calfe muscles killing me!

[rugeleyboy]

hi, i have recently taken up jogging (2 weeks now) and i have taken it easy and done all my stretches and warm ups....however, i struggle with my calfe muscles during my jog, i even slow to a snails pace but its so painful i have to stop.

any ideas of what i can do?..... please dont say stop as i really enjoy it!!

[suzie1]

stop running :-)

[joggerjayne]

Painful as in working hard?

Or as in sharp pain?

[rugeleyboy]

it feels like they have turned to concrete?..... or steel bars as i keep saying to myself?

[123everton]

Your calf muscles are killing you, what a load of bull, pull the udder one.

[suzie1]

hahahaha poor person, serious answers now

[joggerjayne]

Do you have dedicated running shoes?

[joggerjayne]

Everton exhausts all the "cattle" gags in one post.

[Captin Kirk]

dedicated? ... as opposed to "can't be asked"? ... lol

[rugeleyboy]

yeah i think i have the right trainers?..... i can do about a mile and then they both hurt like hell.... as soon as i stop the pain goes..... i fast walk for a bit and jog agian and after about 150 yds they are killing me again?..... i have tried to adopt a different running style... i have done stretches in the middle of the run but to know avail?... i was perhaps wondering if a pain killer might do anything?

[joggerjayne]

Don't take a painkiller.

If you are damaging the muscle, you won't feel it, and you won't know to stop.

When you say "trainers" ... are they running shoes?

You can't run in trainers.

[Androcles]

According to the papers recently, some doctor is saying we would be better running barefoot or in old fashione plimsolls as trainers make you run on your heels - see http://www.dailymail....foot-better-body.html

It is in other papers too.

[rugeleyboy]

they are nike airmax?

[joggerjayne]

I can see the argument, Androcles.

And running in bare feet is nice, especially on a beach.

But it's really hard work Your feet muscles, which are small and thin, are constantly taught, and get tired before the rest of your body ... so you lose the benefit you were hoping to get from the running.

But most people also wear badly chosen shoes.

They go to a sports shop. Some 19 year old gives them a selection of shoes. They walk up and down the shop, and buy whichever feel comfy.

Then they wonder why their feet and lower legs hurt when they run.

I'm trying to ascertain if rugle's shoes might be part of the prolem.

[rugeleyboy]

hello..... they are nike airmax

[society]

"calfe muscles killing me!

any ideas of what i can do?..... please dont say stop as i really enjoy it!!"

Hey Ruges, sounds like you have a good tolerance for pain.

[joggerjayne]

Okay, so AirMax are great shoes, and are good for runners who "under pronate" or "supinate"

This is the way your foot lands and rolls when you run .. your "gait"

Runners will pronate, under pronate (supinate) or be neutral.

Different shoes have different soft and hard areas in the soles. Some runners need high arch support, or a firm support, or soft cushioning.

Here's what you should do ...

I don't know where you live, but go on Google, and find a sports shop which offers treadmill assessment, or gait analysis.

Go in with your shoes, and ask them to do a gait analysis.

Is your shoes are not right for your running roll, change them, or you will never stop the pain.

You don't have to pay any extra ... you just have to get the right shoes.

If they are the right shoes for you ... how old are they? The support does go.

I change my shoes every few hundred miles ... about every 6 months or so. After that, they are still fine for casual wear, but not for running.

Next thing ... buy some running socks. These have a band of support round the middle of the foot. They feel weird out of your shoe, but make a big difference with your shoes on. If your foot os not held properly in the shoe, your lower leg will make continual, un-noticeable adjustments to compensate - the "power plate" principle, and that will make your lower legs hurt.

But first thing ... check out those shoes.

[Androcles]

If you have only been running for two weeks, it sounds like you are not ready for the distances you are doing. why don't you build up by fast walking for a week and then jog for half a minute, fast walk for half a minute, and build up like that, and see if the pain goes that way.

[Answerprancer]

Assuming it's to do with lactic acid build up in the muscle, try this stretch when the pain kicks in:
Find a kerb/step, stand about a foot away from it so you are LOWER than the kerb/step and with your feet pointing towards it, place the top 1/3rd of one foot up onto the kerb, keeping your leg straight and relaxed, lean into it so your foot is flexed upwards - you should REALLY feel this in your calf and it should kill the pain almost instantly afterwards. Repeat with the other leg/foot.

[rugeleyboy]

thanks everyone,

JoggerJayne... i will go to a sports shop local to me tomorrow. thanks for your advice

that stretch sounds good aswell, i will give that a go.

a friend of mine suggested i was doing to much to soon.... he said i should do more of a short sharp jog to get my fitness level up?

[joggerjayne]

rugle ...

When you go to the sports shop, make sure they put you on a treadmill and watch you run.

One other thing ... the pain may just be your calves responding to being worked, and they will become stronger. I run on the beach, which is hard on the calves and bum, because of the way the pebbles "give" as you try to push off them. After my runs, my calves and butt are always burning ... but in a good way.