Spooky running - It's October!

[solobiker]

Got in a nice 5 mile run this morning. I was planning on 6 but my hamstrings were tightening up too much to continue. The temperature was a nice 35 degrees. A very beautiful morning.

[Blueberry]

Did week 3 workout 2 last night. My first treadmill installment on the C25K plan (it was 42 and raining....). 7.5 minutes of running (and but for the calf, could have done more - the run parts were feeling good for once).

Still having a lot of calf soreness problems. After a 3 minute run interval, I almost had to stop walking. Made a point of stretching well after the workout. I'm hoping that helps.

My HR strap also caused blisters (ruptured). Wearing a bra today is gonna be fun....

[OakLeaf]

Ouch!

I've got a piece of masking tape over the battery door of my HR strap. It stays put as long as the battery lasts and it does a good job preventing chafing.

[rubysoho]

blueberry, do you think the cramping could be from some sort of deficiency? I remember reading somewhere that cramping in calves came from low levels of either calcium, magnesium or b12. I can't remember which.

Sorry about the blisters! That is no fun.

[Blueberry]

The HR strap (old style Garmin) got me in the left side just outside of being below the boob. I wonder if I didn't have the little tab in all the way (or whether it rubbed when I was stretching).

Calf Pain: I don't think it's a nutritional deficiency. I'm hoping it's just a combination of the fact that I've been running 3 weeks and I'm doing this program in barefoot shoes (though I have been walking in them for 2 years and doing gym workouts in them). No foot pain with them (new!), so I really don't want to go get fitted for a traditional running shoe. It feels like the calf is too full and tight - it's not really a cramp per se. Both are affected, but the right is much worse. Very odd, and not something I've encountered biking (but have had walking fast up hill).

[rubysoho]

oh ok. I think I know the calf cramping that you are talking about. Although when my calf was cramping it ended up hurting for two weeks after the run (first run in toe shoes, never had a problem sense but I am training slowly).

[GLC1968]

Blueberry - keep working through the calf pain...it will subside eventually. I would say it took me 8 or 9 months before I had no pain at all. Every single time I increased my run distance by even the slightest amount, the pain would flare up. Best thing was to 1) make sure you stretch well afterward and 2) compression calf sleeves. I bought a pair of medical grade ones with half feet at Walgreens that were easier and quicker to get on than my full recovery tights, so that I'd be more apt to wear them. They really helped! (put them on AFTER the run for a few hours or so)

So running...

I did 4 miles on Thursday (can't remember if I reported that here or not), a 5K trail run dressed as a zombie on Saturday (no, I did not get any 'survivors'...the fast zombies got them all!) and then 8 miles yesterday. The 8 miles was pretty much with soaked feet the whole way (rain), but my smart wool socks saved me.