Ouch A leg cramp in both legs!

I jogged farther yesterday than I have to date. almost 2 miles!! yayy.
Well last night I had a major cramp wake me up. It was the front muscle
of my leg running down to the top of my right foot. I started rubbing and
cursing. It hurt like hell. I havent had a cramp in forever. Well the
rubbing wasn't working so I stood up to walk it out. I'll be darned if I
didn't get a cramp in the other leg with the same muscle. So there I was
yelling and cursing in the middle of the night.(loudly)Rubbing walking
and cursing and more yelling. It was funny exept the fact that I was in
pain. The reason it was funny is because both of my dogs started barking
and howling at me. It was to say the least a musical trio to the tone
deaf only. The cramp finally subsided and I was able to go back to
sleep. I felt the muscle on my right leg tighten throughout the night
periodically so I really didnt sleep that well. My legs are very sore
this morning as I type. I guess my body is just telling me I over did it
yesterday. Anyways I just wanted to share. peace!!

P.S. yes I get enough potassium and such. I just overdid it I am
thinking. And my jogging form is debatable. Anyone got a good site for
proper form while jogging. I mean I wasnt able to jog from about the age
of 10 or so to this year. So I had to learn how to jog as strange as that
may sound. You would think running a jogging would come natural.
((shrugs))

--
JP.
158 lbs gone forever!!
---------------
starting 365
current 207
goal 200
hieght 6'3"
27 male

NC In Da House
---------------

Ouch, it sounds like you got 2 charley horses. Anyway, I am not a
runner/jogger... but did you stretch your legs out before and after the
run??? That could help the leg muscles stay loose and not cramp up like
that.


"alien" wrote in message
88.18...
I jogged farther yesterday than I have to date. almost 2 miles!! yayy.
Well last night I had a major cramp wake me up. It was the front muscle
of my leg running down to the top of my right foot. I started rubbing and
cursing. It hurt like hell. I havent had a cramp in forever. Well the
rubbing wasn't working so I stood up to walk it out. I'll be darned if I
didn't get a cramp in the other leg with the same muscle. So there I was
yelling and cursing in the middle of the night.(loudly)Rubbing walking
and cursing and more yelling. It was funny exept the fact that I was in
pain. The reason it was funny is because both of my dogs started barking
and howling at me. It was to say the least a musical trio to the tone
deaf only. The cramp finally subsided and I was able to go back to
sleep. I felt the muscle on my right leg tighten throughout the night
periodically so I really didnt sleep that well. My legs are very sore
this morning as I type. I guess my body is just telling me I over did it
yesterday. Anyways I just wanted to share. peace!!

P.S. yes I get enough potassium and such. I just overdid it I am
thinking. And my jogging form is debatable. Anyone got a good site for
proper form while jogging. I mean I wasnt able to jog from about the age
of 10 or so to this year. So I had to learn how to jog as strange as that
may sound. You would think running a jogging would come natural.
((shrugs))

--
JP.
158 lbs gone forever!!
---------------
starting 365
current 207
goal 200
hieght 6'3"
27 male

NC In Da House
---------------

alien wrote in
88.18:

I jogged farther yesterday than I have to date. almost 2 miles!! yayy.

Has this been a gradual increase?

Well last night I had a major cramp wake me up. It was the front
muscle of my leg running down to the top of my right foot.

This is not a normal location for a cramp. Usually leg cramps from
running are along the back of the leg or the gastrocnemius (calf) muscle.
Since while running you are constantly pushing off with the ball of the
foot, this causes a repeated contraction of the gastrocnemius muscle.
Since you are describing the pain as originating from the front of the
leg (shins, or tibialis anterior) this makes me wonder if this is
actually shin splints that you are experiencing. The pain will sometimes
occur at the beginning of a run but later subside.

In any case, as others have said, stretching will help. Especially after
the run. But since I'm not sure which muscles you are complaining about,
I can't recommend a specific stretch for you.

The most important preventive strategy for any injury is not to repeat
the mistakes that lead to the injury. A few things to consider:

1) Shoes - Are you wearing shoes made specifically for running? Are they
designed specifically for your running style and weight? Are your shoes
worn out (how many miles logged on them?).

2) Running Surface - Are you running on asphalt, cement (sidewalks),
grass, dirt, or a treadmill?

