I've been jogging/running off and on for a while now and did 6.5 miles not too long ago, and possibly over-exerted myself. After that I tried to rest and do nothing for 6 days and then tried to jog but had a soreness in my thighs that started as soon as I started to run. I waited 4 or 5 more days and then started to run but had the same problem as soon as I started to run again.

Does anyone know what this could be and what I can do about it.

Thanks.

6 days is a fairly long time between your sessions. If you were weight training it would be different, as your muscles need the time to recover. But in your case you should be running/jogging at least 3 times a week. Are you doing it for any particular reason? Sports-specific, health related, weight-loss?

Yeah, you may have overexerted yourself. But 6 days? Your poor recovery time may as well be due to lack of nutrients entering your body. Either protein shakes, bananas, and tons of water should do.

6.5 miles wouldn't be an issue, of course, if you do this on a regular basis. I'm assuming you don't. But at the same time, jogging just a bit the day after helps too, the bloodflow helps get the lactic acid out of your system faster, jog enough to get your heart rate going for a sustained 10-15 minutes (try 1 1/2 miles), but not so fast that you're pushing yourself. You shouldn't even hit 'the wall'.

G'luck.

Yeah I'm basically jogging to lose weight and to get endurance. The problem is that everytime I try to run now I cant go more than a couple minutes before I start to feel the soreness.

Cardiovascularly, I would say that I am in shape, but the problem is that my legs arent allowing me to do the exercise, even though i've been resting.

You need to work on raising your lactate threshold. When you exercise, don't go for the burn. Push yourself to just shy of the point that you would start to feel "the burn."

Basically, push yourself to right at the red line and hold it, keep exercising at that level. Your body will get use to exercising at that level and it will gradually increase the longer you can exercise at that level.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/h...ml?ex=1148270400&en=20f4ef2ebe899cb7&ei=5087

May 16, 2006
Lactic Acid Is Not Muscles' Foe, It's Fuel
By GINA KOLATA

Everyone who has even thought about exercising has heard the warnings about lactic acid. It builds up in your muscles. It is what makes your muscles burn. Its buildup is what makes your muscles tire and give out.

Coaches and personal trainers tell athletes and exercisers that they have to learn to work out at just below their "lactic threshold," that point of diminishing returns when lactic acid starts to accumulate. Some athletes even have blood tests to find their personal lactic thresholds.

But that, it turns out, is all wrong. Lactic acid is actually a fuel, not a caustic waste product. Muscles make it deliberately, producing it from glucose, and they burn it to obtain energy. The reason trained athletes can perform so hard and so long is because their intense training causes their muscles to adapt so they more readily and efficiently absorb lactic acid. (article continues)

Bible_Belt said:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/h...ml?ex=1148270400&en=20f4ef2ebe899cb7&ei=5087

Click to expand...

I knew it. People just use the buring as an excuse to stop because it hurts.