Advice Please: Lactic Acid, Calf Strain, or ???

joeykat16

I recently started C25K (I'm on W2D2) and I'm having a burning sensation/tightness in my lower calf area (not my Achilles and not my "true" calf area but right in between-- maybe the soleus?) I've tried everything I can think of and researched for hours the different possibilities. It never bothers me during the the warm ups or the running intervals, just the walking intervals between and is completely better by the end of the cool down. Its not a "pain" that I would consider to be associated with an injury and isn't enough to make me stop but it sure does get my attention! It is really starting to frustrate me. I'm not sore the next day, I've been fitted for proper shoes at my local running store, I jog not run the intervals, I drink 10-14 glasses of water a day (so I know I'm well hydrated), I warm up and then stretch for 5-10 mins before and after C25K but nothing seems to help.

Any ideas as to what I might be experiencing? Advice?

radmack

I had pain like that in my shins when I began the program. I am on my second session and the pain has gone away. Mine seemed to be from being out of shape. I did start using compression socks which seemed to help a ton.

scottb81

From the description I think you are just feeling the strain of using muscles that haven't been used that way for a while. As long as the pain is gone by the end of cool down I agree that injury is probably not a worry.

You just have to accept the pain for now and power on through it. As your muscles adapt it will go away, probably after a few more weeks. Also, calf and soleus stretches after the run probably will help.