my calves are trying to kill me (Now with PICS!)

[SWScorch]

I ran the Utica Boilermaker 15K road race on Sunday. (that's 9.3 miles for the metric-impaired) Not only is that a pretty far distance to race, but I also wore racing flats, which have no heel to speak of, which puts more strain your calves than regular everyday shoes. I ran it pretty well, finished in an hour and 10 minutes, which is a 7:35 pace overall. Not too shabby, since it was so crowded that my first mile was 9:34. My previous personal best was 76:26, so that's almost 6 minutes faster.

But now, my calves are so tight, it hurts to walk. Stairs are like being strapped down in a torture chamber. Even my arches hurt, and it feels like if I curled my toes too tightly, the muscles under my arch would snap. And to think, I might run another 10K tonight and 10K tomorrow! Then a nice 12-miler on Sunday. Yeah, I'm a masochist

EDIT: Pics are up:

Photo 1
Photo 2

 

[Gurck]

You are not sane.

 

[maziwanka]

man. that is awesome. i hope i can get into shape like that after i quit work (and before i go to grad school)

 

[PanzerIV]

I couldn't run that far if my life depended on it.

 

[Atomicus]

Thats not healthy. Stretch your calves and pray that you don't have to run tomorrow. If you pull or tear something, you'll be VERY sorry that you kept going when your body is alreayd telling you not to. OR, drink lots of Red Bull

 

[wkabel23]

You don't strech enough. My calves were sore after the first few long distance races I ran but after more experience and more strecthing I rarely have that problem.

 

[SWScorch]

I didn't pull or tear anything, just strained them. It happens everytime I race more than a 10K in flats. If I do it enough, though, my calves will become strong enough and used to it so it won't bother me. But yeah, I've been stretching a lot, as they are really really tight.

And as for Red Bull, blech! I'll justs tick with regular ol' Gatorade

 

[JulesMaximus]

My wife ran the L.A. Marathon twice. This was a few years ago but that's 26 miles and she did it in a little over 5 hours IIRC.

 

[memo]

way to be on the race. Nothing like beating personal records.

Milage isn't too bad though, I used to do 90+ weeks with 15 mile sundays.

Haven't seen many 15k's though lately. Everyone does 10k's.

edit: wow just saw your first mile time, you must have been hittin a sub 7 clip for those last couple miles to make up for that.

 

[Atomicus]

Originally posted by: SWScorch
I didn't pull or tear anything, just strained them. It happens everytime I race more than a 10K in flats. If I do it enough, though, my calves will become strong enough and used to it so it won't bother me. But yeah, I've been stretching a lot, as they are really really tight.

And as for Red Bull, blech! I'll justs tick with regular ol' Gatorade

NOO!!!

MORE SHOOOO-GAR!!! :|

 

[SWScorch]

geez, 90+ mpw? :Q I'm trying to work up 50 mpw in preparation for XC season this fall. I'd actually love to do 70, as I love long distance runs, but I just don't have enough time.

I'm also going to run a marathon as soon as I graduate from college. The first one, I just want to run without any goal time, just to gauge the distance and how my body can take it. The second marathon I want to see how fast I can run. I'm positive I can run under 4 hours, and maybe 3:30 if I play it right.

 

[memo]

Originally posted by: SWScorch
geez, 90+ mpw? :Q I'm trying to work up 50 mpw in preparation for XC season this fall. I'd actually love to do 70, as I love long distance runs, but I just don't have enough time.

I'm also going to run a marathon as soon as I graduate from college. The first one, I just want to run without any goal time, just to gauge the distance and how my body can take it. The second marathon I want to see how fast I can run. I'm positive I can run under 4 hours, and maybe 3:30 if I play it right.

same here on the marathon/school issue. i'm pretty much in the same boat. Yeah alot of those runs were pretty easy paced for me. 6:30 or so for like 8 miles in the morning just to get alot of milage in. These a hard workout at night something like 4X1600 or something. If you run at a pretty leisurly pace for those "extra miles" you can build your milage in no time flat. This really helps me in my races toward the end of the season when I taper back to like ~30 miles a week. I don't feel as tired during the last 2k of a 10k.

 

[SWScorch]

6:30 for 8 miles? Damn! I can't even keep that kind of speed for a 5-mile race! Most of my long runs are done at an 8:30mm pace, with shorter runs (under 10 miles) at a 7:30 to 8:30mm pace

 

[xcript]

Oh, I thought you were talking about young cows.

 

[SWScorch]

well I was harassed by some cows on a cross country race once. Some kid actually ran into one coming around a hairpin turn. It was pretty muddy too, and apparently he fell down and slid under while it just looked at him and it took three officials to move it off the course.

 

[halik]

can you stand up straight? Last time i had problems like that i did heavy calf raises after not working the legs for about two months. 2 days afterwards i wasnt able to stand up with my heels flat on the ground. I had to take a day off work and walk around on my tippy toes

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: SWScorch
well I was harassed by some cows on a cross country race once. Some kid actually ran into one coming around a hairpin turn. It was pretty muddy too, and apparently he fell down and slid under while it just looked at him and it took three officials to move it off the course.

LMAO.... thats the best mental image in a while...

 

[SWScorch]

Woohoo! Pics!

Photo 1
Photo 2