another running ?

[Kimenem]

Starting at the same time I started doing the run/walk intervals, I began noticing a pain kind of in the back left side of my left leg, toward the top of the leg near the rear end (if that makes ANY sense). It doesn't feel like a muscle. I have it now when not exercising as well. It's definitely connected to other leg movements as I noticed today when doing squats, but I had also done with run walk thing prior. It's not painful to the point where I don't want to keep working out and I thought maybe I wasn't stretching appropriately. That's another ?: what kind of stretches should I be doing prior to running? Does this pain sound familiar. Surely I haven't already injured something.

 

[janie1234]

Do you warm up a bit before you run? I don't stretch before I run but I definitely HAVE to warm up.

 

[Kimenem]

Since I'm doing this at a high school track, we do one walking lap around the track before we run.

 

[lioness]

I don't like to stretch but I have to before I run. I do hip flexor stretches and stretch my hamstrings, quad and calves. I do about 5 to 7 minutes of stretching before I run.

 

[Kimenem]

I thought I remembered reading a post about a smiliar type of pain. I don't think it's the hip flexor since it's more in the back. Is there something called an IT band?

 

[Mckmain]

Your IT band goes from right under the knee along the outside of the thigh to your hip. If your pain is in the back of your thigh I would think a hamstring issue. Like the other posters said make sure you stretch before/after your run and warm-up well. A foam roller could help also. I love them for sore areas...

 

[maddiesmum]

I agree with Carole. It could also be a piriformis issue. Grab any book on running, or go to runnersworld.com, and you will find ample info on ideal stretching and strengthening exercises for runners.

Clare

 

[Kimenem]

Thanks everyone. I will definitely check out the stretches.