I guess my question is pretty simple. How can you judge whether a pain is one associated with potential injury?

I was running this morning, after running twice yesterday, and I began to feel a tugging\spasm effect close to the the calf bone, or whatever you call it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I'm interested in pushing my body, for both the physicial and mental staminia gain, but how will I know when I'm on the verge of overdoing it, in running or other exercises? I've heard over and over agian, "listen to your body." My body screams at my brain, accusing it of all sorts of terrible things, when I push it further than it wants to go. How in the world can I continue to do this, and know when my body realy does need to stop?

P.S. Is running twice a day overdoing it?

I have the very exact same question. I want to get tough, but I also want to be smart and stay injury free. It is imperative to be tough to be successful, but where is the line crossed?

Alright well first off how long have you been doing your running program? I can tell you to begin with that you shouldn't start off a running program with a running day one after the other, let alone running twice in a day. Running four times in two days in a row is pretty harsh on the body. If you're just beginning, the most you really want to do is 3 times a week, one day of rest in between. I'm not sure why you feel the need to run twice in a day, other than a schedule you may have to stick to. You might consider instead of running twice to simply up the time you run once in a day. Running twice a day is by all means alright, in my opinion, only if your'e an experienced runner and have given your body plenty of time to adjust to the wear and tear your body will get from doing it. Going in slowely in the end will save you infinintly more time than charging in too fast. I can speak from expereience, as can many people on this forum. I lost 8 months of real run time from starting too fast too soon.

If you're getting the same pain in the same spot every run then it's time to slow down a lot, or stop and rest it. Use ice right after you run. You should not be experiencing any pain in that area days later, short of muscle soreness, and even that should be next to nothing after your first couple weeks of running. Anything short of muscle soreness is not something to disregaurd.

SERE SPECIALIST asked you the correct question; therefore, answer his questions. As a strength and conditioning coach, I have had athletes perform two a day runs. You really need know what you are doing! You can cause a lot of orthopedic injuries!
Train smart, then train hard. If you train smart, you will train hard.

I've been running for 3-4 months. Prior to that, I have no running experience.

I'm not experiencing specific pain, although by Thursday my calves feel pretty torn up. Am I wrong in attributing this to normal pain, or should I be laying off when my legs get to that point?

I feel tempted to run twice a day because I'm working on push-ups, and some other cals. In order to get a decent number, I have to do tons of low count sets. It isn't praticial for me to randomly drop and do a set of push-ups every hour, so I've devoted an hour to walking down our hilly, two mile road, and doing push-ups along the way. I find running up hills, and jogging back down to be quite challanging, and completly different from track running. Since I run early every morning, my body is partialy recoverd by the time I go for my evening walk.

I feel as if I'm not maximizing return by devoting an hour to walking when I could be running. At the same time, I'm wary of injury, and since I'm relativly new to any type of workout program, I'm trying to approach the subject with caution.

Currently I run three miles in the morning, and generaly throw in a mile and a half of warm up\cool down time. I added hill running one evening, and the next morning when I ran I had the tugging\spasm effect on my left calf.

You need to do some searching on this website to exercise PROPERLY! You are setting yourself up for injuries!!!!

I apologize for wasting time and server space posting what has already been answered in many places.

And I failed to mention I'm just running every weekday.

For any wannabe's with the same type of question, according to a running book I am currently holding in front of my face, many injurys are not noticable until waking up one morning after the leg muscles have contracted. Reading this, and reading some of the horror stories from those who have been injured, I feel like a moron for not doing a little more homework on it before setting my schedule. I've concluded to try a 10K run prep course.

I guess the answer to my question is that injury very well may not be noticable until it is too late, hence it isn't a good idea to over-train.

Sorry again for not doing my research, and many thanks for the warning. I'll try and study things better next time.

Are you currently in the military? What are your physical goals?

[]Are you currently in the military? What are your physical goals?[/]

No, I'm not currently in the military. My short term goal involves conditioning my heart and lungs. My long term goals involve preparing myself for the running aspect of CCT school.

I've got a year to work with, but the quicker I get into running shape, the quicker I can focus my time an energy on other aspects of conditioning myself.

When you are a novice to physical training, you need to focus on ALL ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL TRAINING, AT THE SAME TIME!!! The body does not work separately. The human body work as one unit. Where are you getting your training knowledge from?

[]When you are a novice to physical training, you need to focus on ALL ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL TRAINING, AT THE SAME TIME!!! The body does not work separately. The human body work as one unit. Where are you getting your training knowledge from? [/]

I can't say my knowlage, what little there is, comes from one source. I've got a couple of books on running, one on fitness through casletics, one on crosstraining (Biking, Swimming, Running.)

I look at the physicial fitness as a war. For me, it is much more encouraging make an ample ammount of progress in one area than very little over several.

That said, I'm not isolating running. I try to do an acceptable number of push-ups and other cals during the day, and three times a week I get into the pool.

I planned on holding running as my number one priority until I was satisfied with my distance and speed. Then putting cals or swimming in front of the rest, while maintaining my running progress.

I generaly spend an hour each morning with a running\walking routine, throwing in some cals. In the evening I do more cals, and three times a week I swim a little. I wouldn't say I'm neglecting any part of my body, indeed, it is all getting more attention than it wants <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Is there anything inherantly wrong with this?

Yes, there is something inherantly wrong, with your program.

You are neglecting your core, posterior chain, and connective tissue. Just doing calesthenics are not going to help you. Since you want to do CCT, consult with RKC.

"I look at physical fitness as a war". First, get 'physical fitness' out of your mind, if you want to be an operator. 'Physical fitness' is for health clubs You have to have 'PHYSICAL COMBAT READINESS'! Second, you have no idea what 'war' is.

I am not trying to be mean, or sarcastic.

[] You are neglecting your core, posterior chain, and connective tissue. Just doing calesthenics are not going to help you. [/]

It looks like I've put way too little emphasis on educating myself on training. I'll do some research-are there any books\resources you specificially recomend?

[]First, get 'physical fitness' out of your mind, if you want to be an operator. 'Physical fitness' is for health clubs You have to have 'PHYSICAL COMBAT READINESS'! Second, you have no idea what 'war' is.[/]

I didn't mean to down a CCT's body condition to the little pampery "phyiscialy fit" term used to describe anybody less than 30lbs overweight, but the fact is that in comparison to what is required for a CCT, my first goal is physicial fitness. I had hoped to begin by getting to the point that I consider "fit," and from there going into CCT preperation.

[]I am not trying to be mean, or sarcastic.
[/]
Without revelation of ignorance, there is no education.

Many thanks for the advice, and I'll do more research...

Sheash, I always thought fitness required mental toughness, and consistant bodily exercise. Maybe I should take a course in biology. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Anatomy and physiology might do you better.

Do not forget kinesiology!!!