3) Training Volume - How many miles per week are you running? What is the
length of your longest weekly run? Have you been maintaining less than a
10% weekly increase

4) Running Intensity - What is your running pace? Have you suddenly
increased the pace? Do you run up and down hills?

Shin Splints - http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/shin.html

Gastrocnemius -
http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas2/gastrocnemius.html

Tibialis Anterior -
http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas2...santerior.html

Anyone got a good site for proper form while jogging.

Here's a site - http://tinyurl.com/3goyl

Other than that, I suggest you post any running-specific questions to
rec.running.

Phil M.

--
"Pain is temporary: the success it brings can be everlasting."
-fortune cookie

"alien" wrote in message
88.18...
I jogged farther yesterday than I have to date. almost 2 miles!! yayy.
Well last night I had a major cramp wake me up. It was the front muscle
of my leg running down to the top of my right foot.

My trainer gave me some stretches for the front part of the calf. He said
most people only stretch the back muscles and forget to do the front.
Stretching the area after running (when the muscles are warmed up) may help

P.S. yes I get enough potassium and such. I just overdid it I am
thinking. And my jogging form is debatable. Anyone got a good site for
proper form while jogging. I mean I wasnt able to jog from about the age
of 10 or so to this year. So I had to learn how to jog as strange as that
may sound. You would think running a jogging would come natural.
((shrugs))

http://www.runnersworld.com/home/nr/...site=NewRunner

Jenn

"Phil M." wrote in message
...

Other than that, I suggest you post any running-specific questions to
rec.running.


But whatever you do, don't take advice from anyone named MacElroy (on
rec.running).

Jenn

Yes, I vote shin splints too. Also, I get horrible leg cramps if I am not
careful about drinking enough water. Dehydration can do it as well. Two
legs at once...that hurts!

Elise
"JMA" wrote in message
...

"alien" wrote in message
88.18...
I jogged farther yesterday than I have to date. almost 2 miles!! yayy.
Well last night I had a major cramp wake me up. It was the front muscle
of my leg running down to the top of my right foot.

My trainer gave me some stretches for the front part of the calf. He said
most people only stretch the back muscles and forget to do the front.
Stretching the area after running (when the muscles are warmed up) may
help

P.S. yes I get enough potassium and such. I just overdid it I am
thinking. And my jogging form is debatable. Anyone got a good site for
proper form while jogging. I mean I wasnt able to jog from about the age
of 10 or so to this year. So I had to learn how to jog as strange as
that
may sound. You would think running a jogging would come natural.
((shrugs))

http://www.runnersworld.com/home/nr/...site=NewRunner

Jenn

Dehydratation is actually the #1 reason. When you're new to sport, it's
*very* easy to get dehydratated! The rules if that if you're thirsty, it
doesn't mean you need water, it means you have been needing water for a long
while and that you need it *badly* now! Thirst is a pretty poor regulation
system, it tends to trigger way too late... Also, try to drink water at room
temperature while exercizing, not iced - iced water delays the gastic
emptying until the water is warm enough for the intestines.

You can also try to drink sparkling water (not soda!), especially the
heavily carbonated ones; this helps the acidity level in your bloodstream,
and helps recover whatever you lost by sweating (calcium for instance). This
also help with eliminating wastes from your bloodstream which are increased
both by exercice and weight loss (urea, uric acid...).
If you are over-weight and have not practiced in a long while (which seems
to be your case), you might consider having a blood checkup as well.
Potassium is a candidate, but you should also have uric acid and urea
checked, since it can cause tendinitis (but also muscle pain) and these
levels are aggravated by dehydratation.

You might also consider doing something a little softer for your body. There
seems to be a medical consensus that many benefits of exercising (blood
presure, blood lipid, glycemia...) are not intensity linked, but duration
linked. Meaning that walking 1 hour might be much better for your health
than running 15 minutes before getting exhausted. Walking remains the
healthiest form of sport. It's low impact, it's natural, it's free, and it's
something you can do as part of your daily routine - just park that car
farther from work, walk to your friends', walk to have lunch... So, you
might start by walking 30 min a day, and then 1 hour. Then, once you don't
feel tired anymore, you can start walking faster. And faster. Then, you will
actually start jogging on your own, because walking just feels too easy...
But at that point, you will already have developped your leg and buttock
muscles from all the walking, and improved your stamina.