Running / Calves

[windgates]

I used to be severely overweight. I lost around 100 - 110 lbs starting three years ago. I since then plateau'd and have been fluctuating up and down from 210 - 230. I've started being hardcore about the gym and running again but one of the things thats keeping me from longer running sessions is that my legs can't seem to keep up with the amount of cardio I'd like to do.

When I was running around my neighborhood the slightest incline would make my legs, specifically my calf muscles burn like crazy, and around my shins too. This has never happened to me before even when I was first starting to lose weight and had started running. Now in the gym today running on the treadmill it started happening too (at 0% incline), specifically on the lateral sides of my calves and my hamstrings started hurting as well.

My calf muscles are very built up from being overweight and carrying it for so long, nothing like this has really happened before. I used to have knee problems, but the worst now is that it gets a little stiff after a particularly long run, and instead I'm left with these.

I'm thinking stretching/warming up for longer or doing different stretches that I'm not doing. I stretch my hamstring, quads and calves before I start running. I don't really warm up that much, I pretty much just go from 0 to my regular pace once I've figured out a song to listen to. I don't really see much benefit from walking longer, could be completely wrong though.

Is there anything else that I can do for my legs so that they're not holding me back from getting a good cardio work out?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[lickya42000]

rest, rest, rest....

Do you do run everyday? My advice is to run no more than 3x a week.

It could also be a technical problem: do you have flat feet? are your ankles locked? Maybe you should try the elliptical because it is low impact.

 

[Spazz04]

I'm thinking stretching/warming up for longer or doing different stretches that I'm not doing. I stretch my hamstring, quads and calves before I start running. I don't really warm up that much, I pretty much just go from 0 to my regular pace once I've figured out a song to listen to. I don't really see much benefit from walking longer, could be completely wrong though.

Do you Stretch after you run?
That's the most important thing to do.. I would warm up maybe jumping jacks or high knees in place for about 10 minutes than i would stretch. Run or do your carido workout of choice than cool off walk for about 10 minutes than stretch again. this helpes me lots when i run.

oh and better to pace yourself and work on distance/time rather than speed.

 

[windgates]

Today I ran for 20 minutes at 5.8 before my legs started to hurt too much. Then I switched to the elliptical for another 15 before I stopped. The elliptical seemed to be easier on my legs, but I just don't feel like I get the same amount of cardio on it. That probably isn't true.

I haven't stretched after I run, and I don't usually have a cooldown with the exception of walking from the cardio machines upstairs to the weight room to whatever I'm doing that day. I guess I should change that a little bit. Do you think warming up for so long will help my legs to not get burning/fatigued so quickly?

I am built for endurance and not for speed, I usually try to go for 45 minutes to an hour.

I don't have flat feet, I have a pretty sweet arch. I don't know what you mean by locking my ankles.

Maybe I'll warm up on the elliptical for now on and see if that helps any.

 

[drhladnjak]

Running can be pretty hard on your legs and particularly your knees. If you have access to one, I'd recommend talking to a sports medicine doctor or possibly a physical therapist. They tend to be pretty knowledgeable about these sorts of things.

Unfortunately, you may simply have to limit the amount of running you do each week. Personally, I can't go running for more than 30 minutes twice a week these days before my knees start bothering me. The key is in finding other cardio activities like elliptical, biking or swimming that you can mix in with the running.

Also, what are your thoughts about running outside instead of on a treadmill? It's probably easier to adjust your pace that way and just get out of feeling like you're on a hamster wheel

 

[windgates]

I don't really like running outside so much for several reasons.

One is that in my area everything is too hilly, there are very few places that are flat, and even they have a slight incline. Another is that when I run I prefer to just zone out and listen to music which isn't the safest thing to do when there are cars. I also tend to not know how long or how far I go when I run out doors and pacing myself doesn't work so well. I run either too fast and take a break or too slow and think hey this is easy I can go way faster, which leads me to taking a break anyway.

On a treadmill I can just set the speed, listen to my music and zone out and try not to think about anything. Or alternatively think about something else besides running.

I should see if the gym that I go to employs any sports medicine doctor, or I could ask my anat&phys teacher, he was the attending physician for the WWE or something crazy like that.

I don't mind limiting the amount of running I do a week as long as I do something else cardio. I think I'll be doing the elliptical a little bit more now (very low resistance and as fast as I can maintain sounds pretty much the same as running without the impact) and maybe a spin class if I can ever wake myself up early enough to go to one. Although I hear that spin classes may also be bad for one's knee.

 

[drhladnjak]

Pretty much every exercise worth doing is bad for some part of your body. Even in a no impact activity like swimming, professional athletes can get knee or shoulder problems. That's why it's important to have variety in your workouts.

If you're at a university (which I think you are), they sometimes have sports medicine experts available at health centers. I know they did at both the places I went to undergrad and grad at. You may have to ask around or get a referral from a general physician though.

 

[runtothemaxxx]

The shin pains you are experiencing might be shin splints, which is common among runners. Usually, putting ice on the shins will help alleviate that pain as well.

 

[windgates]

Yeah I've been mixing up what kinds of cardio I've been doing, treadmill, elliptical and stairmaster and my knee and calves haven't been hurting so bad. I also stretch better before I begin doing cardio and that seemed to help me out as well.

I wouldn't discount shin splints. I've been trying to be lighter on my feet if that makes any sense when I've been running. I guess the combination of all of those have made it better.

 

[rotary]

Regardless of what's wrong, you're over doing it. Burning, pain, any lasting discomfort down there means you're working too hard. Just hope it's not a stress fracture, that took me months to recover from.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but you should probably stop running. You're injured and it's going to get worse if you continue. Take a month and go hard on an indoor bike, but don't run. Even 2 months. Then try again, building up slowly.

 

[windgates]

I hate it when people are both: Right and telling me what I don't want to hear.

ugh.

Yeah, I guess spin classes are the way to go until I see an orthopedist.

 

[3nipples]

Stretching before running is counter productive. Warm up yes. Stretch afterwards absolutely, but not before. That however is not what's causing your problem. It's more likely bad form or not the right running shoes. Take rotary's advice and give it a rest for a couple of months until the pain goes away. Swimming should be ok and the exercise bike allows you to get some reading done...