Beginner's Training Program

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Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10

Week 4: Soreness

Runner's Handbook Recommended Reading

• DOMS: Page 529
  
• Injuries: Chapter 35, page 494
  
• Questions To Ask When Injured: Pages 497-498
  
• Warning Signs For Injury: Page 509
  
• Injury Self Treatment: Pages 520-522
  
• Browse specific injuries Chpt 35
  
• Stretching & Injuries: Page 499
  
• Blisters: Pages 504-505
  
• Undertraining: Page 502
  
• Cross Training: Chapter 35, page 554
  
• Icing: Pages 520-522
  
• Questions To Ask When Injured: Pages 497-498
  
• Warning Signs For Injury: Page 509

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  Beginner Curriculum Textbook

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Oh those first few days of running are so exhilarating! Moving, sweating, a huff here, a puff there and at last you are finished with the workout and basking in the athlete's afterglow! Oh, but those first few weeks there's a price to pay! It's soreness!

Sore thighs and lower legs are especially common in beginners. This discomfort doesn't necessarily mean you're injured, but it can make running--even walking-- uncomfortable, slow you down, and may increase the risk of injury. DOMS often makes walking down stairs or sitting difficult. DOMS usually appears 2-24 hours after your workout and lasts from 4-10 days after a marathon. Peak discomfort is usually 48 hours after your run. Ease back or stop running while sore, damaged muscles heal.

Causes:

• Activity to which you are unaccustomed
  
• improper warm up or cool down
• inflexibility
• improper recovery after hard runs
• sudden increases in mileage
• speed
• hills

Treatment:

• Try light exercise to flush away waste products. Walking or non weight-bearing activity such as swimming or biking help recovery. Don't try to run if pain alters your form.
  
• Experiment with icing, massage, running on soft surfaces and stretching for relief.
  
• Warm baths or showers before workouts passively warm and loosen muscles.

General Beginner Guidelines

Run at least 3 days per week, but take off at least 1 or 2 days per week.

Run slow enough for conversation and fast enough for perspiration. Run slow with fast walking breaks.

Save hills and other terrain challenges for later. If you have to include hills, walk them until you are strong enough to run them.

Run for minutes, not miles. Your first goal is to build up to running 20 minutes non-stop. You can do this in 10 weeks by sticking to our program.

Warm-up with a 5-10 minute brisk walk. Cool-down with a 5-10 minute slow walk.

Flexibility is an important heath and fitness component as well as part of a good running program. Stretch when you are well warmed-up.

A Little More

Running Coach Shelly Glover has a master's degree in applied physiology from Columbia University. She co-authored The Runner's Handbook and The Competitive Runner’s Handbook, is a veteran road runner and marathoner. She also coaches The Greater New York Racing Team is available for private coaching. Coaching Services