RUNNING PAAAIN!!

[Stu Merckx Man]

couldnt get out on the bike this week so i went for a run. unfortunatly about 40 minutes in and my muscles felt like they were bieng ripped off my legs, it was only my qauds... it was so excruciating i had to walk, but onyl just! i could barely support my own legs.

this happened once before a couple of years ago when i was doing a lot of cycling, then i went for a run and i got the same feeling...it goes within a day but untill then its agonoy. im pretty sure its linked to cycling as this never happens when i used to do cross country.

anyone had any experience of this or heard or know anything about it?

thanks,
stuart

[Ian A4size]

Stu,
when you cycle you get "bike fit" and use those muscle groups, running however uses your legs as well but relies on different groups and you are supporting your whole body weight ( not too much in your case).
Start off by doing a gentle build up- never mind how good you were when you used to run a lot - your body has already forgotten that - now you.r a cyclist . It does not matter how fit you are it will always hurt if you do something different.

[Kasper]

Hiya Stu,

Something very similar happens to me whenever i go out for a run. Even though it seems you're doing a relatively less intense period of exercise the strain it seems is a lot greater on your leg muscles in a whole different way causing that aching feeling that doesn't go away. Can't explain it any better but think you're right must have something to do with your muscles being completely unused to being used in the running mode.

Perhaps Toks could give us a better description of this strange phenomena?

In the meantime I'll dig out my copies of cycling plus and see if Joe Beer Sports Phsyiotherapist has anything to say.

[Stu Merckx Man]

thanks for that...im just re assured im not alone .

i think yeh ill just have to run a lot softer and slower for a while to build it up again...but to show how quickly it goes away its nearly gone now and i only got back at about 6pm.

ian i suppose i feel rather complimented by my body--->im becoming a cyclist

but i have to say this cycling must be doing the world of good for my lungs and heart, i felt fantastic, i think its the fastest ive run that bit of my run ever!

thanks alot,
stu

[Andrew G]

[quote]it was only my qauds

[Stu Merckx Man]

haha no chance andrew!

i think you hit the nail with the 'bounce' bit. i could feel something along the lines of that before it started seriosely hurting.

im not worried about not bieng able to run great distances any more. ill only do it once in a while if a can't get on the bike all week, its just something convienient to keep the lungs and heart ticking over in the dark.

and should i worry about this over development?

cheers,
stu

[Gavin]

stick to cycling.

keep it simple stu.

[Andrew G]

No need to worry Stu. Over development only in the sense that they develop more than a "normal" person, whatever that is, who wants to be normal.
These muscles won't develop too much unless you do weights or specific exercises to increase them (like a track sprinter with thighs the size of my waist!). Your leg muscle size will plateau otherwise people who've cycled all their life would look very strange. As with everything to do with your body everyone is different. Some people (normally taller and slimmer) tend to have leaner looking legs, while others (normally shorter and stockier) tend to have more muscled looking legs. More defined leg muscles won't always mean stronger, as the way and efficiency in which an individuals muscles work will also differ.

[Stu Merckx Man]

cheers everyone , youve all put my mind at rest.

thanks
stu