3 Running questions

Virkati

I have been "running" since the beginning of May. Not really running per se, more like jogging slower than I could walk and slowly increasing my speed. I now jog faster than I walk (yay!) and I actually do run part of my runs. With that being said though, I cannot run/jog every other day. I need 2-3 days in between because of soreness. My hips, and especially my lower legs hurt, every time. I'm stretching afterwards but I'm thinking maybe I'm not doing enough of that or not long enough. I just started C25k to see if a more regulated program is better than what I've been doing on my own. I'm downing a lot of Motrin (Ibuprophen) for the soreness. On the days I'm not running or biking, I'm walking. Usually 2-5 miles, and unless it's a leisurely pace, I will have the same soreness issue. Every time. I do not have the same soreness when I ride.

1) Can you tell me what I might be doing wrong?

2) Do you have suggestions for doing it right?

3) Do I just need to suck it up and keep running through the pain?

I LOVE being on the bike. I'm trying to be good at running. Then I'm going to get good at swimming. Then I'm going to put them all together and do my first triathlon next year.

pobalita

I think the very first thing you should consider are your shoes. If you haven't invested in really good shoes, I'd take the time to go to a local running store where they can watch you run on a treadmill and get properly fitted with the right one. I've had hip, hamstring, and foot issues that I never thought would go away....until I found the right shoe. Since this isn't happening when you ride, it might be a shoe problem.

Virkati

I never even considered the shoes and I've read enough on here that I certainly should have! Thank you

jacksonpt

If you're serious about it, I'd suggest going to a running store and having your gait looked at. They will be able to tell you if there is anything "off" there. They will also get you into a suitable shoe based on your foot/stride (if you aren't already).

Aside from that...

The only thing I can think of is to shorten your stride and make sure you aren't landing on your heels. The impact from that heel strike can be problematic for some.

mbaker566

also consider decreasing how far you are going? not knowing how far you are going.
you may not be a fan to start. but that's ok, we all started as beginners

c25k and good shoes should help in the long run-no pun intended

punkrockgoth

I have been working on C25K for 2 years now for this reason. No joke. I'm now on week 6, so 8 minutes straight. It's the furthest I've gone.

I do a lot of cross training. Bikes, bootcamps and have been working on increasing the amount of impact I can tolerate. That's helped. And kept my workouts interesting.

I finally went to a running store and got my gait analysed (which sounds complicated, but you walk normally for like a second while they observe) and got a pair of running shoes for my feet. Performance has improved, injuries have declined. Score!

However, I'm still only running once or twice a week. Hoping to start increasing that once the temperature starts to drop a bit and/or invest in.

Bakins929

I agree with what jacksonpt and moyer566 said. A good running store will put you in neutral shoes, have you run a bit, analyze your stride and then start trying shoes for your particular running style until you find comfortable ones. Be prepared for some sticker shock. They won't be the $35 Adidas you see at Target, but you can not beat a good pair of shoes! It's the one thing you need for running, spend the money and get good ones.

Also, tracking your distance is important. Your smart phone that you have C25K app on should have a GPS chip, there are a lot of options for tracking your runs. My LG phone has "LG Health" that can track route, speed, distance, duration, steps, etc. MapMyRun is supposed to tie into MFP, but I have not tried it.

Finally, if you are hurting, do not run through it. Soreness is fine, pain is not. Your body is telling you something, listen to it!

Virkati

I just called Boulder Running Company. The offer gait analysis and I have an appointment on Thursday morning. So, it looks like my birthday present to myself on Thursday will be a GOOD pair of running shoes! I really appreciate all the help.

@Bakins929...I have RunTheMap and it runs in the background. I'm normally running between 2.5-3.6 miles when I do it. I walk the same distance or more. I am grateful for the price info...I would not have expected it otherwise.

ExRelaySprinter

jacksonpt wrote: »

Aside from that...

The only thing I can think of is to shorten your stride and make sure you aren't landing on your heels. The impact from that heel strike can be problematic for some.

Yes, this ^^.
I tried the UK version of Couch 2 5K and the app actually suggests you land on your heels.
When i tried it, i started getting hip and back pain,
So i did a little research and most people said landing on the balls of your feet or midway is best, to avoid injury.
Landing on your heels puts too much pressure on your back and joints.

cheshirecatastrophe

ExRelaySprinter wrote: »

jacksonpt wrote: »

Aside from that...

The only thing I can think of is to shorten your stride and make sure you aren't landing on your heels. The impact from that heel strike can be problematic for some.

Yes, this ^^.
I tried the UK version of Couch 2 5K and the app actually suggests you land on your heels.
When i tried it, i started getting hip and back pain,
So i did a little research and most people said landing on the balls of your feet or midway is best, to avoid injury.
Landing on your heels puts too much pressure on your back and joints.

And landing on your midfoot stresses out your calves and your Achilles and the bones in your foot more. It's a tradeoff; pick your poison. It's more important to run comfortably with a quick cadence and *not* overstriding (reaching too far in front of you with your foot as you 'step') than to force an unnatural stride.

OP, one other thing to consider is core strength: hips, glutes, abs. A LOT of lower-body problems in runners track back to core weakness and inflexibility. I like the myrtl routine for hips and glute bridges/hip thrusts for some extra glute work.

jgnatca

@cheshirecatastrophe , good point about the whole core, hips, glutes, abs thing. I'll be looking up that myrtl routine.

I was wondering also if the sore legs are shin splints?

OP, I think the 2-3 days' rest between runs is perfectly fine. That's listening to your body and that's your best chance at running for the long haul.

BasicGreatGuy

Is it possible (along with improper footwear) you have been trying to do too much too soon, and your body is starting to rebel?

Virkati

@jgnatca , I've had shin splints before a looooooong time ago and this pain is very different and it's not isolated like the shin splints were. But that IS what I thought at first.

BasicGreatGuy wrote: »

Is it possible (along with improper footwear) you have been trying to do too much too soon, and your body is starting to rebel?

I don't think so. I started off very slowly and only walked for months before even attempting to do a super slow jog. And it's taken me 3 months since starting the slow jog to try to begin running. I really worked hard to NOT overdo it, hoping to avoid injury.

Both of those ideas are great ones though. I'm going for the gait analysis after work today instead of waiting until Thursday. Hopefully I'll have a better idea of what's going on then. I'm definitely willing to throw down the money for good shoes if that will alleviate all this stuff!