Heavy Legs - Am I doing something wrong?

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BlueFisherKing
BlueFisherKing Posts: 28 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone! I am on Week 4, Day 2 of 'Couch to 5k' - I run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays, make sure I get 70 + grams of protein a week and have yet to include any other training for fear I'll exhaust myself and give up with the C25K program.

So now that you know all this, here's what happened; I barely managed to get through day 1 of week 4 (as with all the first days of all the weeks with me) but I managed it! I was looking forward to the second day (as it's usually easier) but this time, as I was all geared up to go, I could barely get through the first 3 minutes - my legs felt so heavy and aching.

It was the hardest run yet; I had to mentally scream at myself (a la Jillian Michaels). If not for sheer stubbornness I would have given up after the first few minutes. It was awful :sick:

So...am I doing something wrong? Is heavy legs a symptom of me lacking in something I need? Or is it just a 'bad run'?

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • CandiceScott69
    CandiceScott69 Posts: 81 Member
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    I want to see the responses to this as I have the same problem.
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
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    Bumping for interest, as I seem to have hit a similar wall in my beginner running training.
  • steve0820
    steve0820 Posts: 510 Member
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    It's usually from a build up of lactic acid. Many things could cause this:

    Overtraining
    Running on hard surfaces
    Improper running shoe
    Running to slowly. I know this might sound crazy, but slower running, tend to lead to a higher impact when you foot strike.

    Also, what kind of mobility warm up are you doing before your runs?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    hydration could be an issue.

    also it's been a while since i've done c25k but isnt there a big difference between week 3 and week 4? like arent you essentially running twice as long?

    was there a difference in what you ate that day and the time? i know for me i can't run within 2-3 hours of eating otherwise i feel sluggish like im running in quicksand.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    Hey everyone! I am on Week 4, Day 2 of 'Couch to 5k' - I run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays, make sure I get 70 + grams of protein a week and have yet to include any other training for fear I'll exhaust myself and give up with the C25K program.

    So now that you know all this, here's what happened; I barely managed to get through day 1 of week 4 (as with all the first days of all the weeks with me) but I managed it! I was looking forward to the second day (as it's usually easier) but this time, as I was all geared up to go, I could barely get through the first 3 minutes - my legs felt so heavy and aching.

    It was the hardest run yet; I had to mentally scream at myself (a la Jillian Michaels). If not for sheer stubbornness I would have given up after the first few minutes. It was awful :sick:

    So...am I doing something wrong? Is heavy legs a symptom of me lacking in something I need? Or is it just a 'bad run'?

    Thanks in advance.

    Did you mean to say 70 grams of protein per day??
    Because that is what you should be aiming for, probably more...
  • donaldkaren
    donaldkaren Posts: 1 Member
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    I completed the programme last year and some days were just inexplicably hard, like wading through treacle. Dont obsess about it, just move forward. 70% of the programme is mental strength rather than physical and you showed you've got what it takes by getting through that day. Well done you for getting to week 4!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Heavy legs is a response to the amount of training you are doing - it will get better.
  • bootssowhite
    bootssowhite Posts: 93 Member
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    Temperature could be a factor. Every 5°F rise in temperature above 60°F can slow your pace by as much as 20 to 30 seconds per mile. Did you run at a different time of day than you usually do or was it significantly hotter?

    Also, some runs will just suck. No matter how well you prepare and take care of yourself, some days you'll feel like you have weights on your ankles and all you can do is grit your teeth, push through and hope the next run is better. If you keep having problems, look into different shoes or changing your diet, but for right now, just assume it was a bad run and that the next one will be better.
  • runforestrun35
    runforestrun35 Posts: 480 Member
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    Heavy legs are usually a problem for me the day after weight training ( squats, deadlifts, etc.). Or if I haven't eaten enough... Try a snack an hour before your run, plenty of hydration....
  • alyssareyans
    alyssareyans Posts: 88 Member
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    When I first started C25K seven weeks ago, I had this issue. Since then I've learned if I don't do a good recovery then my next run will suck and my legs will feel like lead weights. I found quite a few runner recovery yoga and exercise videos at Runnersworld.com

    After starting the recovery yoga and other exercises my runs improved by 110%. Now if I skip a day of yoga I can definitely tell the difference. The same applies to crosstraining. I run MWF and crosstrain TuThSat. If I don't do a good crosstraining session, then my running will be also be affected.

