Working hard on changing running form, but my calves are killing me!

I am coming off laberal hip surgery about a year and a half ago. I am working hard on changing my running form as I have always been a heal striker in the past. I am focusing on landing on the mid to front part of my foot as Eric suggests. I am up to about 5km while still keeping good form. Problem is my calves are screamin for 2-3 days afterward. Just wondered if this was normal? Should I take some time to focus on strengthening my calves in gym? Or am I on the right track.

Thanks for your help!

3 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ben Brewer on August 14, 2012 at 7:15am

How long have you been concentrating on changing your form for and what kind of distances were you running previously? Maybe it's just that you're up to 5km in your new form before your calves are ready for it? I only say that as I know that's why my own calves were giving me grief when I first started focusing on my form - even though they felt fine during runs.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Klaren Alexander on August 27, 2012 at 8:51am

Hi Jason. When I decided to change form, I also had calf pains. I backed off of a full forefoot strike to more of a midfoot strike to ease the transition. Also, I think Eric's drills (ankle jumps and running in place) help strengthen the calves for a forefoot strike.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matt Wheeler on September 3, 2012 at 1:31pm

I had a very similar transition difficulty when I first started changing to a more fore foot strike. I've been running barefoot since I started running at the beginning of the year, so I've always had shorter, choppier steps, but it's been a mid foot strike, so the transition was also a little rough on my calves as well. I've found what works very well for me is stair training. I live in Las Vegas, so I have the advantage of lots of parking garages, but wherever you can find lots of stairs is a good place to start. I'll usually do drills where I run a flight of stairs, then run across the parking garage to the next set and run a flight up, rinse repeat till I'm at the top. Any sort of ankle drills that Eric talks about should work wonders as well. Keep it up, those calves will catch up!