface your running on. I run on tarmac as it’s less uneven which made a big difference to my aches.

So that’s the tips I can suggest. Running for me appears to be more about what my body can endure rather than how fit I am. No matter how fit you are take it slowly and carefully in increasing and distance or speed.

I’m a very happy runner and no issues at all any more (for now at least) so it was definitely worth it for me in the end.

[stepover in reply to la_fouinard]

Thanks! Those are great tips that I'm going to bear in kind.

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Ah, you started at week 5? running uses different muscles to cycling and it’s an impact sport which is why everyone needs to start at week 1 and build up, otherwise you risk injury, have a read of the guide to C25K and you will learn why, you seem very fit to be able to run 5k and lots of cycling but maybe your body isn’t quite ready Good luck for running injury free

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum.

As already mentioned, the impact of running is the major cause of injuries and you need to develop your resistance to that impact gradually.

We are all capable of doing way more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without increasing our injury risk. Sticking to gently progressive training plans is the safest way to push our limits, whilst gently increasing our resistance to injury.

Injury often strikes out of the blue and can stop you for days, weeks or even months.

Stick to the plan.........it works and stay at an easy conversational pace, which is the most effective pace to develop your stamina and endurance while minimising injury risk.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[stepover in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks. I read your guide, and a couple of other posts. They were fantastically helpful and I have adopted the strength training app you mentioned. I spent quite a lot of time reflecting on what you explained about the way the muscles develop and my own experience. I realised that in my previous attempts, there were warning signs in my legs before the injuries - a feeling of 'twitchiness'. I haven't felt any hint of that yet so what I'm going to do is to spend a week on each of the runs in weeks 5 and 6, so six weeks altogether, and only then move on to week 7.

[Dexy5 Graduate]

As IannodaTruffe says, if you start at the beginning of the program and follow it, at conversation pace, there is more chance for your body adapt to running.

It’s just like the turtle and the hare story. 😂

[stepover in reply to Dexy5]

Point taken.

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate]

I would say that cycling a lot in no way prepared me for running and in fact running has showed me the places where regular cycling has left me weak.

My advice like the rest is be patient and go as slow as you need to. Although you are already fit, you're a beginner runner. If you stay injury free you've got decades of running ahead of you.

Take extra rest days, if needed, before niggles turn into injuries.

Do some strength training for the places that cycling hasn't reached.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you this time🙂

[stepover in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

Geat tips! I'm going to hold onto them. Thank you.

[kiely1961]

Hi there idiot 5 k and then start the app 10 k but I found my knees hurt a lot all day I cut it back to just 5 k but I'm now trying to get my run in 30 min the pain in my knees have gone and I feel better be kind to your self I know I'm 59 will soon be 60

[stepover in reply to kiely1961]

Yes, be kind to ourselves. That's the way.