New to running

Evening/Afternoon everyone,

 

Was looking for a bit of advice and thought this is probably the best place to start. I'm doing to Great North Run in September and I'm only just starting to run. At the moment I'm having a few issues trying to run. I can run about 2 miles at the moment, which isn't great considering I'm running September.

I've had my running shoes fitted about a year and a half ago but never really got to run due to injury, hence starting again.

At the moment I keep on getting pretty intense pain around my ankles/achilies/calfs/shins from anything from 0.5m and I've got no idea what is causing it. I stretch as much as I can before running and still no success. Could I be stretching wrong? Shoes fitted correctly? Or something else?

Any advice would be handy as I've got no idea where I'm doing wrong.

Comments

  • I wouldn't worry too much - for my first GNR 4 years ago I was much in the same state as you are now (maybe worse as after 1 mile I was lying on the grass verge breathless) and I managed it.  I only stretch after running when I'm warm, static stretching beforehand on cold muscles can be risky - why not just do gentle walking increasing to a slow jog for 10 minutes or so as your warm up instead?

    I also used to "wear in" my running shoes by wearing them to walk in on the odd day.

    Does it hurt to walk half a mile, how about a fast walk?  Do you land on your heel or mid/forefoot when you run (you could try the other to see if it less painful)?  Either way you should try to land on your foot under your centre of gravity not out in front of you.

    Maybe try shortening your stride?  180 footfalls a minute is apparently the most efficient and when I increased my cadence/shortened my stride I found it much easier.

  • could you maybe defer your entry till next year? I would definitely get your shoes checked at a running shop and they would probably analyse your gait on a treadmill. I agree with Daeve warm up with walk/slow jog at the beginning and stretch afterwards. Perhaps see a physio or sports therapist for advice. Good luckimage

  • My advice - if you can't run due to injury don't enter a half marathon - particularly one of the most expensive ones in the country.

    Off soapbox now. You need to work out what is causing the pain. Do your shoes fit properly? Are you running on a camber? How overwieht are you? What's your running history? Maybe a walk run program would be a good start rather than going out and running half a mile. (google couch to 5k)

    If you can't work out what is wrong get referred to a physio who may be able to help. Good Luck.

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