Running Nerds Unite

[lucid.tripper]

man whenever I get out to go running, after like 3 or 4 blocks my calves tighten up like CRAZY, i cant even walk without limping. it really sucks.

I stretch thoroughly before and after, and I am drinking enough water.. do you think it could be my shoes?

 

[Tokey-tokerson]

I ran 12 miles today in a little under 1 hour and 40 minutes. I am the king, you are all my bitches. The end.

 

[patte4dm]

I run quite a bit but I'm definitly not a nerd...If i'm running on a treadmill I usually go about 1.5 -3 miles at a pace no slower than 6.20 a mile. If I'm running on the street or something Ill run anywhere between 2.5- 4.5 miles at a slightly slower pace. Ir run about twice a week and lift weights about 3 times a week..

 

[lucid.tripper]

I ran 12 miles today in a little under 1 hour and 40 minutes. I am the king, you are all my bitches. The end.

buck you fool, I used to bike 8 miles plus run 6 miles, then go run up and down the stadiums at my highschool and then lift weights.... I need to get back to that phsyical condition..

stupid shin splints, I cant run for a week or more

 

[Liric]

I ran 12 miles today in a little under 1 hour and 40 minutes. I am the king, you are all my bitches. The end.

Usually takes me no more than and hour 20min. On a slow day.



I dont like to toot my own horn but I couldnt resist.

 

[EloquentScream]

Checking in!

Running is fun, alas, I have broken my foot, so it'll be an interesting few weeks. I get rabid and feral when I do not run.

 

[Piggy_G]

man whenever I get out to go running, after like 3 or 4 blocks my calves tighten up like CRAZY, i cant even walk without limping. it really sucks.

I stretch thoroughly before and after, and I am drinking enough water.. do you think it could be my shoes?

Has this always happened? Or is it just recent? Do you have tight calves normally, like are they quite hard when they are even loose? WHat other symptoms do you get? Do you get any numbness or tingling? When you stop walking do the symptoms go straight away?

 

[lucid.tripper]

Has this always happened? Or is it just recent? Do you have tight calves normally, like are they quite hard when they are even loose? WHat other symptoms do you get? Do you get any numbness or tingling? When you stop walking do the symptoms go straight away?

this didnt used to happen when I was in better shape about a year and a half ago, never had problems like this... yes my calves seem pretty hard even when Im not flexing them... my whole lower leg (everything from my knee below) tightens up and its difficult to walk... pain lasts for a while after I stop running/walking.

I think I just need to stop running for a while, maybe bike or swim instead, then after a few weeks build slowly back up to jogging...

 

[OpiatesRus]

yo here just to let u know of the craziest day that i have ever had my first 5k run

well the 5k marathon was in reidsville, NC

well the thing about it was it was at the nuddist collony
it was 200 people in the show. Everyone was buck ass naked and i came in 29th of 200 people on the 5k. It was def. was the funniest day i have ever seen in my whole life.

But i just wanted to share that with all my fellow BL'ers

Love all

Peace, LOVe, *&* KappYness

 

[ruski]

man whenever I get out to go running, after like 3 or 4 blocks my calves tighten up like CRAZY, i cant even walk without limping. it really sucks.

I stretch thoroughly before and after, and I am drinking enough water.. do you think it could be my shoes?

Cramp or tighten? If its cramp, you may want to have an electrolyte drink 30-60 minutes prior to running see if that resolves it as it could be a electrolyte imbalance.

Perhaps try some other calf stretches as well:


Stretch #1-Calf Stretch

1. Stand about a foot from a wall, then extend one leg behind you, keeping both feet flat on the floor, toes pointed straight ahead, and your rear knee straight.
2. Move your hips forward, keeping lower back flat.
3. Lean into the wall until you feel tension in the calf muscle of the extended leg.
4. Hold for 10 seconds, then stretch other leg.
5. Repeat.

Stretch #2-Calf Stretch

1. Stand arm's-length distance from a wall (or tree, or lamppost -- whatever is handy and gives you support).
2. Put your hands on the wall, keep your back and your legs straight and your heels flat on the floor.
3. Bend your arms and lean forward, trying to touch your chest to the wall.
4. Feel the stretch in your calf muscles.
5. Hold it for a few seconds.
6. Relax and repeat.


IMO, I'd hold those stretches for 20-30 seconds.

It could also be your shoes and your running style, I suggest seeing a podiatrist to get your gait analysed (ensure its a sport podiatrist) and then possibly a phyiso who may be able to recommend some other specific stretches and treatment for you.

Find a specialist shoe store or take advice from the podiatrist as to what brand/model of shoe you should be buying.

You should also note if you haven't been running for awhile it may take awhile for your legs to get used to running again.

Break in slowly, perhaps even 10-20 minutes might be too much for you right now.

I will tell you this, it may be quite normal that your legs tighten up particually if your muscles are weak from not exercising them for awhile, so perhaps its a matter of just working through the pain as long as its not chronic pain that you can tell is causing injury to yourself.

After a long session, or even a mid-distance session (20+ or 10-19km) my legs will be quite store/stiff and if I've been out of training for awhile even a 2-3km run will cause the same stiffness, just a matter of working through it.

Do you cycle a lot or do any other excercises with your calves/rest of the muscles in your legs? The tightness could be a product of overall fatigue.

 

[ruski]

Usually takes me no more than and hour 20min. On a slow day.



