Calves and Chest Hurt

I'm 60yrs old and I'm trying to start a small running program. I'm running on a treadmill and I'm trying to run (jog) a minute then walk a minute. But after the first/second cycle, my chest starts to burn and the back of my legs feels tight. Is this normal? I do yoga, and I do walk.

– Linda, Trenton Michigan

Answer by Dom: Linda, great to hear you are picking up running — and a minute running, a minute walking is exactly the approach I always advocate for beginners. The tight backs of your legs sound like a normal part of getting used to running, but I can't tell what the burning in your chest is, so I'd like you to have it checked before you carry on.

1. See your physician first
2. Make the run/walk gentler and use the talk test
3. Tight calves: why they happen and how to build up
4. Chest burning: breathing effort or a red flag?

See your physician first

I'm a running coach, not a doctor, and your issues are too hard to diagnose over the internet. So my advice to you is to talk to your physician about your fitness programme before you do many more sessions. At 60 that is simply prudent — and most people get the green light.

When you go, be specific. Tell them when the burn starts (after the first or second minute of jogging), how long it lasts, whether it eases when you walk, and whether it has ever happened while you are walking or doing yoga. Mention the tight backs of your legs too. The more precise you are, the quicker they can work out what is going on.

Until you have spoken to them, I'd keep to walking and your yoga rather than testing the burn again on the treadmill. A week or two off jogging costs you nothing. Pushing through something unexplained in your chest could cost a lot.

Make the run/walk gentler and use the talk test

Once you have the all-clear, the minute-on, minute-off pattern is a good start, but you may well be running it too hard. For many beginners the trick is to make the running part shorter and the walking part longer. Try 30 seconds of easy jogging followed by 90 seconds of brisk walking, or one minute jogging and two minutes walking, and repeat that for 20 to 25 minutes in total.

Use the talk test to set your pace. You should be able to speak in short sentences while you jog. If you can only gasp out a word or two, slow down — even to a fast walk. Jogging easily is more important than jogging fast.

Start with a five-minute brisk walk as a warm-up, and keep the treadmill at 0 to 1% incline. Don't grip the handrails hard, as that changes your posture and makes breathing harder. Three sessions a week on non-consecutive days is plenty. When a session feels comfortable twice in a row, add a little jogging time and trim the walking — one change at a time.

Tight calves: why they happen and how to build up

This is the part I'm less worried about. Walking and yoga are great, but running loads your calf muscles and Achilles tendons far more than either does, because every stride is a small hop landing on one leg. The backs of your legs are simply being asked to do a new job. Tightness in the first few weeks is very common.

Build up slowly and keep your mileage modest. Take shorter, lighter strides rather than reaching out in front of you, and wear proper running shoes with some cushioning. After each session, do a few gentle calf stretches. You already do yoga, so you have a head start there. If the legs are still sore the next day, take an extra rest day before running again.

One exception. If the tightness is in one leg only and comes with swelling, warmth or severe pain, don't wait — contact your doctor the same day, as that can occasionally be a blood clot. That is not what ordinary calf stiffness feels like.

Chest burning: breathing effort or a red flag?

A burn in the chest early in a run is often just breathing effort. You start jogging, your breathing rate jumps, and you take quick shallow breaths. Cold, dry air can make it worse, and so can acid reflux. For some people the airways narrow a little during exercise, which also causes a burning or tight feeling. If it is simply running out of breath, it gets better by keeping with the programme and building up your stamina over time — and by slowing down, which the talk test will help with.

But it could be something more serious, which is why I want your physician to look at it. Don't try to decide this by yourself on the treadmill. Stop, walk, and get it checked.

Chest burning during exercise that is crushing, spreads to your arm, jaw, or back, or comes with shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting needs emergency care right away — not a routine doctor visit.

Linda, you are doing the right things — starting gently, walking, practising yoga. Get the all-clear, slow the running down, and give your legs a few weeks to catch up. I'd love to hear how you get on.

Kind regards,
Dom

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