Over the past month or so, I've started developing problems with charlie horses (leg cramps). I'd be sleeping peacefully in my cozy bed, probably dreaming of some great running feat, when all of a sudden - WHAMMO! I'm wide awake, bolt upright in bed, grabbing at the pillow and sheets, trying my darnedest not to scream and cuss so I wouldn't wake up my husband. For anyone who's ever been woke up by a charlie horse, you know exactly what I mean. I was rendered immobile - except for my mouth, which just wanted to scream obscenities (totally unlike me, for the record) - until I could manage to straighten out my leg and flex my foot long enough to stretch out the calf muscle that was involuntarily contracting.
I didn't think much of the first one at all. I have experienced the occasional charlie horse now and then, and assumed this was no different. I took it easy the next day until the muscle relaxed and returned to normal. The following week, I found myself bolt upright in bed again, calf muscle throbbing in pain as I tried not to scream. It just so happened to be the other leg this time, and I thought I just must be pushing myself too hard. Again, I took it easy for a day or two and went back to my regular schedule. I even kicked up my water intake a notch, just in case (even though I drink loads of water these days - I swear I get up to pee at least 5-7 times a day just while at work). Overall though, I really didn't give it another thought.
Cue week three - and with it, charlie horse #3. I couldn't believe it. In case my earlier description wasn't clear enough, this is not a pleasant way to wake up at night. And a sore calf muscle the next day isn't really fun either. This couldn't continue. I tried to do some online research and pay attention only to the articles from seemingly valid and respectable sources, but they all said the same things - drink more water and eat more potassium. The thing is - I had never eaten so many bananas in my life before as I had this last month, and I've already mentioned how much water I drink. I just couldn't accept that these were my solutions.
Knowing I had some running friends and friends in the medical field, I reached out to them via Facebook for some advice (not normally my style - but I was desperate). I got a couple old wives tales, along with a suggestion to trying stretching more before and after running, and another to take a daily multivitamin, as I may be lacking in other essential vitamins and minerals that could cause leg cramps too.
Wait - stretching before and after running? I'd always stretched afterwards (maybe just not enough), but I have never ever stretched before running. I'm not really sure why, but I'd always had this idea in my head that you just didn't stretch before you ran. I can't pinpoint exactly why I felt that way or where I might have heard that, but that was truly what I thought. I usually just walked for a few minutes before a run. Hmmmm....these people seemed to know more than me, so I started incorporating a short stretching regimen into my pre-run routine. And guess what? No charlie horse the next week. Or the week after! Amazing!
But wait - something else seemed to be changing too. I was suddenly getting the sense that my legs were very tired as I ran. And quickly. I would feel my legs start to get tired within the first half mile of a 5k run - and a 5k run that my body was used to. Running was feeling much more difficult these days, and even though it felt so difficult, I was actually running slower. So the tiredness wasn't from running faster or farther. Must just be going through a slump.
One day I got curious and did some more online research about stretching. I couldn't remember why I thought I didn't need to stretch before running, and it was bothering me. So I got cozy on my couch with my laptop, expecting to find a myriad of articles about needing to stretch before I run, since that seemed to be the popular opinion on Facebook. Boy was I surprised. I found the exact opposite, including some rather scientific studies done on runners, which seemed to prove that you actually shouldn't stretch before running.
As I read more and more, my earlier idea about not stretching before running was gaining more and more validation - even if I didn't know where it came from to begin with. It turns out that many of the studies done showed that static stretching (stretching and holding a pose for a length of time while standing still) could actually be detrimental to a runner's performance. It would decrease their overall efficiency and make them tire more quickly. I didn't understand all the scientific mumbo jumbo, but it was all coming together now! When I thought back on my running over the past couple weeks, the quick tiring of my legs began around the same time as when I started stretching pre-run. Could it really be....??? I was a bit skeptical, but decided I would follow the advice in all the articles and go back to a dynamic warm up ("stretching" out the muscles by warming them up through less intense movement - aka walking). Surprise!!!! I immediately felt better. No more tired legs (except on occasion, which I would expect).
I couldn't believe it! Who would have thought? But there was a nagging little voice in the back of my mind that kept worrying about the impending doom of another charlie horse if I didn't stretch before I ran. I decided to take my chances, and just in case, I beefed up my post-run static stretching (apparently the appropriate time for that time of stretching), continued high water intake, and started taking a women's multivitamin a couple days a week. So far, so good. No charlie horses in over a month now!!!! And no static stretching before I run. I guess there's more to the art of running than I once thought. This beginner is getting a fast lesson!
Here is one of the better articles I found on dynamic vs. static stretching for runners - found it very eye-opening and insightful. Enjoy! http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19229
No comments:
Post a Comment