Starting to run :)

runner_girl83

After years of 'trying' to run and always ending up with shin splints and ankle pain, seeing physios and sports doctors, I was told I had possible compartment syndrome and bowed legs.. So running may not be for me, unless I want to spend a fortune on having painful tests done to measure pressure in my legs - In which case, it was just easier for me to walk away.

A friend recently got me onto a good physio though, one who has been doing it for a lifetime.. He said straight away that we can fix it and I had to change my running style as my biomechanics were all wrong. So I have been training small distances and watching how my feet land, going slow and pulling back when things don't feel right, rather than ignoring all of those things and pushing through. I am now up to running just over 2k (at a snails pace.. but hey! I'm running!!!!)

My question is this.. I go running two days a week, walking only for a few days inbetween to rest my legs. My legs are going really well, only a little bit of shin pain now and then but I make sure there is no pain before next run.. and I massage my legs with deep heat before and after each run as well as stretching.

I want to run a fun run at the end of October and want to increase my distance from 2k to 5k. Is it okay to increase in 500 mtr increments, do you think? Sit at 500 mtr increments for maybe 2 runs before increasing again? Or is that too soon? I am not interested in getting the best time for this run.. I just want to finish it! Any advice is greatly appreciated! Cheers.

fish2find

I appreciate you sharing this. I made it 46 years with poor running technique and now do see the importance. I can jog spurts now with minimal to no pain. It really took learning that "step" all over again.
If you had asked me about running even 1 year ago I would have said "never again". Now I do see that light.

7lenny7

It sounds like you have a great doctor now...what does he recommend? Your plan sounds like a solid plan, but considering your running history, I'd take your doctor's advice over our advice.

XavierNusum

Thanks for sharing, I also have constant discomfort while running.

Just like others have said, consult your doctor. He knows the issues you've had and can help direct you to the right volume/intensity/frequency mix that will keep you progressing.

runner_girl83

Thanks guys! oh... and how great does it feel to run?! Getting to 2km is huge for me!

XavierNusum

kareF wrote: »

Thanks guys! oh... and how great does it feel to run?! Getting to 2km is huge for me!

I wouldn't go that far!

I'm a meathead really, I just run to stay in shape for the zombie apocalypse! But seriously my training program has conditioning phases buillt to make sure I'm not that strong guy that can't go up a flight of stairs.

lthaus

I am in this same boat.. years ago in the AF I hated running..always hurting. Now, i'm trying to use better form and feet placement along with heart strap and monitoring effort. I found if I keep HR under 155, I was able to Jog/slow run 1.5 miles yesterday. its my furthest go in I don't know how long. check out "good form running" on youtube and focus on cadence and mid foot landing. My splint pain has never returned. Now I'm not saying I love running, yet. But I do love the feeling of going for a sub 16 min mile and 20 min 1.5... Its not olympic, but its improvement by huge leaps for me.

mbaker566

have you considered using the c25k? I believe there is a distance version. and then only run as much as your body allows

ginag516

kareF wrote: »

Thanks guys! oh... and how great does it feel to run?! Getting to 2km is huge for me!

Just last year I started running it took me 6 years to have the courage to do Marathons this Sep 2015 marks one year of actually running a lot of trial and error and still learning as we speak ....like you I don't care about the time or even the medal what matters is that I cross that finish line and that BIB number and as much as I hate running my body enjoys it other wise
My advice to you is don't give up and continue to do research

sleepypapa

Have you tried a pair of major cushion shoes like Hoka one one? I gave up on running for exercise since it beat me up to bad. I have a blue collar job and the combination of that and running was just too much. Bicycling is way less impact and way more enjoyable for me. I find bicycling to be the most relaxing and hardest cardio workout. I really push myself and go at it but it's still very fun and zen like at the same time.

mwyvr

@kareF congratulations on persisting and finding someone that was able to help you work through your form and get you running. I bet that first time you hit 1km, then 2km felt fantastic!

A 10% increase in mileage per week, provided you are able to remain uninjured, is the usual cautious recommendation. Since you are very clearly in touch with your body and are doing all the right things, try it out and see how you feel. Do you need to be fastidious about 200 meters? Probably not. Adding 500 for a week or two depending on how you feel sounds perfectly reasonable and you are no doubt highly motivated to avoid injury.

Good luck, let us know how you make out!

RunnersLament

Congrats on getting back to running. Sometime realizing you can run is about speaking to the right people... in your case you spoke to someone who likely specializes in running related injuries.

Your plan to increase in 500m increments sounds like a good plan...The most important thing any runner should learn is to listen to their bodies (and sounds like you are well on your way). You will want to increase gradually and at the first sign of any trouble, back off a little and let things settle down. Given you have 6-7 weeks... take it slow and enjoy the ride.

bwogilvie

My advice would be to add 500m to one weekly run, not both, and increase your walking distances a little bit, too. See how you feel after 2 weeks, when you're running 2K and 3K. If that works out, add 500m to the 2K, and then another two 500-meter increments to the longer run, so that after 5 weeks total, you're running 2.5K and 4K. If you are still having no problems, add 500m in week 6 to the shorter run, then 500m in week 7 to the longer run, so you've got 3K and 4.5K. If you can do that, with no serious discomfort or pain, you should be able to do the 5K without a problem.

