Running advice

Tattoos_and_Tea

Morning everyone (or afternoon or evening depending on where in the world you are) !

I wonder if someone can help me. Ive recently started running on the tredmill at the gym. I started off at 6 minutes and now I can do roughly 22 minutes. I like to run on a 0.5% incline.

Yesterday I was running and about 12 minutes in my legs started to feel really heavy and almost stiff. I slowed the pace down for a bit and then sped up again. Found it really hard for some reason where normally I wouldnt have any problems and would really enjoy the run. This morning it's an effort to even walk up the stairs as my legs feel so heavy and stiff.

What could have caused this? Is it something I should be worried about? Should I just run through the stiffness and hope it eases up?

Thanks :-) x

engineman312

sounds like you need a rest day, and you probably need more calcium and potassium in your diet. how often do you do this work out? you should have at least 2 rest days a week.

RAFValentina

sounds like you need a rest day, and you probably need more calcium and potassium in your diet. how often do you do this work out? you should have at least 2 rest days a week.

Mostly what he said...make sure you're hydrated well and electrolytes balanced (salts-sodium, potassium etc) Make sure you're not deficient in B12 or Iron too. Rest days important whilst building up stamina. Make sure you warm up properly and stretch off thoroughly, each stretch should be for at LEAST 30 seconds. Make sure you do lots of different stretches and focus on the muscle groups giving you issues. Other than that... a little rest and massage wouldn't go amiss... Any major concerns, see your GP or a physiotherapist

Babieseverywhere

No idea on the stiff leg thing, I would check with your doctor.

That said it could be a one off bad run. Some runs I can't get moving for whatever reason and the next run I am fine. I am a very slow beginner and only just got to 25 minutes runs after seven weeks of trying to run, so you are doing so well and must be very fit.

PS. If you intend on running outside at any point, prepare by putting your treadmill on an 2% incline. Running on an inside treadmill with an 2% incline is meant to be similar effort than outside running, where the road doesn't move smoothly under your legs, LOL

Tattoos_and_Tea

Thanks for the advice everyone. I run at the gym three to four times a week. Monday to Friday though, very rarely at weekdns as I usually work which involves standing up all day outside anyway!

I do take a water bottle with me and I do tend to drink half the water in it when working out.

Maybe I should concentrate on stretching more. Although I do it, maybe i'm not doing it for long enough.

Thanks for the outside running advice! I dont run outside generally but it's somehting im looking into come 2012!

Cheers! x

PennyNickel14

The sore and stiff is totally the recipe for a rest day. I get tight when i push it too hard over too many days .

Great job on the running!!!

Tattoos_and_Tea

I feel like running today, although I dont think my legs will let me lol. Maybe just take it easy at the gym tonight?

sarahp_100

hey - it's great to see that your getting into running. i love running and have just completed my first marathon last week!

I would reccommend that you change things up a bit so that you are not doing the same thing every day. If you are doing 4 sessions a week I would suggest that two are long slow-ish runs where you are concentrating on going for longer distances/times.

Another day your should try a speed session - so, warm up and stretch first (as you normally would) and jog or walk slowly for 1 min and then go as fast as you can for 1 min and repeat this 5-6 times. every week either up the speed of the sprint or do another repetition. Make sure that the one minute recovery is slow, you want to try to catch your breath so you can go as fast as you can for the sprint. These types of excercises builds strength and develops you anerobic fitness which is different to aerobic fitness an you need both!

Then (as an answer to your question) i would reccommend doing a yoga or pilates class as your other session so you get a really good stretch out!

Hope it works out!

Tattoos_and_Tea

Oooh thanks for that! Im always scared of falling off the tredmill at high speed LOL!

ludgerclay

Can I add some food for thought? How stiff and sore are your legs? If you are increasing your running distance by more than 10% per day, or total 10% per week, it is a recipe for over-use injury. If you are running the same distance each day, about the same pace, it may be a nutrition thing, and you should heed the advice of some previous posts. If there's not an injury, your diet is good, and you're just feeling sluggish, I say push through it. Running and burning those calories can be hard work sometimes, but totally worth the effort. That's why there is such a celebration when someone crosses the finish line of a marathon. Not because they ran when they felt good, but because they ran to accomplish their goal.

cookc04

Yep all of the above. - I enjoy my Stretching class once or twice a week because running makes me tight and tightness causes injuries.
also are you getting enough protein - i found when I increased my protein the muscles recovered faster.

veobrien

Sounds like me when I started. I got the bug and did too much too soon, I think ... I very quickly built up from about 8 mins to 5km in 30mins and was doing solid running on an almost daily (weekday) basis. I got a similar injury and had to stop for a quite a while in the end because I pushed through it. In fact, I was even tested for DVT because my leg was so stiff.

Now, I alternate my cardio even though I'd love to run more. Most of my runs now are HIIT too, like someone said already - you run fast for a min or two and then slow right down for a minute to bring your heart rate back down.

And the most important thing is those stretches afterwards - you don't look silly or uncool. They are so helpful in recovery! If there is a sauna at your gym, I find that helps after a long run and I use it as a reward to myself on the days I've pushed harder.

Hope your leg feels better soon !

Tattoos_and_Tea

I love this site and you people, full of great advice and helpful tips!
My legs are not so sore to the point where I cant walk, they are just stiff going up and down the stairs lol.
xxx

engineman312

Thanks for the advice everyone. I run at the gym three to four times a week. Monday to Friday though, very rarely at weekdns as I usually work which involves standing up all day outside anyway!

I do take a water bottle with me and I do tend to drink half the water in it when working out.

Maybe I should concentrate on stretching more. Although I do it, maybe i'm not doing it for long enough.

Thanks for the outside running advice! I dont run outside generally but it's somehting im looking into come 2012!

Cheers! x

if you are waiting to hydrate yourself during or even before your run, you are waiting too long. drink water the night before, all day.

stretching should be the most important part of your work out. my stretching is usually about 4-8 minutes long. i do dynamic stretching, with things like arm cross overs, pinwheels, hip rotations, and knee rotations. then i do about 40-50 jumping jacks and 40-50 butt kicks. static stretching is best for cooling down.

Tattoos_and_Tea

** Update **

I stretched, kept myself hydrated, sprinted for 3 minutes and walked for 1 minute for 21 minutes this evening. I feel good today. Must have just been an off-leg day!

Thank you allllllllllll xxxxx

ahamm002

Stiff legs mean you got a good workout! If you actually injured yourself you'd know it (trust me on that one). Why did you get stiff sooner than usual? Perhaps you weren't as well hydrated, hadn't eaten for awhile, didn't rest enough, etc etc etc.

If you get stiff legs in the future, I highly recommend a foam roller or something similar. And of course remember that rest is key. Perhaps try doing some biking or swimming after running several days to take the load off your joints and legs.