I dont like to toot my own horn but I couldnt resist.

Thats a very quick training pace, better than even my best 10KM time.

6.40min per mile or 4.10min per KM. Have you run any races at that pace/or bettered that pace in a race?

Is that your normal training pace or when you're running a fast session?

 

[ruski]

buck you fool, I used to bike 8 miles plus run 6 miles, then go run up and down the stadiums at my highschool and then lift weights.... I need to get back to that phsyical condition..

stupid shin splints, I cant run for a week or more

You can overcome shin splints with physio, podiatry, stretching, R.I.C.E and correct shoe selection.

You should get the condition properly diagnosed and treated.. there is treatment and it is possible to overcome them.

It's normally not a condition that continues to plague you but something that you'll first experience when you get into running and your body is 'road hardening' or adjusting to the new stresses being placed on it.

 

[lucid.tripper]

thanks for your comments ruski, very helpful

 

[Piggy_G]

man whenever I get out to go running, after like 3 or 4 blocks my calves tighten up like CRAZY, i cant even walk without limping. it really sucks.

I stretch thoroughly before and after, and I am drinking enough water.. do you think it could be my shoes?

I would say you need to do Ruski's stretches, throughout the day, say morning during the day and night time and 5 repeats on each leg at each session. Another way to stretch your calves is to stand on step, phonebook etc with your heel hanging off the edge. You can do one leg at a time holding the other up...so putting all your weight on the one leg and with holding on to a wall if need to.

I would also recommend some deep tissue massage on those calves by a sports masseur/physio.

Let us know how you go.

 

[ruski]

DTM = very painful but it will help. You could also look into acupuncutre and myofascial release as alternatives.

http://www.myofascial-release.com/

 

[ruski]

ITB flared up again, fuck it. I just can't win. You can't run marathons (or even smaller races) if you can't even bloody run round the block argh!

OH ILLIOTIBIAL BAND.. WHY HATH THOU FORSAKEN ME?

 

[Piggy_G]

Ruski, have you been running down hill? Illiotibial band is irritated more running down hill. Best of luck.

 

[ruski]

Yeah know about the crowned roads/downhill type thing. This seems to be a combination of biomechanics and shoe wear perhaps that is causing my issue.

I've tried changing my gait by initiating a more excessive 'toe off' when I can feel the band starting to get tight. I percieved it to be working, but obviously not.

Ordered some new shoes as well as my old Brooks GTS6 Adrenalines are well passed their use by date (600km+ in them).

Hopefully rest, stretching, icing and starting small again w/some new shoes will help allieviate the prob.

 

[mindbodysOul]

So i've decided im going to run in my first marathon www.melbournemarathon.com.au.

Theres no way i could do the 40k one at the moment so im going to prepare for the 21k, which shouldnt be too bad. Except im wondering if this is a reasonable goal as i've never ran over 11km at a time. Its in 2 months so hopefully thats enough time to get in some good training.

If i cant run it all i'll just have to walk some! No biggie.

 

[ruski]

MBS: You know how to get me excited!

Have you done any other medium distance races previously, such as 5's, 10's, 15's etc?

It might be wise to enter a few 5's and preferably some 10's to get you used to running in race conditions and also pacing yourself.

I ran my first half marathon in 1:51, which was OK, but I was injured in the same way as my right leg currently is (see my whinging above) and I think I'm capable of cutting at least 20-30 minutes off that time.

Some advice:

Start running furhter than 11km once per week, choose a day for your 'long run'. It's not too late to pick your fitness up before the race in October.

You've got about 7 weeks before the big race, some thoughts:

Week 1: Long Run = 10km
Week 2: Long Run = 11km
Week 3: Long Run = 12km
Week 4: Long Run = 14km
Week 5: Long Run = 15km
Week 6: Long Run = 16km
Week 7: Long Run = 5km easy

The day after your long run should either be a VERY slow recovery run (5-10km) or rest day.

Cross train twice a week with another sports, either cycling or swimming are good ones but hitting the gym on the elipitical or other training machine might be good idea too (not ones that work the same muslce groups as when you run though, however cycling seems to be a good cross trainer).

Fit in one speed session per week, chuck 'Fartlek' or 'running speed training' into Google and formulate your own reptitions/plan. This can also include a small distance 5-7km run at 80% of your race pace.

Fit in a medium difficulty run once per week, something in the 8km-9km range seems to be good.

Also, check out www.coolrunning.com.au, there is a TONE of info there and lots of keen runners to guide you on your way (theres forums dedicated to just people training for the Melbourne Marathon).

My advice for the race itself:

* Taper the week before the race, drop your K's, don't do any running in the 4 days up to the race. You want fresh legs for Sunday.

* Keep hydrated

* Carb load 1-2 days prior, make sure you eat a nice easy digestable breakfast a few hours before the race (do not run empty)

* PACE YOURSELF! Do not go out too fast. It's much more fun over taking the fools at the end of the race than watching people zoom past you and struggling to finish the race yourself.

* The course can be tough because of a headwind that likes to annhiliate you down Beach Road, just drop your pace and don't push too hard through the wind. Depending on the strength of the wind your effort can increase by as much as 20% just to keep your pace going.

I'm thinking of doing the half myself I can get past this injury sooner rather than later. I'll let you know if I enter, perhaps we can do a bit of pace making together to the finish line

Thats me sprinting to the finish at MM 2005

Ahh finally, the finishline.