Crocs got my calf again.

[KANdoit]

On the running bench again :-(. I had taken just over a week out between my first attempt at w6r1 when I did something to my left calf. Molly-coddled my calf with ice/ibuprofen/non weight bearing stretches for a week and then went out very tentatively on W4 run. Did a double length warm up and lots of gentle stretches before starting to jog. Everything went well as did subsequent w6r1 and w6r2 although I could feel my calves tightening signifigantly after about 8 min.

Yesterday I tried w6r3. My calf started to complain at 15 min but I carried on thinking my body was playing tricks on me. I should have stopped cos at 20 min I got a stabbing pain in my left calf and couldn't run another step. Managed to walk limp the 2.5 K home (via a coffee shop to cheer me up).

Feeling frustrated cos I felt as if I had the remaining 5 min in the tank and I recovered from the 20min run quite quickly.

I'm going to rest from running for at least a week (have found that it doesn't hurt to use my exercise bike so I'll be trying that for a while). When I get back to running I'm going to go back to intervals with walking breaks as this is what seems to agree with me.

I will eventually graduate properly (30 min non-stop) but in the mean time I'm going to gradually increase my running time by increasing the number of intervals I do. Something akin to the Jeff Galloway method.

Still will check in in here though as this has been the source of most motivation I've found.

[Grammadog1947 Graduate]

You are doing the right thing, KANdoit. Sometimes we have to listen to our body (see MY post this morning). And then work with what it tells us. You are still off the couch...still exercising....still getting fit...and you still "have it in the tank", as you say.

You CAN do it....keep in touch and let us know how you're doing....

Enjoy!

[newyorker570 Graduate]

Having previously had a pain in one calf, I thought I might never run again (hypochondria comes to mind). Rested the leg for a few days, rubbed deep heat into it (don't know if that helped but it felt good anyway), drank Tonic Water(slim-line) quinine in it, (supposed to be good for muscle cramps), put some special insoles into my trainers which stabilized my feet (try these first before I change my trainers) and hey presto up and running, such a science this running lark. Hope your calf strain improves.