Support to run again (Read 507 times)

Help I need to start running again. I was running three times a week and feeling pretty good (see log), when I started to have some hamstring issues - sore hamstrings behind my knee. Stretching helped that a lot when bam, I hurt my calf muscle. I really don't know what went wrong, I ran Tuesday, woke up Wednesday in pain. I was running a lot in ice and snow and I think that I couldn't really run loosely, I was always tense from worry about going on my butt (though I actually only did that when walking on my off running days.) I have rested for three weeks, everything feels fine, running around the park with my kids chasing the dog (well, really encouraging him the follow his ball) dosen't hurt. I can walk just fine I know I'm ready to run. I plan on taking it slow, warming up more (walking a good ten minutes) and running in the afternoon when it's warmer and my body has warmed up from moving around all day, but quite frankly I'm nervous. I was going to go out on Monday, and plain chickened out. Everything tells me that I can get back out there, but I guess I needed to confess this so I will really do it. Anyone else suffer from nerves - fear that you'll end up hurt again?

Susan, I know what your going through. I strained a groin muscle while running in the snow during a 10k on New Year day and was out of action for almost 4 weeks. I started to run again but still had a slight pain in the same general area. Then I came down with pnemonia and have been out another 2 weeks. I started running again on Sunday and have done 3 miles each of the last 3 days. I don't have any pain while running but still a slight pain afterwards. I would say start back but warm up well and stretch before and after. Go slow and don't push too hard. A nice easy pace and low miles. Test it, see how it feels and take it from there. Good luck.

I'm voting against stretching. If you must, warm up first, and then stretch very gently, like a cat. Arla