    The last thing that I noticed was causing me to feel fatigued while running is hydration and fueling. On the days before a run if I don't eat properly and/or don't hydrate enough my body will not want to run the next day. I make sure now I hydrate properly and eat properly before and after my runs.

    This isn't any scientific doctor approved reason. These are just the things I've learned and noticed about myself over the last seven weeks of running.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    How many calories are you eating? And what is your average macro (protein, carbs, fat) breakdown per day?
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    How many calories are you eating? And what is your average macro (protein, carbs, fat) breakdown per day?

    Notwithstanding the stretching and recovery point upthread, this is my most likely question as well.

    My own experience is that if I don't fuel myself, my runs are horrible.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    How many calories are you eating? And what is your average macro (protein, carbs, fat) breakdown per day?

    Notwithstanding the stretching and recovery point upthread, this is my most likely question as well.

    My own experience is that if I don't fuel myself, my runs are horrible.

    This.

    Adequate fuel is necessary for a proper training programme.
  • BlueFisherKing
    BlueFisherKing Posts: 28 Member
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    How many calories are you eating? And what is your average macro (protein, carbs, fat) breakdown per day?

    Notwithstanding the stretching and recovery point upthread, this is my most likely question as well.

    My own experience is that if I don't fuel myself, my runs are horrible.

    This.

    Adequate fuel is necessary for a proper training programme.

    I eat 1500-1700 a day (I'm 5'3, and weigh 108 pounds). I try and follow what MyFitnessPal eating thingy tells me to do: I get on average 70+ grams of protein a day, I sometimes fall short of carbs (190) but will make up for it the next day, and I pretty much always hit my fat intake on the nose every day, (50).

    I do a 5 minute brisk walk warm up and cool down, followed by a lot of stretches. I love stretches.

    Although, on that particular day, I did indulge in a cheesy chex mix snack (just 1/4 of a cup!) about 3 hours before the run. I haven't had anything that processed in over three months.

    Also, in response to a few other questions: It was cooler than usual when I ran (only 85 degrees). Water may be an issue as I try to drink it through the day but I often lose count or don't pay attention to how much I actually intake - I'll make sure to do better on that head. And I do need new running shoes but can't afford them for another few weeks. I run on dirt trails.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I eat 1500-1700 a day (I'm 5'3, and weigh 108 pounds). I try and follow what MyFitnessPal eating thingy tells me to do: I get on average 70+ grams of protein a day, I sometimes fall short of carbs (190) but will make up for it the next day, and I pretty much always hit my fat intake on the nose every day, (50).

    I do a 5 minute brisk walk warm up and cool down, followed by a lot of stretches. I love stretches.

    Although, on that particular day, I did indulge in a cheesy chex mix snack (just 1/4 of a cup!) about 3 hours before the run. I haven't had anything that processed in over three months.

    Also, in response to a few other questions: It was cooler than usual when I ran (only 85 degrees). Water may be an issue as I try to drink it through the day but I often lose count or don't pay attention to how much I actually intake - I'll make sure to do better on that head. And I do need new running shoes but can't afford them for another few weeks. I run on dirt trails.

    Probably just had a bad day. Sometimes my body doesn't do what I ask it to - everyone gets it sooner or later. And even if everything else is perfect (see below), your training can suck.

