Please diagnose me!

NeeNeeD2
NeeNeeD2 Posts: 6
in Fitness and Exercise
I started exercising 2 months ago. I'm in my mid thirties and have never been active, that being said I didn't have much to lose when I started out....about 15 lbs. When I first started exercising I would go on the treadmill and the furthest I could go was .10 of a mile before I had to stop because my heart was pounding so bad and was at it's max rate already.

Over the past few weeks my heart has been getting stronger and I have been steadily increasing the amount of time i jog before slowing down to a fast walk. Last week I was up to .65 of a mile before I had to stop. The reason for stopping now is not because my heart is giving up on me but because my legs feel like stone!

I took the weekend off from jogging but when I started back up again on Monday, my legs...especially my calf muscles feel so heavy and I feel like I can't go any further even if my heart rate is just fine. The past few days i have only been able to jog .25 of a mile and I had to struggle to get to that before I slowed down.

Why are my legs doing this to me??

Replies

  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    What's your calorie intake?
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    Do you stretch before starting? Walk a little before jogging to warm up?
  • rmkramer003
    rmkramer003 Posts: 115 Member
    This article seems to have some good advice.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/482878-heavy-legs-when-running/

    Hope it helps
  • NeeNeeD2
    NeeNeeD2 Posts: 6
    I've been taking in 1200 calories a day. I do stretch but maybe I'm not stretching enough? I only stretch for a couple of minutes. I walk for about 3 minutes before I start jogging.

    Thanks for the link to the article. I'm going to check it out now!
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
    PLEASE go to a real doctor.

    No one can diagnose you without an examination and tests, anything you see here is an UNeducated guess!
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
    take in 1200 cals PLUS your exercise calories you burned off if your activity level is set at "sedentary", Stretch more, warm up with a walk, try it a few more times and then go see a doctor
  • TexasRattlesnake
    TexasRattlesnake Posts: 375 Member
    I went through the same thing, it seemed like my cardio and leg muscles were regressing for awhile... I kept pushing and broke through a wall this week. I had run 9/10th of a mile and then could barely get .5 mile without feeling like I was dying... this week I've run a mile and over a mile and felt fine through both with heart rate, breathing, and legs.
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
    I get particularly sore feet and hamstrings when jogging and stretches didn't help at all. I read an interesting article that said women are prone to tight hamstrings and it get worse after 30. Not sure if that's true for everyone but definitely is for me.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    I've been taking in 1200 calories a day. I do stretch but maybe I'm not stretching enough? I only stretch for a couple of minutes. I walk for about 3 minutes before I start jogging.

    Thanks for the link to the article. I'm going to check it out now!

    I would imagine that running every day and only eating 1200 calories is probably not a good idea. Check out the thread below and see if you are eating enough for your body. Fueling your workouts is critical. I don't know about the heaviness in your legs, that's more of a medical question for your doctor. Good luck!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • spiregrain
    spiregrain Posts: 254 Member
    PLEASE go to a real doctor.

    No one can diagnose you without an examination and tests, anything you see here is an UNeducated guess!

    I agree with this, but I will add, my BFF had this kind of thing going on and it turned out to be a thyroid thing (Hashimoto's syndrome) which is easy to treat, and the treatment works super fast, but you need a doctor to treat it. She is on me to tell the world about it because it took her 15+ years to get a diagnosis. You would have lots of other symptoms, too, if you're in a google-y mood.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    It sounds like the normal runners' issues. Before, you weren't going long enough for your legs to start feeling tired. Now, you are. I have had this happen many times, often as I break through a running plateau. (Not that I'm a great runner, but I don't think you and I are exceptions to the running rule).

    My suggestion is to run as far/as long as you can, then slow down to a fast walk (3.5 to 4 mph) for a recovery of maybe 5 minutes (or less, depending on how long you were running), then bump it back up to a run again. It's called interval training (and possibly even High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT). The second interval will probably not be as long as the first, but go as long as you can again, then walk for recovery. Keep doing this through your 30 minute workout and you will gradually build strength and endurance to increase your running time/distance.

    Another alternative is to run at a slower speed for a longer amount of time and see if this helps. It's another way to build your endurance, and once you have reached a goal time (say, 10 minutes altogether) you can increase your speed and get back to 10 minutes at that speed. Alternate between increasing speed and increasing time until you are where you want to be. I have done a combination of this and the intervals, and now can run at least 1.5 miles in 15-20 minutes before I have to walk. But when I first started running, I was just like you.

    On the other hand, if you are having any other issues (besides legs getting fatigued when you are submitting them to a new exercise), it may be wise to see a doctor, just in case.
  • CarolinaGirlinVA
    CarolinaGirlinVA Posts: 1,508 Member
    This article seems to have some good advice.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/482878-heavy-legs-when-running/

    Hope it helps

    Thanks for posting this, I have had the same problem.

    To the OP...I run outside and tried doing C25K. I would jog for 45 seconds before having to stop, got frustrated and quit. Later, tried again, but at my own pace and found I was running too fast and tiring sooner. I make myself jog slowly and actually changed my music to something more relaxing and less fast paced. Now I am running for longer periods and walking less. I never thought I'd be a runner, but little by little it is happening. :)

    Good luck!
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    I agree with the others - you should probably see a doctor

    I am curious though, how fast are you running, and how high is the incline set on the treadmill?
  • missionPossibleIcan
    missionPossibleIcan Posts: 99
    If anyone can help with this .... it would be me.

