HELP! my calf muscles...

[Shen Rules]

After any type of workout where there is anything near mile pace involved (or any racing for that matter) my calves get the worst knots and tightening pain for the next few days. I can even feel it on recovery runs afterwards. It is the worst, because ill workout on Thursday, and not even race till Sunday sometimes, and they are STILL tired and in pain when im warming up. It has definately been hindering my performance.
I have been going to my training room and getting massoges after the days after workouts but it seems to only slightly help the recovery process.
I am pretty sure the reason I am getting the pain is because I wear Nike Milers for races and workouts which, along with my natural stride, keep me on my toes a lot.

I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem and what they may have tried to do to deal with it. Icing multiple times a day? I stretch all the time and it doesn't seem to help. I'll listen to any suggestions.

[isleepwithjello]

YESS that exact same thing happened to me when I raced or did workouts and I'd be in pain for a few days after. I got heel lifts to put in my spikes or whatever shoes I had on while my calves hurt and since then I haven't had the problem again.

[cnick]

Take more fluids, do hot/cold whirlpools (if possible), stretch before and after, workout in road flats for a while, massages, and/or try ice cups......if none of this is helping, then you probably should seek professional help.

[trebor deer]

Why are you wearing spikes during practice? You don't get awarded for running fast times in practice. Your calves hurt because you are running like a sprinter for 400m repeats (assumption) What do you mean why do your calves hurt? It's obvious. Wear flats or regular training shoes during practice. Get in a hot whirlpool before practice to loosen your muscles, do a good warmup, at least 5 strides with a mile of slow running, THEN run. Afterwards do your cooldown then get in the ice bath.

Edit: Have you ever seen a distance runner run on his/her toes?

[AMBULOPHOBIA]

Why are you wearing spikes during practice? You don't get awarded for running fast times in practice. Your calves hurt because you are running like a sprinter for 400m repeats (assumption) What do you mean why do your calves hurt? It's obvious. Wear flats or regular training shoes during practice. Get in a hot whirlpool before practice to loosen your muscles, do a good warmup, at least 5 strides with a mile of slow running, THEN run. Afterwards do your cooldown then get in the ice bath.

Edit: Have you ever seen a distance runner run on his/her toes?

ur an idiot...please never post again...

and u do not know anything so please stop acting like you do

thanks

p.s. apparently u've never seen Chris Barnicle run...

[trebor deer]

No, I have never seen Chris Barnicle run. Who are you to say that I don't know anything? Are you Chris Barnicle? I have NEVER seen a distance runner run on his toes for the entire race.. maybe for the last 400, but not the entire race, I don't see the point.

[trebor deer]

I could barely understand your last post due to the lack of grammar. If you're going to call someone an idiot, at least do it to where I can understand it. In your post.. you reffered to my name being "an idiot" try using "you're". A comma wouldn't hurt either.

[trebor deer]

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/longdist/

[runshorty05]

Edit: Have you ever seen a distance runner run on his/her toes?

I do.

Not just the last 400, either, but for the WHOLE race (I run the 3200). I did it during XC, too.

I'm getting a little better about it though.

[trebor deer]

My point... none of the elites run on their toes.. at least that I have seen. I strike heel toe, or midfoot toe.. they don't run on their toes.

[trebor deer]

I know the cause of his incorrect grammar.. he listens to Underoath, and you can't understand what the hell they are saying either because they scream way too much.

[cnick]

My point... none of the elites run on their toes.. at least that I have seen. I strike heel toe, or midfoot toe.. they don't run on their toes.

You're an idiot for making that statement.

Very few elite runners land on the back of their heels when they run.

[s2h5k]

suzy hamilton runs on her toes. you calves are probably getting sore because you are training in bulky trainers, then when its time for your body to run "natural" like it does barefoot or in spikes, you are using a lot different muscles than your used to, so you get tight/sore. the same principle applies to the weight room. if your muscles arent used to it, youll get incredibly sore. try slowly transitioning into less of a shoe on a daily basis. once i started training in flats, my calves never got sore again and i wear spikes in all of my workouts.

