looking for running advice

[Hydrastas 10+ year member]

alright guys last friday i went to the park and to see if i had it in me i ran 14 laps, which comes to 7 miles. i averaged 4 min a lap and since then my legs especially my calf muscles have been in pain. it's been 6 days and tonight i tried going again but only managed 1/2 mile before i had to stop. just by walking my legs cramp up and hurt like none other so i end up limping like a little gimp *****. i've tried eating potatoes and banannas for the potassium, any ideas how to help them heal faster?

edit: oh yea and i've been streching daily to no benefits

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[VarsityBumper 10+ year member]

stay very hydrated?

 

[Chevillac 5,000+ posts]

alright guys last friday i went to the park and to see if i had it in me i ran 14 laps, which comes to 7 miles. i averaged 4 min a lap and since then my legs especially my calf muscles have been in pain. it's been 6 days and tonight i tried going again but only managed 1/2 mile before i had to stop. just by walking my legs cramp up and hurt like none other so i end up limping like a little gimp *****. i've tried eating potatoes and banannas for the potassium, any ideas how to help them heal faster?
edit: oh yea and i've been streching daily to no benefits

dont run so much if you havent in a while, but tis too late for that.

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

Rest. Sounds like you're just starting out. Take it easy for awhile and work your way up. If your in that much pain just start off walking for awhile. How's your diet? Are you getting enough protein?

 

[Hydrastas 10+ year member]

hmm so the whole slowly building up to long distance running instead of just randomly running idea is worth it. i've been drinking more pop than water as well lol.

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

quit smoking.

 

[Hydrastas 10+ year member]

Rest. Sounds like you're just starting out. Take it easy for awhile and work your way up. If your in that much pain just start off walking for awhile. How's your diet? Are you getting enough protein?

my diets pretty good, protein wise anyway. been working on building upper body muscle the past 2 months or so. i wasn't outta breath and my heart was keeping up, just that my legs are little chicken legs.

 

[Hydrastas 10+ year member]

i've got some mulit vitamins left over from a while ago. would a good plan be to start taking those again and drink plenty of water?

 

[seedubs1 10+ year member]

I run XC and Track for the University of Wisconsin.....So maybe I can help you out a bit

Doesn't really sound like it's diet related. Eating healthy is fine and all, but it doesn't really make or break you like that.

Sounds like you haven't been running in a while. It's not such a great idea to just jump in and flog your body like that, but what's done is done now. It's most likely muscular, but if not, theres some tendons that run from your ankle up the inside of the calf. Can you feel if it's muscular or not, or can you not tell the difference?

If it's muscular (most likely is), you should be:

heating it up before you run and stretching it LIGHTLY

stretching it lightly after you run, followed by immediately Ice cupping it (fill up a dixie cup with water, and freeze it, and peel back a bit of the top of the frozen cup and massage that directly on the calf. This is a bunch better than using an ice bag.)

If you are just building up mileage, try running a mile a day for 3 days, two miles a day for the next 3 days, take the 7th off, three miles a day for the next 3 days, I'm sure you get the point.....Just increase mileage slowly untill you get to where you want to be.

Hope it feels better

And remember, it's not a cramp, it's overuse of a muscle that's not used to it (most likely). overstretching it could hurt it.

 

[jer_stud56 10+ year member]

You're crazy. I started running last Sunday.

I run 3-4 blocks and then walk for a block...eventually I will work up to a mile or 2. Any more than a little bit just starting is going to hurt you for a longgggg time. Need to let your muscles repair...that's how you gain muscle anyways.

 

[bumpin buick 5,000+ posts]

id guess you got shin splints and need to let them heal, or you have a large amount of lactic acid built up in your legs. Train more and go easier next time out, im guessing you were pushing your limits the first time

 

[seedubs1 10+ year member]

Yup. That method of increasing mileage that I posted above is about the best I have found after I was injured (I tore my arch in my foot last XC season). And I've been doing this for 11 years.

I'm up to about 115 miles a week right now. Racing at Stanford in the 10k this weekend, and trying to qualify for Nationals.

Edit: And that's definately not lactic acid. Too much distance for it not to be flushed.

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

hmm so the whole slowly building up to long distance running instead of just randomly running idea is worth it. i've been drinking more pop than water as well lol.

Pop is one of the worst things for you. I don't even drink the shit.

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

my diets pretty good, protein wise anyway. been working on building upper body muscle the past 2 months or so. i wasn't outta breath and my heart was keeping up, just that my legs are little chicken legs.

So you're only lifting weights with your upper body? Stoooooopid! Get squating.

 

[ThomasG 5,000+ posts]

Yup. That method of increasing mileage that I posted above is about the best I have found after I was injured (I tore my arch in my foot last XC season). And I've been doing this for 11 years.
I'm up to about 115 miles a week right now. Racing at Stanford in the 10k this weekend, and trying to qualify for Nationals.

Edit: And that's definately not lactic acid. Too much distance for it not to be flushed.

cot dam! I ran 7miles 6 days of the week my sophmore year in high school (XC) and I though that was a lot. Meh I dont really have the build for distance. I think I weighed more than anyone on the XC team haha. And I don't weigh that much.