New starter needing help and advice

Can anyone help me. I have just started out within the last few weeks. I'm not a natural runner but would like to use it as a way of keeping fit losing weight etc. I'm trying to build up slowly, everytime I've come back home I end up in a coughing fit that goes on for a long time afterwards and end up losing my voice. I am a non smoker never tried it. Is this normal to have this happen or is it something else? In addition to this the last few times my legs are sessions up in cramp in my calves. How's best to prevent this from happening agan and what's the most effective cause of action to relieve me from it now. I went late afternoon yesterday and still have a lot of pain in them now. Could this be more in relation to technique or running shoes being the wrong type. Can any of you give me and indication of the best to move forward with this?

Comments

  • Hi,

     I have just started using this site over the weekend to. so hi to you. It may be that your trying too hard. And that may be causing your cramp. Its essential that your stretch before and after your run. I have just returned to jog after a twenty year gap, and got cramp straightaway, so I think for beginners this can be a problem. Wen I sit or lie down relaxing, I just gentle stretch my calf muscles, by stretching my foot.

    As for your breathing, it may be again trying to hard, I started off by jog just ten mins. Walking one minute and jogging two, I had learnt by my mistake the hard way. You need to may be start by getting a training schedule most independent running have them, going from zero to 5k in six weeks.

    It seems hard, and running is not as easy as the well experienced runners would have us think. It may be an idea just for a doctors check up though to be safe. But don't give up, sometimes you can get free training programes a try.

    Hope this has helped a little. As I stated, I'm only just returning to jogging after a 20 year gap, and its not easy. If you see me in forum let me know how your getting on. We may be able to motivate each other

  • Re: coughing..........sounds like excercised induced asthma to me......Im asthmatic and run. Do u find u cough at night especially during the winter before going to sleep by any chance? Regardless, still sounds like a little asthma could be the cause.

    Good stretching after your run will help with cramps!! Hold stretches for 30 secs at least at a time. Google calf stretches!!! And ofcourse thight and leg.

    Good luck, Im sure you will be fine, but it might be worth mentioned the excercised induced coughing if it continue to your gp......

    Matt.

  • Thanks for the advice guys. as you can see I'm a complete novice at this.



    my legs are still sore but better I'm taking a break letting them recover I'm frightened of doing more damage to them.



    the cough is fine now just feel like I have got catar right at the top of my chest though. I'm keeping an eye on it though.



    thanks for the support guys image
  • your coughing is probably just your bodies reaction to doing exercise its not used to. It should become better in time once your breathing has adjusted and you can do longer runs. I have been running for nearly 2 years now and I still find that the first mile makes me cough!
    As for the calf cramps, make sure you are not over striding, and as matt says, do your stretches after your run (not before as your muscles are cold then)
    You dont say what sort of training plan you are on, or even if you are, but i would recommend using some kind of Couch to 5k plan or similar in that you do short intervals of running with walk breaks, rather than just going out and seeing how far you can run. Having a plan like that means that you dont have to think about what you should be doing, the plan does it for you. In addition you may find it easier than just running for as far as you can (and therefore makes you feel more positive), and gives your body chance to adjust to running better.

  • Hi All,

    Victoria as MM and Sinbad said just break into it slowly by giving yourself little targets even if its run to one lampost then walk to the next etc etc build yourself up slowly and then running 2 lamposts and walking one, you may find all this will ease up on your coughing fits as your body adjusts to this kind of exercise.

     

  • Hi



    Thanks all for your comments I really appreciatethe commens you have supplied me with. I was starting on the couch to 5k but I might try something smaller for the moment.



    I decided to give myself a break this week in a bit to try and allow my legs to feel better as they have been quite painful this week. My back inner calf has been really sore when walking a lot.



    Which stretches might be best to strech my calves to prevent this happening again.



    Sorry I am a complete blank canvas with this? I have been trying to read up on this with magazines as well but think on here I might learn other stuff as well.



    Thanks so much for taking time to respond to me



    image
  • Hi Vic,

    good weekend? what stretches have you tried for you calves ? have you tried just like placing your legs has if you walking so one in front of the other and leaning forward bending the front leg and keeping the back foot firmly on the ground you should feel the calve pulling abit hold for around 6 seconds, it may help

     

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