[IrishBH]

you calves are probably getting sore because you are training in bulky trainers, then when its time for your body to run "natural" like it does barefoot or in spikes, you are using a lot different muscles than your used to, so you get tight/sore. the same principle applies to the weight room. if your muscles arent used to it, youll get incredibly sore. try slowly transitioning into less of a shoe on a daily basis. once i started training in flats, my calves never got sore again and i wear spikes in all of my workouts.
I use to have the same problem even with training in raod racing flats. To cure it I iced and instead of putting the milers on for workouts just do them in your flats for a week or so. Your calves will still be a bit sore due to working them hard but once the soreness decreases to a normal level start using your spikes for workouts again.

[Shen Rules]

Thanks guys.

Also, whoever it was that said Elite runners don't run on their toes... try running a mile under 4:20 without running on your toes a good part of the way.

And you race how you train, and I like to train with a race feel, thats why I wear spikes, not because I care about the times. As a matter of fact, in the track workout I did yesterday (which prompted me to post this query) I didn't even use a watch.

[trebor deer]

Idiot.. here is what I said..

My point... none of the elites run on their toes.. at least that I have seen. I strike heel toe, or midfoot toe.. they don't run on their toes.

[ToBeContinued]

NEVER EVER go in a hot tub before a run, unless you want to run the worst practice or race of your life...

[trebor deer]

Also, I never said they ran on the back of their heels. You can strike heel toe without landing on the backs.

I was talking about just your legs in the hot tub.. not your whole body..

[Swoosh]

Yeah, if you are just doing 400 repeats, you probably shouldnt wear your spikes. I know MANY elite runners that dont wear spikes in workout.

In track, many people do run on their toes for most of the race... but I have barely seen people run on their toes for a whole XC race. Thats one reason why we dont wear sprinter spikes for long distance, because it puts the runner on his/her toes more than they should be. That causes muscles soreness in the calves as well.

[trebor deer]

Exactly, what would be the point of wearing distance spikes during a race? They are made for you to strike heel/midfoot to toe.. because they have HEEL cushioning on them. If we were not supposed to run like this, distance spikes would not have the heel cushioning on them.

[trebor deer]

Shen, if you want a race feel.. why wouldn't you want to know your splits? In a race, they give you your splits. So you were missing one aspect of the "race"

[xcviking07]

I could barely understand your last post due to the lack of grammar. If you're going to call someone an idiot, at least do it to where I can understand it. In your post.. you reffered to my name being "an idiot" try using "you're". A comma wouldn't hurt either.
You spelled referred wrong. Idiot.

[trebor deer]

One word... there is medicine for OCD nowadays...

[kingofxc25]

i kno lots of runners that only run on their toes like a few sub 9:40 2mile guys and sub 4:20 guys and you are freakin ignorant goin on here sayin that no one does that or at least u havent seen anyone do that, u have seen everyone in the world so how can u say that, next time try and help out instead of trying to be mr informative and dont mess with my grammar

[trebor deer]

Ok. Sorry for being a jackass, it's just that I have never heard of anybody running on their toes, besides sprinters. I know a sub NINE guy, in high school, who strikes heel toe. I apologize for being rude.

I'll mess with whoever's grammar I want to mess with.

[cnick]

Shen, if you want a race feel.. why wouldn't you want to know your splits? In a race, they give you your splits. So you were missing one aspect of the "race"

The objective of a race isn't always about time. Sometimes it's about winning.

[trebor deer]

Sounds like denial...

[WangChung]

Sounds like you're dragging this entire thing on for much longer than needed.

[runshorty05]

My point... none of the elites run on their toes.. at least that I have seen. I strike heel toe, or midfoot toe.. they don't run on their toes.

If you made that comment in response to my post... you have no idea what my PR's are, I *could* be elite, for all you know. I'm not, so you were right, but if I were you I wouldn't go around assuming things like that.

[trebor deer]

I made a mistake.. please forgive me, all I ever wanted to do was to make ya'll happy.

[slowest kid on the team]

Trebor Deer, I wasn't going to coment on any of you ridiculous posts but then you kept making more and more of them, and even attacking people who were right when in most cases you were wrong.

Why are you wearing spikes during practice? You don't get awarded for running fast times in practice. Your calves hurt because you are running like a sprinter for 400m repeats (assumption) What do you mean why do your calves hurt? It's obvious. Wear flats or regular training shoes during practice.

