Backwards instead of forwards..........

Hope everyone has had a great extended bank holiday.

I've been running for approx 2 months now and although I appreciate i'm still a newbie my running over the last week feels as if i'm back at square one again.

Today I could barely run at all, had cramps in both legs after 5 minutes and was so fed up I wondered why I even bothered to try.

Sure i'm not the only one but how to do you all get over bad runs?

Would be so easy just to throw in the towel but have signed up to the Great South Run in October and don't want to let my charity down.

Any tips greatly appreciated

hi sarah cramps not good what ever you do dont give in the hardest bit is done. not sure what is causing cramps 1st have you changed anything to bring on cramp restricted either fluid or food do you stretch enough both pre and post run .sometimes things like this happen but more than likely there will be a simple answer are you doing the same route

Hi Sarah I had the same thing a few days ago urgghh I just couldnt run much distance at all and was worn out..baffling..I have recently purchased the Lucozade gels online at www.lucozade.com which I normally take before and during my run but this particular day it had no effect (blame it on the weather)

I also play football in a womens team as well as coach youth girls and I was told once by a chemist after suffering severe cramp in both calves during a game that drinking a bottle of water with Diorylite before and during is just as good at preventing cramp as taking salt tablets.  I also suffered slight cramp in a run recently after I hadnt consumed enough carbs...lightly salted popcorn is good to nibble snack on...(in my humble opinion)

You can do this...keep going....dont give up....

I posted a new forum post the other day and so far have been encouraged as I am doing my first half marathon in October (scary) Good Luck and try out the diorylite or other replacement fluid/salt/electrolytes also try out the Maxmuscle Difinty recovery protein shakes (yellow tub) I found taking these after    a lot of cardio reaaalllly helped my muscles to recover. 

Keep going you CAN do this - .  

 

Rach, Matts useless at keeping me updated, hows the training going?

Hi Sarah.  Running takes quite a while to get strong at.  Many people give up too early.  You WILL get better. You will get over the cramps and the feeling like you are at square one.  Be patient.  Run slowly.  Right now, you need distance and time spent running.  You do not need speed.  Dial it back.  Be sure to hydrate well and most of all, be patient.  I have found that it takes 3-4 months to get somewhat comfortable with running and 6-12 months to get very comfortable.  Don't give up too soon.

hallooOOOoo Karen - its going well apart from my brain.....and he's useless at kicking my butt into gear and forcing me out the door in the mornings urgh..

Thank you for your comments.

I think when its a new sport its so easy to give up.

I've been a swimmer for 20 years and wouldn't dream of never swimming again if I had a bad session one week.

Its no doubt a confidence thing with running, two months ago I had never run outside of a gym and was petrified at the thought of stepping outside and giving it ago!

I will get there i'm sure, good to hear people have been in the same boat and got there. Will go out tomorrow for another try, fingers crossed.

Thanks again x

hope todays run went ok and you didnt have to use your swimming skills with all the dry weather we are having

Hi Sarah! I'm really sorry you're suffering cramps, probably one of the worst afflictions while running!

I sounds like that was just one time, in one day of your life. It won't happen many times! If it does, go see the doctor! There was a period where I was debilitated by it and I can't recall why but they gave me a blood test to check for causes behind it. But please don't give up, and don't lose patience, it sounds like you've been doing so well, think of the strong points and leave it behind!

From what I've heard/read cramps is caused by a mixture of stuff like low levels of sodium in the muscles, or low levels of -I think- thiamine? (Either way, it's something that is plentiful in tonic water, which may be worth a try!)

Don't give up, it sounds like you're doing so well! Good luck with the half-marathon!

A

Sarah

i'm doing the great south run too!!

i dont know what sort of regime your doing but i find if i have a specific time to stick to, ie 15 mins running it tends to spur me on to do it. i tell myself, well i cant stop now, i;'ve not done my time

Just pushing back above spam

Bounce

Thank you very much.

I think part of the problem is the fact i'm using a training plan for the first time.

Even though my plan may say run for 15 minutes I would run until I drop just because I felt OK at 15 minutes.

I'm an all or nothing person and so i'm finding the plan quite difficult to stick too!

Going away next week and looking forward to running on the beach for the first time ever, thinking a change of route will be good and make me re-focus again.

Caroline - your doing Great South too! Will this be your first race? How are you training for it?

Thanks again for your support x

Sarah, i'm an all or nothing person too. I started running at Xmas, and every run was flat out, even though everyone says start slowly. I ran a half marathon one night after work just for the hell of it. A few weeks ago i felt i was getting nowhere. Now i use a heart rate monitor and run in the specified zones. The good thing is it slows me down for the easy runs. You can do easy runs, and they dont feel like a waste of time.