Learning to Stretch Effectively... My Right Leg Hurts!

This morning I ran another 6.5 km, bringing my total for the last 3 days up to 13 km, and I'm feeling a lot of tension in my right leg (but i got a personal record: 6.5k in 34 mins... that's exciting for me). My long left limb is fine... (yep, i'm talking about my leg) but that right leg of mine is bothering me a little more than usual, especially in the back of my quad (which i just learned is called my hamstring), and a bit in my calf. I'd like to get a massage tonight, but hey, I'd like to have a massage everynight :) Instad, maybe I should learn more about stretching, before I hurt myself.

I've been stretching every morning for the last week or so, but I just read that stretching before running might actually be counterproductive! I usually feel good about extending my muscles a little in the morning, and getting some flexibility back, but Fitlinxx.com suggests that stretching before warming up is less effective than stretching later. They write that the best time for runners to stretch is after the cool-down (a 5 minute walk or 5-10 minute jog at the end of a run). They also suggest warming up my muscles with a 5 min walk or 5-10 min jog as well. Hmmm.. i haven't been doing that at all. Actually, I tend to start out a little too quickly, and then i suffer around the 15 minute mark of my run. As a matter of fact, i usually finish my run with an uphill sprint, and then a 2 minute walk. I guess that needs to change as well.

The Fitlinxx site also provided me with some good stretching tips and stretches (which i'm going to do after i finish writing this, especially the ham stretch):

Keep these tips in mind when you stretch:

• Never bounce while stretching.
• Hold still on each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
• A stretch should never feel like you're hurting yourself. If it hurts, stop that stretch immediately. Include stretches for each major muscle group (lower back, hamstrings, quadriceps, inner thighs, outer thighs, calves, shins).
• Perform each stretch 1 to 3 times.
• Vary your stretches from time to time; don't do the same stretches in the same sequence each workout. A little variety gives your body new challenges, which improves its ability to adapt and ultimately increases overall flexibility.

Here are some great stretches for runners:
Hip Flexor - Step into a lunge position. Keep your toes pointed forward and your upper torso straight. When your right leg is forward, you should feel the stretch in the top of your left thigh. Hold 15 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Calf - Lean forward into a wall, with your rear foot about three paces out from the wall. Keep the heel of that foot on that floor. Feel the stretch in the calf of that leg, hold 15 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Quadriceps - Stand straight, lift one foot up behind you, and grab that foot with your hand on that side (left foot with left hand). You should feel the stretch in the front of that thigh. Hold 15 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Hamstring - Lie flat on your back, raise one leg straight up over your hips. (Keep the other leg either flat on the ground or bent at the knee - whichever is more comfortable for you.) Hold the upright leg with both hands behind the knee. Pull slightly until you feel a stretch in the rear thigh. Hold 15 to 30 seconds. Switch sides.

Coach Benson from PCCoach.com suggests 5 stretches, with 3 different ones than listed above, and he has pictures of what they should look like as well.

Josh Clark of CoolRunning.com suggests 12 stretches, includes diagrams, and mentions that stretching after a 5-10 min warmup AND after cooling down is the best option to keep our muscles in great shape.

My next run should be saturday, and i'd like to make it a looooong sloooooow one.. something like two hours long if possible. We'll see though, because friday is my colleague's last day in the office, and there may be a slight celebration. After a night with a few drinks, it might be a "just punishment" to go for a run, but i wouldn't want to hurt myself over the long term, so we'll see how i feel.

Until then, Happy Trails!

Starting to Run

Well, I don't know if this is a common theme in the beginning of a running career, but i didn't get involved in running simply for the love of the sport. Yep, you read that correctly. I'm not an aspiring ultra-marathon runner, and i'm not even anticipating a competition any time in the near future.

The story goes a bit like this: About six months ago, my girlfriend (now ex) and I bought running shoes, with the intention to make running a daily habit over the summer, but for one reason or another, we always seemed to find excuses not to run:

"It looks like rain"
"It's SUCH a nice day! Let's go sit in the park instead"
"I'm tired"
"You want to get up at WHAT TIME?"

And so on :))

And then we broke up.

Breakups are interesting, in that you find yourself with a LOT more free time than you had before! And in my case, I had free time AND brand new New Balance M406NR's. They're probably not even available in Canada or the US, but i like to pretend that they were specifically designed for running in Prague, Czech Republic, where I've lived for 1.5 years.

My first few runs were pretty painful. I'd have a good stretching session, run about 1.5 km to the edge of Letna Park, have another stretching session, run up the hill into a park over-looking the city, down a separate path, and back across the cobblestone streets to my apartment in the centre of Prague. I think the total run was about 2.5-3 km, and i'd do it in 20-25 mins. I'd stretch again when I got home, but still be in pain for 2-3 days afterwards. It was hard. And i was SO proud of myself.

Just the thought that I was getting out there and doing it, in the fall, even in bad weather, twice a week made me feel like a star. And everyone around me seemed so supportive! Athletic people seemed to come out of the woodwork, and we'd talk about paths to take, and debate the merits of running with someone versus running alone.

So far, I haven't run with anyone yet, but i really find my time alone refreshing! It's more of a personal initiative than a social activity right now, but we'll see if that changes in the future.

I ran that 3K circuit for about 3 weeks, until i realized that i was wasting my time. I could run to work instead of running around where i live! And i wouldn't have to take the metro, to the tram, to a bus, to the office. The run is even along the Vltava River, so i get a great view while i'm moving, and that's important for me.

I ran 5.25km along the river to the bus station twice, and felt pretty good afterwards, so adding a 1.5km hill climb up to the office to finish the run seemed like a good idea. And it was. My last two runs have been about 6.5 km (that's about 4.02 miles), in 36 and 38 minutes respectively. I'm no marathoner, but i get excited just thinking about my next run (which is tomorrow).

Does everyone feel like this when they start?
Should I be expecting a stage where i start to get bored with running?
So far, I feel better and better everytime i run, and i'm loving it!

I even decided to quit smoking, and haven't touched a cigarette for 11 days!

So, though I didn't start running for the love of the sport, running has definitely found root in my every-other-day routine, and I'm starting to see why so many people love it. Thank God that my office let's me arrive a little later when i need to :))