Advice for new runners

[user1465146157]

I have never liked running but as gyms are closed and I need to lose some weight I've started the Couch to 5k thing

Massive for me as I never run. Got through the first week and it's been good but my problem isn't the actual run but some pains that come on during it.

Yesterday my groin / thigh area really started to hurt as I ran which was a new pain and hurt quite a bit when I got home.

Is it just because I'm using new muscles? Will it get better? I'm pretty sure I can carry on with the running bit so would be a shame if an injury or pain stopped me literally in my tracks.

Any advice on what I might be doing wrong please send your ideas - also if there are particular trainers I should look at maybe?

Totally new to this!! But want to continue and achieve something

Thank you

I was a non runner 3 years ago a d started with a group and now love it. I can run a half marathon and I'm 56! However, enough about me. You will be sore to start as you'll be using muscles that you've not used before. Make sure you stretch before and after a run. I use Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube. She has Pre and post run videos and they only take about 15 mins. Make sure you have trainers that are supportive (and a bra too). I went to a specialist running shop and they check your gait on a running machine and recommend suitable shoes based on your running style. I know that's probably not an option at the moment but keep it in mind. And finally, try not to go too fast. I was guilty of trying to run too fast too soon. Just go for a plod and your stamina will soon improve. Hope this helps.

Pain during running is not a great sign, OP. It's natural to ache afterwards and that will change over time as your body gets used to it. But I'd be concerned if it's during the run.

Do you also experience pain or discomfort when walking long distances? Like the previous poster said, make sure you warm up and cool down. Also you can stop half way through and stretch and see if that helps?

New niggles when you start running are totally normal. You just have to learn to run through mild discomfort, because it's just your body adjusting and it passes... whereas pain should be taken seriously and force you to rest.
Next time, consider whether it's proper pain, or just a niggle. If the former, then stop and rest until it's passed. If the latter, it's just teething issues and we all get them!

Don't forget to warm up for 5 mins before each run, and get some decent cushioned, neutral, running shoes. No need for gait analysis at this stage (you don't really have an established gait yet!) so just a shoe that is comfortable, not overly built up (ie not a support shoe) and not overly minimalist either. Sportsshoes have loads at v good prices. If you don't want to spend much, try the Saucony Jazz or Triumph - they come in at under £50 for last year's models. Good luck!

@fellrunner85 has ace advice as always.

Growing/thigh pain suggests perhaps hip flexor pain? Have a Google, and if it is your hip flexor(s), it’s potentially fairly easy to manage. It may be tight hip flexors of weak hip flexors - they need different approaches but youtube can provide both.

Otherwise yes - dynamic stretching and walk up, cool down, and give it time. Your body is built for running, it wants to, it just needs to get into practice with it.

@fellrunner85

Can I ask what you mean re 'not having an established gait yet'?

@Eckhart When the vast majority of people first start running, they land heavily on their heels; their feet roll inwards; they slump forwards; etc. This is totally normal and exacerbated by the fact that most new runners are quite slow, and are finding the run sections difficult.
It's hard - if nigh on impossible - to pull up straight, kick your heels back towards your bum, get a triple extension in the back leg, land lightly on the midfoot etc, if you're running slowly, struggling to keep going,
and also stop/starting with walking intervals. One of my previous run coaches once said to me that the best running form you'll ever see is in a parent sprinting to save their child from danger. Which makes sense...and is also the total opposite, in terms of speed, of someone doing a run interval in c25k.

This is why if anyone doing c25k, or other new runners, go for gait analysis, nine times out of 10 they'll be told they need support shoes to "correct" their overpronation and heel striking. And nine times out of 10 it's bollocks. That same runner will naturally develop a smoother, lighter, running form as they get quicker and are running steadily for 30+ minutes. Losing weight makes a massive distance too. From personal experience, landing lightly on my feet is a lot easier now I'm 9st than when I was 11+ stone.

Getting support shoes too early on can create big problems and refer injuries elsewhere. Much better to have a good, cushioned, neutral shoe, at least until c25k is over and running for 30 minutes several times a week feels easy and natural. At that point, runners could start thinking about specialist shoes if they're still needed - but far fewer people will find them necessary IME.

@fellrunner85

Thanks for your thorough reply. It's interesting. So you think that novice runners should continue to run with poor gait and no instruction or support? I'd have thought that gait analysis should include attention to these details, wouldn't you? Certainly when I've had mine done, they've asked if I'm an experienced runner, wanted to look at my old shoes etc. Do you think gait analysis is generally done inadequately?

No expert on the pain here but as someone who took up running in her fifties a few years ago, I would say run slowly...then slow down some more...and enjoy it. I struggled with 20 minutes on a treadmill at first and now regularly run 10-14k outside happily. Get into the swing of it, sort any niggles, build distance and frequency up slowly - and then think about pace - if you want to.

run slowly...then slow down some more

This is a brilliant tip. So many who are new to running think that running means 'sprinting'. Learning to pace yourself is a massive part of the challenge of becoming a runner.

Definitely slow down (although running slowly and comfortably is a skill that takes time to develop)

Even if you're going slower than your walking pace if you are "running" it counts.

Try to do some basic non impact exercises (squats, lunges, glute bridge) slow and steady rather than jumping around Joe Wicks stuff.

Second Yoga with Adriene. Makes a real difference to my suppleness and general comfort.

so you think novice runners should continue to run with poor gait and no instruction or support

No, not at all. Quite the opposite. There's some fantastic advice on Runners World and other sites on how people can improve their running form, right from day one.

What I wouldn't suggest, though, is that people think "oh, I overpronate and therefore I'll always overpronate, therefore I need to buy corrective shoes." Because small adjustments to form, combined with speed and experience, will make the biggest difference.

Some good tips here:
www.runnersworld.com/beginner/a20811257/proper-running-form-0/

And no, I don't think gait analysis is always inadequate. That's not at all what I said. I've had great gait analysis from my podiatrist, from physios, and occasionally in running shops.
But gait analysis in shops, let's remember, is usually done by people trying to sell you expensive shoes. And as new runners usually have poor form, it's hardly any surprise that they're directed towards a pricey "solution."

But gait analysis in shops, let's remember, is usually done by people trying to sell you expensive shoes

That's what I was getting at.

And yes, it's a good idea for new runners to study form, so that they can get into good habits from the off.

I recommend a forefoot or midfoot landing @user1465146157, maybe have a bit of a read around about it. It means you use your natural suspension system (ie your ankle/foot flexibility and strength) rather than crashing down impactfully on your heel.