Calf muscles.

cards

I used to do some modest running up until a year and a half ago and got pretty sick for a while but have made a full recovery and have been aching to go back running for a long time.Anyway, I did my first run back a few days ago of just a couple of miles wearing vibram fivefingers and and have done 2 more runs since.My calf muscles are pretty sore which is very understandable considering I've done nothing for so long.My question is;I want to run every day until I do a marathon, even if its just a half mile. I want to keep a commitment going.Would this approach be damaging?Is rest really that important especially on "newly used muscles". Many thanks for any help.

TheRoadRunner

If you have worn shoes your entire life but the vibrams away for a while. Start running in shoes with the kind of arch and heel support you have grown up accustomed with. After a while introduce the vibrams if you so want.

10 Toe Runner

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

If you have worn shoes your entire life but the vibrams away for a while. Start running in shoes with the kind of arch and heel support you have grown up accustomed with. After a while introduce the vibrams if you so want.

Would have to agree with TheRoadRunner here. I'm also running in the Vibrams, if you are just coming back to running and want to run every day, maybe you should switch back to normal runners or alternate (like once a week in the Vibrams). It's very easy to pick up an injury by trying to do too much in the Vibrams. Normally you should ease into wearing these.

cards

Thanks for the replies and they are fair points but surely if I would be experiencing these muscle pains even if running in runners considering I haven't done anything in a year and a half.I can't see that using runners that are going to create different posture/movement than vibrams is the way to go. Maybe,I shouldn't have mentioned them as its slightly as its taken the focus away from the question I really meant. When experiencing sore muscles, is it ok to run through that discomfort even if they are significantly sore...as in first run in a year and half or are you better off to take things easy for a few days.Taking things easy is probably the way to go pretty obviously but just curious are there any schools of thought that just say,"run on through it?"

noeleoreid

cards wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and they are fair points but surely if I would be experiencing these muscle pains even if running in runners considering I haven't done anything in a year and a half.I can't see that using runners that are going to create different posture/movement than vibrams is the way to go. Maybe,I shouldn't have mentioned them as its slightly as its taken the focus away from the question I really meant. When experiencing sore muscles, is it ok to run through that discomfort even if they are significantly sore...as in first run in a year and half or are you better off to take things easy for a few days.Taking things easy is probably the way to go pretty obviously but just curious are there any schools of thought that just say,"run on through it?"

I think definitely , its essential to ease back into it. I only took up doin triathlon this year and was really motivated. I trained hard every day for about a month and eventually my body just gave out and i had to take nearly two weeks out from exercise completely just to adequately recover.I adapted the the 'run through it' strategy and it was the worst thing i ever decided. It put a complete hault to my training. Plus you will always hear the pros say that as a rule of thumb , exercise in terms of both distance and time should not be increased by more than 5% per week. Your recovery days should be the most important part of any training program you follow.Considering you haven't ran in over a year I would say you should aim to run about three consecutive days with one off and repeat ect.. Weather its calfs that are hurting or something else, you will undoubtedly be prone to injury if you dont take rest days. As well its not possible to just drive through the pain and keep going .. its not going to get better without rest days.. it will only get worse. Source: Recent experience. Hope this helps.

gottarun

The mechanics of running are different when you compare the 'running' style of someone in VFF's with the 'jogging' style of most cushioned shoe runners (the people).

If you check any of the advice re VFF's the motto is slow build up of distance. Even to the point of several hundred metres at first and gradually building up to a couple of kilometers over the course of what can be months.

If like most people you have been conditioned to wearing shoes / runners etc with a heel to to differential you have to allow your body to adjust to the effect of running with a zero differential. You are stretching your muscles and tendons in a manner that they have not been used to since you were a barefoot baby.

Having said that, a return to running after injury is possibly the best time to begin using VFF's as you will only be able to go a little further each time, this affords a perfect chance to transition / acclimatise your body properly.

I would be wary of the build up of damage in the calf muscles with repeated 'pushing' of the boundary. I think you are on a road to a calf tear and an even longer rehab period. By all means push your distance, after VFF runs you should feel a little sore, but nothing that won't pass in a day or so and definitely I wouldn't push through anything that is not just DOMS. The risk of popping a calf or ripping the achilles by doing too much is not worth it.

InTheTrees

I've been off running three months with a calf strain.

My physio and also every single rehab training program i've seen says run every second day until you're backup to speed at least.

And for the first four weeks you should be at 50% of your old pace.

But everyones different of course.

I;'d have thought If you follow a good rehab training schedule it would be a good time to convert to vibrams, its almost like you're starting fresh.

InTheTrees

cards wrote: »

I want to run every day until I do a marathon, even if its just a half mile. I want to keep a commitment going.Would this approach be damaging?Is rest really that important especially on "newly used muscles". Many thanks for any help.

Experience the Zen of Running Injuries.

You will go faster by slowing down...

Damaged muscles can be more prone to reinjury. Try to rush recovery and you'll slide back further than the intitial injury.

Maybe.

cards

Thanks for the responses.Less is more. Common sense is always so obvious.Why do we try and make things difficult?:rolleyes: