Sore, from Running!?

I have never been a runner but I use the elliptical and I'll walk on the treadmill but yesterday I decided to heck with it, I'll do intervals. So it started at 3 min of walking at 3.5 mph and then 1 min at 5 mph, and it would go back and forth and every time decrease the time walking until it was 1 min to 1 min of each. I did that for 30 minutes and today my lower body and hips are so sore! Is this normal? I never thought cardio could make you sore.

You're doing too much, too quickly. You're not a runner (yet) - don't overdo it.

If you actually want to break into running, try a program like Learn to Run (which is based here on CC) or C25K. Promise me you won't ever do that at the gym again. That's a bit too much for a never-been runner...I don't care how in shape you are.

Breaking yourself into running helps prevent injury, disappointment, and burnout.

Of course cardio can make you sore...if you're not used to it, you're working different muscles or you are doing wayyy too much. Running is tough. If it isn't tough on you, you're jogging.

My KNEES take the brunt of my running :-(

Definitely normal.

 

When I first started running, my lower shins were sore the next day, just because they weren't used to being used like that.  I mean, honestly, when am I actually running for more than 30 seconds in everyday situations?  Not very often, if ever.  The soreness will go away as your body adapts.

I'v been running long distances for about 5 or 6 months now and there are still some day that after a 6 mile run that I am dead. My calves burn and my knees feel like they are being hit by a sledgehammer. And my hips..well they feel like I am 9 months pregnant with with triplets (not that I would know, just a comparison).

But anyway, this is usually toward the end of the week so it's my cue to take a day off. So take it easy and don't try to much too quickly! Shower, ice, and eat properly routinely if you want to keep it up. =)

Definitely too much, too soon. You need to stretch, too, after running-absolutely, without a doubt, essential. It won't eliminate soreness, but it will help you get to the point you can run without soreness most of the time. Any time you push yourself running, however-increasing speed or distance-you may feel a bit sore the next day.

BUT as goddess said, you need to back off and start a running program more gradually. Never increase your distance more than 10% in a week. Build a good base (being able to run comfortably for an hour) before you aim to improve your speed, if that is important to you. I've been a runner most of the last 30 years and I've never worried about improving my speed; I just like to run!

Good luck.

I agree with everyone else, plus I have been there myself.  When I first started my shins hurt so bad that I almost quit running altogether, but I realized I was doing to long of a distance at too fast of a speed with too big of a stride.  Sounds complicated, but the more you run the more you will get used to knowing what works best for your body.

It's normal to be sore after running.  Just today, I ran 16 miles and I feel like my legs are going to fall off of my body.  But I have built up to that level very steadily.  Just be patient and listen to your body.  No more than a 10% increase in mileage is recommended for beginners from week to week.

 

Good luck to you.

Way too much, way too soon. You're going to fast, probably with too long strides. A proper, sustainable run is really more of a shuffle. You also need some proper running shoes. Check out runnersworld.com and go to the beginner section and read.

Running impacts your joints and can be pretty detrimental to your knees and hips. You really shouldn't have  A LOT of pain in your joints a day after you run-  a little is ok if you're actually running- but be very careful. A lot of joint pain means you're doing something wrong and you could damage joints and ligaments permanently.

Original Post by jamminatorr:

Running impacts your joints and can be pretty detrimental to your knees and hips.

I beg to differ - my knees are stronger since I've started running. So are my shins and hips. I hate it when people try to tell me to not run so I can "save my knees", because if you weight train along with it, you're no worse for the wear.

I'll second goddess9. Before I started wogging I was having problems with my right knee (its a 20+ yr problem) and lower back. They twinged and let me know it the first few weeks of the C25K but about the end of the 3rd week or so they stopped bothering me. I now only wear an elastic brace for workouts and am thinking about trying to go without it. Lower back is stronger, but still tight after a wog, but sun salutations and other stretches ease that. I've noticed I can stand for quite awhile w/o back pain now. Longer than before starting wogging. The improvements are not all due to wogging, some of it is losing weight (down almost 30 lbs since Nov), but the most recent improvement is certainly wogging. I jogged 25 minutes this morning with no side effects and no knee or lower back twinges at all. Of course we'll see what happens 5 years from now...