Speedwork hurts calves. What to replace with?

How did you arrive at your "mile pace"? Did you actually race one or are you using a predictor/calculator?

Using Daniels VDOT based on a 5K race. The E/T/I/R paces from that VDOT all feel about right.

You do them until it stops hurting. That's how your body gets stronger.

lol, that might work for you but not for me. I know the signs well enough to be sure I'll get injured if I ignore it and carry on.

a name wrote:

Using Daniels VDOT based on a 5K race. The E/T/I/R paces from that VDOT all feel about right.

This is the best advice ...and I add that you can do your intervals at a soft surface like grass .

Hill repeats

a name wrote:

lol, that might work for you but not for me. I know the signs well enough to be sure I'll get injured if I ignore it and carry on.

Same thing happened to me, physio said it was just doms and weak calves but the pain would always happen even with stronger calfs. After analysing my form through video at different speeds and comparing it to the pros I released I was doing way too much plantar flexion in my stride so kinda my ankle was the main driver in my running movement. So I switched to limiting plantar flexion and using more hip flexion during take off and it solved my issue.

Strength train your glutes

It will take pressure off the calves

Do them in flats with some responsiveness and heel instead of spikes

Don't do 600s, that's a completely different workout

a name wrote:

Been running for a few years, and now started a plan. It starts with mile-pace 200s, and now I've done four of these sessions I can feel an old, familiar soreness in the calves. I got this in the past when I hammered speedwork and intervals too much, and it will turn into an injury if I carry on.

What can I do instead of this speedwork, to achieve a similar result? I can't do hill sprints at all (calf/achilles injury guaranteed), but can do longer hill reps. If hills are speedwork in disguise, would that be a reasonable swap? Something like:

Plan says do n x 200m at mile pace, 200m jog rest

Instead, do n/2 x 600m hill at reasonable effort, jog back down - "reasonable effort" being decently hard but not hammering it

What do you do after your session in terms of maintenance? Do you roll your calves, hamstrings and quads? You can do your speed sessions on the grass or turf fields. It won't be as snappy, but it might alleviate your calf soreness. As somebody above suggested, move the speed work over to a gentle hill and go by time, not distance. Depending on the hill, I'd say 15-20s would be a good start. Alternate between hills and the flats each week. Bear in mind that over doing speed sessions on hills can make you susceptible to anterior shin pain (shin splints, anterior tendon/muscle issues etc).

You've done a workout of mile pace 200s 4 different times? Since when?

I would suggest strengthening (and stretching) your calves with heel dips on the stairs for a couple of weeks. Then go back to speedwork and slowly build back up.

nub wrote:

Same thing happened to me, physio said it was just doms and weak calves but the pain would always happen even with stronger calfs. After analysing my form through video at different speeds and comparing it to the pros I released I was doing way too much plantar flexion in my stride so kinda my ankle was the main driver in my running movement. So I switched to limiting plantar flexion and using more hip flexion during take off and it solved my issue.

Interesting. I've noticed how the feeling of running changes if I consciously 'thrust' more from the hips/glutes. I've no idea how to tell if I'm flexing too much at the foot/ankle. This video is me 2 years ago running at approximately interval pace. Does anything look obviously bad here? Bearing in mind I'm 50 and was sedentary from 20 to 45.

a name wrote:

Been running for a few years, and now started a plan. It starts with mile-pace 200s, and now I've done four of these sessions I can feel an old, familiar soreness in the calves. I got this in the past when I hammered speedwork and intervals too much, and it will turn into an injury if I carry on.

What can I do instead of this speedwork, to achieve a similar result? I can't do hill sprints at all (calf/achilles injury guaranteed), but can do longer hill reps. If hills are speedwork in disguise, would that be a reasonable swap? Something like:

Plan says do n x 200m at mile pace, 200m jog rest

Instead, do n/2 x 600m hill at reasonable effort, jog back down - "reasonable effort" being decently hard but not hammering it

Definitely got to get the calves stronger, try to do calve raises and also try to strengthen glutes. It could be your form and doing core workouts will fix your form and make everything better, maybe do the 200s in trainers for a while, then flats, then when you’re calves are strengthened you can go to spikes.

my 3 cents wrote:

Strength train your glutes

It will take pressure off the calves

That sounds credible, thanks. I'll google around on this - do you know of any articles/books that talk about this specifically? I've read a ton but don't think I've seen that specific point made before.

3 minutes sessions on gradual dirt hills

I’ve had similar problems.

I suggest an adjustable slant board to keep your calves and Achilles well stretched.

Also, a night splint that keeps your foot at 90 degrees. I’ve tried a bunch and I’m liking one I just got for $6 on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B081VYZZ4B?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

The slant board is really nice because your body weight does the work, just stand on it for 5-10 mins/day.

If it works out, it helps me to run a mile then slant board.

In the morning, before you stand, cycle dorsal/plantar flexing about 30 times. Just point your foot “up” then “down” holding for a second or two and cycle through it.

hhsrunner32 wrote:

Definitely got to get the calves stronger, try to do calve raises and also try to strengthen glutes. It could be your form and doing core workouts will fix your form and make everything better

I'm not against calf raises, but have a feeling that's not the issue. 2 years ago I did a reasonable amount of strength training including calf raises (straight and bent leg), then at the end of the summer thought I was ready for hill sprints. Did a couple and calf/achilles injury put me out for many weeks - the same thing happened the previous year as well. Like nub said, it could be not a strength problem primarily. Nevertheless, I'm going to work on calf and glute strength as I've been shying off it recently and it must help.

a name wrote:

my 3 cents wrote:

Strength train your glutes

It will take pressure off the calves

That sounds credible, thanks. I'll google around on this - do you know of any articles/books that talk about this specifically? I've read a ton but don't think I've seen that specific point made before.