    Training is HARD-I know this because I have done 16 half marathons and one full one. But I started where you are.. and it sucks!
    You just have to teach your body to go an extra minute each time.

    How fast are you running? This is important!! I would slow it down a bit-Speed is NOT important right now. You are still getting the workout by going a slow steady speed. Do the talk test...if you can't talk you are going way to fast-which is why the legs are NOT keeping up.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    I'd like to know how fast you're going too.

    You've been inactive all your life..."You have to walk before you run."
  • missionPossibleIcan
    missionPossibleIcan Posts: 99
    Very important to start slow and steady!
  • Coalforchristmas
    Coalforchristmas Posts: 10
    Are you taking rest days? If you're running day after day after day and not resting then eventually your legs are going to get too tired and force you to rest. Try running every other day and do something other form of exercise on rest days. This is just my uneducated opinion so if you want a real answer go to the doctor.
  • lorichicaloriecount
    lorichicaloriecount Posts: 2
    I don't run...now....maybe when I loose my weight I'll start but maybe you should look at your running shoes. I'm not an expert but just trying to help. Try looking for good running shoes for your feet. Who knows.
  • davidmcgowan1987
    davidmcgowan1987 Posts: 111
    don't stretch before running, stretch after.
  • NeeNeeD2
    NeeNeeD2 Posts: 6
    Thank you everyone for your comments!

    I just had a physical with blood work done a month ago so I don't think there is anything seriously wrong with me that would require medical attention I just figure I am doing something wrong and that's why my legs hurt lol When i jog it feels like I have an extra 5 lbs strapped to each calf.

    Ok so I do 3.7mph for a couple of minutes and then go up to 5.0mph at a zero incline. Like I said when I first started I could only do .10 of a mile before I had to stop but gradually over time i was able to increase my time and made it all the way to .70 of a mile last week. I usually exercise Mon, Tues, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday and over the weekend I don't do any exercise.

    So on Monday I hop on the treadmill and do my regular routine but I had to stop at .25 because my legs were like rocks and i just couldn't push any further. Same thing happened on Tuesday too. I usually do the 3.7-5.0 thing for about 20 minutes at a zero incline and then for the next 20 minutes i keep it at 3.7 at 4.0-5.0 incline.

    Oh I also meant to say that I usually net 1200 calories a day. I'm going to try increasing my calories a little and drink some more to see if it helps. I also had no idea that you shouldn't stretch before running so that was very good to learn.

    Thank you also for the suggestion to work my leg muscles on the machines...I never even thought to do that!
  • med2017
    med2017 Posts: 192 Member
    don't stretch before running, stretch after.



    no. this is a bad choice you can pull a muscle or have serious complications. worst thing you can do is not stretch before. you have to be loose before and a nice stretch after. if you run without doing it your gonna end up hurting yourself.. and your calfs are going to be hurting a lot more then they are now.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    Yeah, I would increase your calories, pay attention to your energy levels and any other symptoms during the day when you are not exercising. Are you tired, cold, grumpy, or headachy? Do you have a scratchy throat, congestion in your chest, heartburn, slight nausea, or just feel like you might be coming down with a virus? Sometimes we doing pay close enough attention and realize that our body is trying to deal with other issues while all we are interested in is it's failure to perform up to expectations.
  • ednjenn
    ednjenn Posts: 38 Member
    May sound silly, but try taking your show on the road. Treadmills are energy saps for me. Try going outside, taking a jog on a walking path with an approximate known lenght and keep the eyes up and jog. You may still head the lead leg stage, but if you continue towards a fixed point, you might find it's mental and after the lead leg lifts you can go quite far. I always get the brick leg feeling at about 1/4 mile and it takes to about 3/4 mile to go away and I actually feel better at the last 1/2 mile then I do for the first. But on a treadmill I just can't. Hate it.

    My .02 uneducated cents.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    You're going too fast, slow down. Buy and wear a HR monitor, use it instead, see if your heart is really that high, it may not be as high as you think. Do run/walk intervals until you get your distance up to what you want it to be.

    I disagree with some of the other posters, .65 of a mile is not significant enough IMO to be that much effected by your calorie intake. I maintain about 1200-1500 per day and run about 40 miles a week, my longest runs have been 20 miles and I'm running another marathon in a few weeks. IMO anything under an hour of fitness probably isn't going to be that much burden on your overall fitness level and ability. You may not be able to maintain it as long if you aren't fueling, but .65 mile really isn't significant.

    If you are having blood work done, have your thyroid checked, it can effect your HR if hyperthyroid as well as hypothryoid. Also, I don't worry as much about my overall HR but I am more concerned about how fast I'm recovering. It can also be your iron levels.

    If you are on the treadmill indoors, you probably are being bothered by the temp in the room too. If your calves are sore, get a foam roller, stretching is good at all times, but there again, with only .65 mile of a run, stretching probably isn't your issue.

    The first few mile of ANY run are always hard. It takes me about 1-3 miles to feel into a groove, then about mile 6 I feel like I'm where I want to be. That first mile is your body telling you that you are ready to work. Stay at a slower pace for longer, and quit trying to over think it. One of my favorite things I read when just starting was to tell myself "But it doesn't matter" so when my legs are not just picking up fast as I want them to, or I have a weird ache, I tell myself, But... it doesn't matter. You are trying to push yourself into something that your body isn't used to, talk yourself through it, sounds more mental to me than physical.

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