Run this by your physiotherapist, of course, before doing it. And as for stretching, the current research suggests that it is counterproductive before exercise and should be left for after your workout.

SueInAz

The rule of thumb is to never increase your running mileage by more than 10% from week to week. So, if you're currently running 2K two days per week that's a total of 4K. Next week you can run 4.4K, in whatever way you want to split it up between the days you run. The week after that you can run 4.8K, the next 5.3K and so on. Keep in mind, though, that there's no rule that says you have to run the entire race. If you need to run the first 2K, walk for .5K and then run the rest of the race then do it. There are plenty of people who choose to run and walk in intervals for entire races, too. A run/walk is easier on your joints.

runner_girl83

bwogilvie wrote: »

My advice would be to add 500m to one weekly run, not both, and increase your walking distances a little bit, too. See how you feel after 2 weeks, when you're running 2K and 3K. If that works out, add 500m to the 2K, and then another two 500-meter increments to the longer run, so that after 5 weeks total, you're running 2.5K and 4K. If you are still having no problems, add 500m in week 6 to the shorter run, then 500m in week 7 to the longer run, so you've got 3K and 4.5K. If you can do that, with no serious discomfort or pain, you should be able to do the 5K without a problem.

Run this by your physiotherapist, of course, before doing it. And as for stretching, the current research suggests that it is counterproductive before exercise and should be left for after your workout.

Completely blown away by everyone's feedback! I've been receiving pm's from people experiencing the same obstacles.. It's not nice to know there are so many of us who have to work so hard at running a short distance, but as some of you have said, it's a matter of 'keep going until you find someone or something that helps you' The new physio has said that of all the other physios I have seen, they are so eager to jump the gun these days and assume that something big is wrong. They forget to look at all of the simple and smaller things. Not saying my legs are 100% but if I am running 2km pain free, I must be getting somewhere!

Am going to give the above advice a go and try adding an additional 500mtr to one of my runs this week. Thanks again for all of your feedback! Such a cool place where others are so supportive!

mwyvr

Leg pain or not, quite a few of us started out being unable to complete 1km at a time let alone 2km. That's my story - last September I started 105 pounds over weight with lingering poor pulmonary capacity due to pneumonia earlier that year. By the end of the year I'd run 250km and was 30 pounds lighter and was running 5 - 7km without much difficulty. So far this year I've run 1,358km, run between 200 and 300km a month now, and my short runs are 10km. It's hard to remember the humble beginnings but easy to remember how much fun I've had once those early days were past.

Keep your focus on remaining injury free and you *will* get to your goal!

runner_girl83

Okay.. I set out this morning to make it to 3km... I ended up reaching 4km! Left shin was starting to feel it though a good stretch, massage and heat has pretty much fixed it already. I'll just walk for a few days now and just do 3km in a few days time... Continue the 3km/4km runs for a few weeks before upping it any more. Otherwise feeling fantastic after this morning's achievement! Sooo proud of myself!

XavierNusum

mwyvr wrote: »

Leg pain or not, quite a few of us started out being unable to complete 1km at a time let alone 2km. That's my story - last September I started 105 pounds over weight with lingering poor pulmonary capacity due to pneumonia earlier that year. By the end of the year I'd run 250km and was 30 pounds lighter and was running 5 - 7km without much difficulty. So far this year I've run 1,358km, run between 200 and 300km a month now, and my short runs are 10km. It's hard to remember the humble beginnings but easy to remember how much fun I've had once those early days were past.

Keep your focus on remaining injury free and you *will* get to your goal!

kareF wrote: »

Okay.. I set out this morning to make it to 3km... I ended up reaching 4km! Left shin was starting to feel it though a good stretch, massage and heat has pretty much fixed it already. I'll just walk for a few days now and just do 3km in a few days time... Continue the 3km/4km runs for a few weeks before upping it any more. Otherwise feeling fantastic after this morning's achievement! Sooo proud of myself!

Great job both of you!

mwyvr

kareF wrote: »

Sooo proud of myself!

Terrific! How nice it is to feel we have control, mastery even, over our bodies. Well done!

runner_girl83

Just checking in.. I picked up some 2XU compression sleeves for my shins today. Feel nice and snug! My left shin is a little sore (from the 4km run). I'm wearing a sleeve on that leg for a few days while doing some stretches, along with ice to help with the soreness. I'll wear both sleeves on my legs on my next run (having a few days off to rest). Am a little cranky at myself for running the extra 1km that I hadn't planned on... BUT I am really happy that my right leg seems to be absolutely fine - I used to get shin splints in both legs pretty bad.. So to me, this is good!

XavierNusum

Keep it up and keep us posted on your progress!!