    If you're fuelling yourself properly, and this becomes a regular occurrence, then there are other things (in no particular order):

    - inadequate hydration
    - inadequate sleep
    - non-training related stressors (job, family, life, etc)
    - accumulated fatigue (not everyone recovers at the same rate depending on age, fitness, previous training experience, etc. and regimented programmes with a set schedule can't account for all variations). Adjusting the schedule to allow for greater recovery can help in these cases. Sometimes the schedule has adequate recovery built in, but people do a bunch of extra stuff because they think they need it and ruin a perfectly good programme.

    If you have another session and feel groovy, then you had a bad day. Move on. If it becomes a regular occurrence, then re-examine the stuff going on in your life that I listed above and see if you can make some changes/sharpen some stuff up.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    How many calories are you eating? And what is your average macro (protein, carbs, fat) breakdown per day?

    Notwithstanding the stretching and recovery point upthread, this is my most likely question as well.

    My own experience is that if I don't fuel myself, my runs are horrible.

    This.

    Adequate fuel is necessary for a proper training programme.

    I eat 1500-1700 a day (I'm 5'3, and weigh 108 pounds). I try and follow what MyFitnessPal eating thingy tells me to do: I get on average 70+ grams of protein a day, I sometimes fall short of carbs (190) but will make up for it the next day, and I pretty much always hit my fat intake on the nose every day, (50).

    I do a 5 minute brisk walk warm up and cool down, followed by a lot of stretches. I love stretches.

    Although, on that particular day, I did indulge in a cheesy chex mix snack (just 1/4 of a cup!) about 3 hours before the run. I haven't had anything that processed in over three months.

    Also, in response to a few other questions: It was cooler than usual when I ran (only 85 degrees). Water may be an issue as I try to drink it through the day but I often lose count or don't pay attention to how much I actually intake - I'll make sure to do better on that head. And I do need new running shoes but can't afford them for another few weeks. I run on dirt trails.

    Is that TDEE or MFP and eat back calories??

    And are you trying to lose weight?
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
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    I have had this problem off and on many times. Some runs were great, others terrible. I did some googling around and found that your problem could be explained by where you are at in your monthly cycle. Yay hormones! I've seen dozens of references to the subject, but this site put it most simply. www. shutupandrun.net/2012/11/how-your-period-affects-running.html.

    It is the only explanation that makes sense to me (at least in my cases) because that would be the only differing factor in my runs.
  • BlueFisherKing
    BlueFisherKing Posts: 28 Member
    Options
    How many calories are you eating? And what is your average macro (protein, carbs, fat) breakdown per day?

    Notwithstanding the stretching and recovery point upthread, this is my most likely question as well.

    My own experience is that if I don't fuel myself, my runs are horrible.

    This.

    Adequate fuel is necessary for a proper training programme.

    I eat 1500-1700 a day (I'm 5'3, and weigh 108 pounds). I try and follow what MyFitnessPal eating thingy tells me to do: I get on average 70+ grams of protein a day, I sometimes fall short of carbs (190) but will make up for it the next day, and I pretty much always hit my fat intake on the nose every day, (50).

    I do a 5 minute brisk walk warm up and cool down, followed by a lot of stretches. I love stretches.

    Although, on that particular day, I did indulge in a cheesy chex mix snack (just 1/4 of a cup!) about 3 hours before the run. I haven't had anything that processed in over three months.

    Also, in response to a few other questions: It was cooler than usual when I ran (only 85 degrees). Water may be an issue as I try to drink it through the day but I often lose count or don't pay attention to how much I actually intake - I'll make sure to do better on that head. And I do need new running shoes but can't afford them for another few weeks. I run on dirt trails.

    Is that TDEE or MFP and eat back calories??

    And are you trying to lose weight?

    I got some second opinions from other sites and they said the same thing as MFP. My 'resting metabolic energy requirements' to mantain my weight, or whatever, is 1200. Eating back the calories I lose from jogging and other factors, I need around 1600 calories.
    I AM NOT TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT
    I want to make that very clear. I want to lower body fat and gain muscle - my body fat is really quite high, as I never do any physical activities besides getting out of chairs.

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