Legs hurt - run or rest?

[SupremeSpod]

At my level, it's just a jog to counter the extreme sedentary lifestyle of working from home. Seriously, the fact we live in a 3-storey town-house is probably a major fraction of the amount of exercise I do during the day since we've so many stairs.
I've still just about got some youthful resilience and fitness left, otherwise I'd probably be a right lard-ass by now.

Running is easier when someone fixes your bad habits.

[d000hg]

I'm not sure I want it to be easy. Then I'd have to do more of it!

[Mich the Tester]

At my level, it's just a jog to counter the extreme sedentary lifestyle of working from home. Seriously, the fact we live in a 3-storey town-house is probably a major fraction of the amount of exercise I do during the day since we've so many stairs.
I've still just about got some youthful resilience and fitness left, otherwise I'd probably be a right lard-ass by now.

That perhaps makes it even more worthwhile to get a bit of coaching; you're not a trained runner, so you probably run quite inefficiently. Highly trained sportspeople don't get the same problem so easily, partly because they tend to run properly and have been taught to move. Serious; when I first joined a big rugby club they sent me to running lessons at an athletics club to improve my running technique, and to dance lessons with a ballet class to improve my sideways movement and balance. It´s a well kept secret that quite a few top rugby players have had dance lessons; a couple of months of training with ballet dancers and your sidestep improves dramatically and you don't get knocked over so easily. Anyway, that means they've been taught to move effectively, which you probably haven't.

[d000hg]

That perhaps makes it even more worthwhile to get a bit of coaching; you're not a trained runner, so you probably run quite inefficiently. Highly trained sportspeople don't get the same problem so easily, partly because they tend to run properly and have been taught to move. Serious; when I first joined a big rugby club they sent me to running lessons at an athletics club to improve my running technique, and to dance lessons with a ballet class to improve my sideways movement and balance. It´s a well kept secret that quite a few top rugby players have had dance lessons; a couple of months of training with ballet dancers and your sidestep improves dramatically and you don't get knocked over so easily. Anyway, that means they've been taught to move effectively, which you probably haven't.

You big girl's blouse.

[Mich the Tester]

You big girl's blouse.

Come over here and say that!

[shaunbhoy]

I'm not sure I want it to be easy. Then I'd have to do more of it!

Persevere. What you are experiencing is a build-up in lactic acid in your muscles. Best way to get rid of it is to keep running through the pain for 3-4 days. At the end of that time you will be able to carry on running without experiencing this discomfort. It will be hard for a few days but, no gain without pain as they say.

HTH

[Mich the Tester]

Persevere. What you are experiencing is a build-up in lactic acid in your muscles. Best way to get rid of it is to keep running through the pain for 3-4 days. At the end of that time you will be able to carry on running without experiencing this discomfort. It will be hard for a few days but, no gain without pain as they say.

HTH

It´s probably not lactic acid. That theory has been found to be flawed. Yes, lactic acid is built up during explosive activity, but that's not the problem; lactic acid is in fact a fuel. During intense exercise ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is hydrolised, and a hydrogen ion is released. These hydrogen ions cause the drop in pH in the muscle and the associated pain. Important thing is to get oxygen into the muscle without causing further damage; that's why I suggest swimming or light cycling.

Lactic acid, myths,legends and reality - the ABC - A Time-to-Run - Exercise Physiology scientific aspects of various topics that interest runners

[shaunbhoy]

It´s probably not lactic acid. That theory has been found to be flawed. Yes, lactic acid is built up during explosive activity, but that's not the problem; lactic acid is in fact a fuel. During intense exercise ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is hydrolised, and a hydrogen ion is released. These hydrogen ions cause the drop in pH in the muscle and the associated pain. Important thing is to get oxygen into the muscle without causing further damage; that's why I suggest swimming or light cycling.

Lactic acid, myths,legends and reality - the ABC - A Time-to-Run - Exercise Physiology scientific aspects of various topics that interest runners

Well whatever the fancy name for it might be these days, a tried and tested cure for it is to simply keep running until the pain subsides. Usually after 3-4 days. Thousands of soldiers can testify to the effectiveness of that strategy, even if it were not their preferred option.

[Mich the Tester]

Well whatever the fancy name for it might be these days, a tried and tested cure for it is to simply keep running until the pain subsides. Usually after 3-4 days. Thousands of soldiers can testify to the effectiveness of that strategy, even if it were not their preferred option.

That's probably exercise induced analgesia, where the pain is surpressed by repeated release of endorphins into the brain. It's a good strategy for serious athletes if used in moderation under guidance of a good coach (I'd include soldiers in training among those), but can mask muscle damage and lead to overtraining, especially for someone who is not highly experienced in training. The downer when when you can't keep on producing the endorphins is quite simply horrible. Chronic overtraining, which often results from the frustration at poorer performance caused by overtraining, is not much fun; I've had it and it involves physical and psychological symptoms that you really don't want to experience. Loss of appetite, serious mood swings, muscle and joint pains, failure of sexual function, loss of muscle bulk and inability to exercise.

Honestly, this is not simple material; a good training regime is based on science and not on traditional ideas that 'worked for someone else'. That science is continually advancing, and that's why athletes these days are faster, stronger and more durable than ever before.

[shaunbhoy]

Honestly, this is not simple material; a good training regime is based on science and not on traditional ideas that 'worked for someone else'. That science is continually advancing, and that's why athletes these days are faster, stronger and more durable than ever before.

I guess you are right, but you are coming at this from the point of view of a serious athlete. I got the impression that
d000hg is just a fun-running bod that has just discovered a mild middle-age paunch, hence my suggestion.