Hi guys, i'm obviously new to the forum and new to running itself and have an issue with my legs aching like crazy after and during a run! I can do about 1-2km and they i pretty much have to stop and have a slight rest before carrying on. It's frustrating as i don't really feel particulary tired so the rest of my body wants to carry on longer. In one 'session' of running i do about 6-7km, not a lot i know but i'm not that fit at the moment, i think i could do more if it wasn't for my legs however. If i try another run within a day or two i get the same ache, my thigh muscles, quite soon into the run so i need a least a couple of days recovery time which is annoying. I have to confess i don't run on a road, it's a treadmill and i have bought running shoes. Is there a way to stop this, warm up etc. or is it just a matter of getting used to it? I am carrying a slight injury to my left toe at the moment and it's my right leg that seems to ache the most so could be i'm putting more pressure on my right leg without realising it?

Any help or advice would be appreciated?

Good morning and welcome to the running world.

The right leg pain is almost certainly as you are compensating for the injury to the toe. It might be worth just walking until it heals.

As to the rest. You don't say how long since you started or how fast you run but 7k is a good distance for a beginner. It is normal for a beginners legs to need to catch up and you need to be careful as overuse is common in beginners and can lead to injury.

As you build fitness you might want to limit your run at your current speed to 2k and be proud to complete it. You can then change other runs to a longer distance nut at a slower speed so that you can also complete them.

Don't forget to build in regular rest days and you will probably find your running far more satisfying and minimise the risk of injury. Fnally if you haven't already, have your run style checked at a specialist and invest in the correct style of trainer. Doing this now will pay many times over.

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0 - 14 Miles in 6 months, 2 hours, 13 minutes and 58 seconds.
Start weight: 18 st 4.. Current weight: 14 st 11.. Current Goal: Duchy Marathon, 8th March 2009

I agree with him.

You are still new to this as you say you body is a great thing for adapting to new situations but it does take time to adjust to increases in stress levels placed upon it. Don't give up hope it will come soon enough. Everyone on here would have suffered sore legs at the start and even from time to time as we increase distance/pace etc.

Welcome and keep up the good work.

Hi Cheeks,

The only other thing I'd say is that make sure you get plenty of water a day. A friend of mine was getting really aching legs during her runs and went to see a doctor friend who diagnosed this as the problem. I find it hard to drink two litres a day, but it really has helped me along the way.

Good luck :-)

The drinking of 2 litres a day isn't a problem for me, the problem is getting rid of it takes up so much of your day!!!

Hi Cheeks!!

I have achey legs too - but it does vary from time to time, which makes me think its all to do with how much mileage I have clocked up that week, as well as variables like whether I have drunk enough water or done a good enough stretching session! I have also read that iron deficiency in your diet can have an affect.... I am hoping to remedy this with vitamins as I don't get enough iron (not much red meat or 'leafy greens' in my food!) - for a woman this is really important as well. You really do have to drink like a fish though - it is really tiresome - but it will help (and drink even more if you are injured as well - so it aids the healing.)

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Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no I got to keep on movin' ...

O.k thanks for the advice guys, my legs are starting to feel a bit better now, although i'm going to have go to the doctors with my toe i think so i can't really start properly at the mo. I work out too, so i suppose my main aim for running is to lose any excess weight to tone up with it although getting fitter and healthy is obviosuly beneficial too, so i fit the running around that so i get rest days anyway.

also deep heat is your friend.

i kinda expect my legs to ache after running, so once ive showered etc i reach for the deep heat

I really used to suffer from almost permanently aching legs when I first started running, and just thought it was all part of the joys of exercise, and something I would just have to get used to.

I then read something about cold baths helping, so being the gullible fool I am I took the plunge (quite literally) and following my next run ran a stone cold bath and immersed by lower half for 10 minutes (Note: Make sure no young children or those of a delicate disposition are within earshot when first performing this manouver! ), and I do have to say it really did help and the following day, no achey legs

I now do it following all my long runs and find it really does help to keep the general aches at bay.

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all the joys under the sun wrapped up into one

i think the theroy is that the cold restricts the blood vessels in the muscles which in turn restricts the slight swelling that happens after excersice.

Love deep heat, both the feeling and the smell... but the OH hates it, and I always find it really hard to wash off in the shower!

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RF Winter Social @ Castle Combe - Judgement day has arrived
www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Lady Godiva Half Marathon' Race Report Added 27/10/08

Welcome to RF Cheeks.

Aching legs goes with the territory I'm afraid....you just have to get used to running with sore legs...as long as there's no actual injury that is.

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One small step for man.....

when i started i found that my legs ached a lot and i couldn;t even consider running two days in a row because of it. gradually thouhg this lessened off and now i find mine only really ache after a particularly long run.

making sure you ahve the right shoes for your gait is an absolute must though.

Just tried the cold bath thing as my hips were really stiff on the last mile or so of my run, and by jingo, it works a treat! Thanks for the tip, Summer Rain.

I was thinking of setting up a water butt or something in the garden that I could use as a sort of plunge pool, particularly in the winter when it'll be cold... though I have concerns it might soon go a little bit manky

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RF Winter Social @ Castle Combe - Judgement day has arrived
www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Lady Godiva Half Marathon' Race Report Added 27/10/08