There are many reason to wear spikes in paractice. Firstly, it's accepted by most people who know what there talking about, like excersice physiologists, coaches ....... that the close a runner can get to running barefoot, ie. spikes, the less chance they have of getting injured. Also although you are not rewarded for running fast times in practices, Shen Rules' Times for his workouts might be fast. Thousands of professionals, and millions of other runners wear sppikes in fast workouts and don't have sore calves.

I strike heel toe

Some people thought this was proper a couple decades ago, but now adays every one knows heel toe is on of the worst ways to strike. It cause excessive impact on your legs, joints ..... and every step is basically slowing you down because you land hard on your heel out in front of your body. Like Shen runner said try running a mile in 3:43 without MOST of it on your midfoot-toe, not as extreme as a sprinter, but definately not heel to toe.

You can strike heel toe without landing on the backs.

Could you demonstrate this some day, because im pretty sure your heel is the back of you foot.

I know a sub NINE guy, in high school, who strikes heel toe.

If this is true then he has a bad footstrike, just because hes sub NINE doesnt mean hes perfect in every way.

you could make all of the spelling and grammar corrections you want to because im sure i made mistakes.

[VoidSix]

Just because talented runners can run fast times on their toes doesn't mean running on your toes it the best for your form. It tenses up your calf muscles and wears out your quads much faster. For the most efficient form, you need to land on the middle of your foot. Period.

I know a guy who ran the 1600m-3200m double every meet. Half the time he wouldn't run the second event, complaining about his hurting calves. He ALWAYS ran on his toes.

[Shen Rules]

You may know a sub 9 guy who stikes heel to toe... but I know 10 that don't.
(just showing how unuseful your point is)

Just for case... I don't run on my toes in distance races... this happens to be an 8k...
http://athleticsmedia.quinnipiac.edu/athletics/photos/XC/NewEnglands-2004/pages/IMG_2074_JPG.htm

And so maybe I don't run on my toes in an 8k, but I happen to in almost all of my 800....
http://community.webshots.com/photo/286880710/286885201lsyuaA


I didn't ask for you to argue with me about what I should and shouldn't be doing regarding HOW I run... I asked about what is going to help the pain.
Running some of my workouts in flats, apparentlly is going to help. I am also going to take to icing at least two times a day and making sure I get that daily massoge. Thanks to those of you who have been helpful!

[s2h5k]

[QUOTE=VoidSix]. For the most efficient form, you need to land on the middle of your foot. Period.
[QUOTE]

what facts did you have that supports this? obviously youve done a lot of research to state it as a plain fact. what is efficient for one person may not be efficient for someone else. and peoples calves get sore because there calves are not strong enough. running in bulky trainers shortens your achillees tendon and calf and when you run in spikes, the muscles now fully contract. when people arent used to that, they get sore. people just cant run on their calves because they arent strong enough. do sprinters run on their heels? what would the world record be if they did? i used to not be able to run anything under 800m on my forefoot, now i run almost everything on my forefoot. and trebor deer, suzy hamilton runs on her toes. is she elite?

[watchout]

There is nothing wrong with wearing your spikes during interval workouts.

That said, if icing/heating and massaging doesn't work, and then maybe it is because you don't have enough sodium in your system. Maybe you should try taking a shot of soy sauce (I know it sounds gross, but it works) to fix this.

[slowest kid on the team]

what facts did you have that supports this? obviously youve done a lot of research to state it as a plain fact. what is efficient for one person may not be efficient for someone else. and peoples calves get sore because there calves are not strong enough. running in bulky trainers shortens your achillees tendon and calf and when you run in spikes, the muscles now fully contract. when people arent used to that, they get sore. people just cant run on their calves because they arent strong enough. do sprinters run on their heels? what would the world record be if they did? i used to not be able to run anything under 800m on my forefoot, now i run almost everything on my forefoot. and trebor deer, suzy hamilton runs on her toes. is she elite?


Do some research about what is considered by excercise pphysiologists to be the most efficient form and you find that striking midfoot is part of it. And also just because ONE great runner runs fast with bad form doesnt mean the bad form "the most efficient for them" there is a universal "perfect form"

[nikezoomboy]

I think it really depends on what your doing. I run my 400s and 800s all on my toes, and when I run the mile I don't (except the sprint)

[s2h5k]

what exercise physiologists have done reports on the "perfect, universal form?" last time ive checked, exercise physiologists and other scientists are the ones who are ruining running. geb runs with his left arm lower than his right and he just does fine. you worry about form, ill worry about training.