Other/Mixed Running - Breath fine but legs sore

[the hansenator]

There's probably a simple answer for this but I wanted to hear from more experienced people.

It's been many years since I've run and I've never been very good at it but, after reading Tactical Barbell II, I was motivated to start running. I started in late October going about half a mile, 2-3 times per week. In December, I started going to a local gym where they have an indoor track. Twice per week, I've been setting the timer for 20 minutes and trying to run nice and easy for that time. I plan to increase to three days/week starting tomorrow. I've been going light on the strength training because my current focus is on the running. I hope to reach 30 minutes, three days per week without being overly tired from it. By next summer, I hope to be able to include some trail running as part of a more well-rounded program.

My questions is: My breathing seems fine and I could keep on going without discomfort except that my legs get sore and tired. When the time's up I start looking for a chair to sit in. I feel it in the glutes especially in sort of a "feel the burn" sort of way and would be sore the next day. I ran yesterday and today I'm feeling some DOMS.

I figure my leg muscles are just out of shape and it will improve with time but are there any tips or is there a good plan to follow?

Thanks

 

[Steve Freides]

@the hansenator, please forget the clock and listen to your body instead. Alternate walking and running, and find a general approach that doesn't leave you sore. One man's well-rounded is another man's formula for injury - do what feels right, not what looks right on paper when it comes to endurance training.

A classic running metric is to have 180 footfalls (steps) per minute. If your cadence is much less than that - I've seen 160 cited as the lowest acceptable number - then your form probably needs work. Running at 180 steps/minute feels great and many things about running form will self-correct with a higher cadence. Faster is not better - around 180 is ideal. Look at your watch, count footfalls for 15 seconds, and aim for 40-45 in that time.

Perhaps join a local running club with whom you can do a group run once a week, and from whose members you might get some feedback, suggestions for a local coach, etc.

-S-

 

[pet']

Hello,

are there any tips or is there a good plan to follow?

As @Steve Freides said, listen to your body.

Otherwise, Steve's idea about a walk / run split is very smart.

What you can also do is jumping rope splits. Set a timer on 20 - 25s for work, then 10s for rest.

We did the following protocol in boxing:
During the 25, you do either standard jumps or double unders or high knees or toes "hitting" the butt. I recommend to cycle : standard then high knees, and so on. If you are comfortable, make more jumps.

It will work both your breathing and legs.

I precise : go for jumping rope only if you do no have back or leg issue.

Kind regards,

Pet'

If you have no

 

[ali]

Following the 180 cadence advice......

Some things that helped me get the beat programmed into me....

1. A metronome. A small clip on one, very cheap. Probably can get apps now but I don't like stuffing stuff in my ears when running, you want to listen to your footfall too...or flamenco guitar Alegrias compas is 180, or hip hop is 90 and run double time, foot strike on the beat and the AND, as in 1 And 2 and 3 and.......

2. Do you have a wii console and wii fit? Go on the running games and set a distance and run in your living room.....not as stupid as it sounds....those little cartoon characters run at 180. I used it to drill my cadence by weight shifting rather than running, directing the weight through my ball of foot.....good prep for all those foot bones and your entire chain. You can then start lifting your feet. Yes, I know, seems odd, very effective though, really good low impact running prep at the right cadence. Prepping those springs.

I found changing pace to 180 to be comical. It seems very fast at first and very strange. Second nature now. Took me sometime.

 

[mprevost]

I have trained lots of runners over the years. Very few have the patience to train up right. It is the primary reason that most runners are injured. However, building up right, right from the start can save you years of frustration. If you are over 40, or over 30 but overweight, I would start with walking only for at least 3-4 weeks. Walk fast, and slowly build up time. You are looking for this to be comfortable and easy to recover from. After 3-4 weeks, if you have zero lingering aches or pains, then start the run/walk program. I would start with 2-1 walk to run initially, and keep the first few workouts short. Eventually work your way to 1-2 walk to run. Keep the pace easy/steady. Nothing hard for quitte a while, until you build some leg durability and recovery ability. Think about this whole process taking months, not weeks. Andrew Read's Run Strong book is an excellent resource for injury prevention.

The fact that your glutes are sore is a good sign for your running form. It shows that you are engaging the glutes to stabilize your hips, which is good.

Don't be in a hurry. Take it slow. Trail running is one of the great joys of life.

 

[the hansenator]

Thanks for the replies.

I've been trying to keep my footfalls up so I'm not plodding but I will time it during my next run tomorrow and see where it's at.

I was thinking that sore glutes are a good sign. They spent years being kind of off-line though so it wouldn't surprise me if they're a little deconditioned.

I've had foot pain for a couple of years but I tried to do as much walking as I could. After almost a year of physical therapy I made great improvements but foot pain continued to bother me. Within a week of starting running though, my foot pain pretty much vanished. I can walk now with more comfort too. I figure running somehow gets the muscles to activate more correctly so I pretty much decided to keep on running.

 

[the hansenator]

I timed my footfalls and it came to about 152. A little lower than was recommended. I tried speeding it up a bit but it was hard to do without going faster, and than my breathing became a limiting factor. With all the discussion lately about Maffertone, I'm trying not to go too hard. Otherwise I found myself taking what felt like really fast, tiny steps and I felt goofy. And my wife said I looked goofy. Would leg length affect it? Because I have long legs. I know when we're walking, I take fewer steps than my wife at the same speed.

On the plus side, I feel better than last time. I'm not as tired or sore. I suppose I've only been doing this for about two months now, and starting out was quite modest. By December I increased my distance from half a mile to a whole mile.

 

[Steve Freides]

@the hansenator, go for 180, and take baby steps. If you have to mix in some walking, so be it. The 180 steps covers all runners of all sizes. Take a few steps in place, without moving - that is the footfall you're trying to emulate. It won't be the same, of course, while you're moving, but the mental image of your foot landing underneath and not in front of you is a good one.

-S-

 

[the hansenator]

@Steve Freides I'll work on it, thanks.

 

[the hansenator]

I tried using one of those treadmills today that measures your heart rate and I was a little disappointed. I was trying to keep my heart rate at the MAF recommendation of 133 but found that, even at zero incline, I couldn't jog slow enough to keep it that low. At a fast walk it stays in the 120s but a slow, easy jog quickly brings it to the 140s and 150s.

I'd be interested in people's thoughts but maybe I'm not even ready to start jogging yet. I think I'll do the fast walk with occasional brief jogs on the treadmill thing for the next week or two and see how that goes. I think the treadmill would be useful right now because it makes it easier to maintain a consistent speed and lets me monitor my heart rate.

 

[Anna C]

I think I'll do the fast walk with occasional brief jogs on the treadmill thing for the next week or two and see how that goes.

I'd say do that, and see if it settles down a little over the next couple of weeks. Also try a faster cadence (work your way to 180 steps/min) so you don't have as much impact and forceful muscle contraction with each step.

 

[pet']

Hello,

I think I'll do the fast walk with occasional brief jogs

It is very intense. I find it technically harder than a "simple" jog. However, if you find it easier go for that ! Maybe you will find here your right spot and the good rythm.

Plus, fast walk is better for joints as there are no jumps and you always touch the ground.

Kind regards,

Pet'