C25K suggestions? and calf pain

thursdaystgiles
thursdaystgiles Posts: 98 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started C25K last Wednesday. It was a nice day and I ran during my son's nap. Since then it's turned scorching hot in the mid 80s to low 90s, so the only time I can run that it isn't horrible is at night after my son goes to sleep (our schedules are weird because my wife works overnights), but I can only do that on the nights my wife is off or when she works from home, which is Friday-Monday. So I did Days 2 and 3 on Friday and Saturday, then, even though it hadn't been a full week, I started W2D1 last night. I made it through, even though it was rough, but now I have to wait until Friday or Saturday to run again. I'm worried that since I'll be doing all my running on the weekends I won't be able to keep up with the progress. It was hard to run 1.5 minutes, but I was able to do it, just barely. I don't know if I'll be able to do that after 3 days of rest. I've looked online for tips on this sort of thing, but if the results are anything to go by, apparently NO ONE has ever had this issue.

Also, I've been having pretty bad calf pain. Once I get running it tends to fade, but almost suddenly, as soon as I stop running and start my cool down, I almost can't walk, it's so bad. Last night I took off my shoes and limped home. Took 8 minutes what normally takes 5. I warm up before and after my cool down I do stretches, including two different calf stretches (a modified downward facing dog that gives a nice stretch, and one where I put my toes up on a raised step and lean into it) as well as other stretches. Nothing seems to loosen it up. Within a few hours it stops hurting horribly, but it hasn't gone away entirely, even after a few days.

On my off days I do resistance training for at least an hour, some of it combined with cardio.

Sorry if these are repeat questions; I searched through the boards for several pages and didn't see what I was looking for.

Replies

  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Could be your shoes, or overuse if you are a very new runner.

    I know the local C25k plan they run Mon-Wed-Thursday and even at that the new runners get overworked from time to time.

    Shoes are extremely important to running, especially to the novice runner. No one on here can really recommend which shoe to get so I would go to a specialty store where they have so many different brands and models, and experts to get you the right shoe. They will check how you walk, run, your gait, flat feet, over/under pronate and recommend a line of shoes.

    The local c25k used to come out to our run group at the track early on when they talked about shoes. The last time there were 8 of us there. 6 diff brands and 8 total diff models.

    The point is...every is diff and take advice from people with agrain of salt.
  • thursdaystgiles
    thursdaystgiles Posts: 98 Member
    thanks for the suggestion. Right now I can't afford to buy new shoes (yes, we really are that broke :/), but I've spoken to my wife about putting it in our budget sometime next month. I'll look into the overuse, too.

    Thanks again!
  • salvaje913
    salvaje913 Posts: 38 Member
    Shoes are important.

    You might also want to make sure you stretch more. When I started I had Achilles tendon issues (ankle) and my calves were sore a lot. Per my doctor I do the runner's stretch and the bent knee runners stretch. The Achilles connects the calf muscle so most stretching you will feel in your calf but it is the Achilles tendon you are actually stretching. This is what my doctor told me anyway. Seems to work it is only mildly sore lately after a good jog/walk.
  • ruthejp13
    ruthejp13 Posts: 213 Member
    Buy some inserts for your shoes to help extend use.

    I think your issue could be the heat and electrolytes. Whenever I get calf pain, I look at my nutrition. If you buy Lite Salt it is about 50/50 sodium and potassium.

    Last week I was very sick and couldn't keep anything inside me. I made some soup with mostly broth, some fresh parsley and spinach. I could feel my calves clenching and I went to the drug store for some electrolytes fluids. I knew the soup gave me 100% of my sodium for the day but I was short potassium. I was confused by the measurement (mEq) used on the Pedialyte label and hoped it mean 1000x. When I got home and Googled it, it only gave me 20 mg of potassium and not 2000 mg. Because I only ate about 200 calories that day, adding a sweet potato, banana and/or chocolate milk shake still wouldn't get me enough potassium to make up for all the sodium.
  • soxobsessed
    soxobsessed Posts: 130 Member
    I'll ditto the shoes but for now inserts will help (I get the no money thing I used inserts in my first set of sneakers and they helped)

    Before you run do not stretch (I know odd) but do jumping jacks or run in place to wake your muscles up

    after the run, STRETCH

    Also water is your best friend drinks lots of it before and after

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