feeling very stiff, do I ease up ?

[hellywelly01229]

Did my first run monday, felt very stiff Tuesday but after being told by heartless and fit ! son to work through it did two exercise classes Tuesday evening. Taken it easy today (Wednesday) and am very stiff. Do i do run 2 as i had planned tomorrow or wait until my stiffness has gone ? i am 53 and not fit .

[Minuette Graduate]

I was really really sore after my first few runs, but I just did the runs as planned and by the end of the first week the soreness had gone. It's just muscles waking up and realising they are being used! Good luck with the run

[hellywelly01229 in reply to Minuette]

thanks for your support, i am still on week 1 but keeping going !

[shelleymcb Graduate]

perhaps have another days rest. see how your body feels tomorrow. maybe go out with the intention of a 20min walk & run if you feel up to it.

congratulations on getting started on the c25k journey

[blueboots Graduate]

Just head out and try it and see how it goes. It can take a good 5 minutes or so before the stiffness recedes so worth trying the first three or four 1 minute runs. Welcome to this happy bunch of runners.

[juicydee Graduate]

And I might feel inclined to avoid other strenuous exercise on your rest days - at least till you've got really established on the programme. I found that the next run after a gym session with weights was really hard, as everything felt like lead!

[hellywelly01229 in reply to juicydee]

yes shouldn't have listened to a 17 year old !

[CouchChip Graduate]

After my first run I felt like I'd been run over by a bus.Try doing these post run stretches,

coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_...

They really helped me. Hold each one for at least 30secs and focus on the areas where your feeling stiffest. It will improve, I'm on week 8 and it does get better... and of course congratulations and well done for getting out there!

[CaroleC Graduate]

Hi hellywelly,

I did my first run on a Thursday and it was the following Monday before I could bear to go out the door again! Take another day if you need to. Do those stretches! Good luck!

CaroleC

[hellywelly01229 in reply to CaroleC]

thank you so much, it shook me a bit that I was so stiff after my first session as although not fit I was attending a weekly salsa and zumba class (as the slow one at the back !) but i guess jogging uses a different set of muscles