“Why do my legs feel so heavy when I run?”: how to feel more energised while jogging

Source: “Why do my legs feel so heavy when I run?”: how to feel more energised while jogging

Running can be super nerve wracking. One day you fly through the miles feeling relaxed and comfortable; The next moment your legs feel like lead. The feeling of running with heavy legs is common, but if you don’t know why it’s happening, there’s nothing you can do about it.

Why do our legs sometimes feel so heavy when running and can we do something about it?

Natascha Starr, England Athletics running coach and director at London City Runners, explains that there are a number of reasons why our legs can feel like lead when we run. “It could be anything from poor diet, overtraining, lack of sleep, dehydration, insufficient recovery time, or in persistent cases, maybe even an iron deficiency,” she says stylist.

“We’ve all had that run where we feel like we can’t move our legs, whether it’s because we didn’t get enough sleep the night before or because we didn’t refuel well before or during the run. In these cases, make just a small adjustment and your next run will likely be back to normal.”

But, she says, if you’re constantly feeling that heavy feeling, it’s a sign that you may need to take a look at your exercise plan and diet to make sure you’re giving yourself adequate recovery time and giving your body all of the energy that it takes.

Performance Physique running coach Arj Thiruchelvam suggests that low-carb consumption, alcohol consumption and dehydration could also be to blame. “Also, most of us don’t warm up before going for a run, and that makes things harder because you haven’t increased muscle temperature, improved blood flow, or improved synovial fluid,” he explains.

If you don’t feel like stretching for 15 minutes before you set off, he advises you to deliberately drive slowly for the first few miles or so. “You might even find that those heavy legs go away after 10 or 15 minutes.”

It’s also worth noting that heavy legs aren’t just something new runners experience. We all experience it from time to time, but those of us who have been running longer may be better equipped to quickly spot what’s causing it.

What can you do to reduce the feeling of heavy legs?

While we don’t want every run to feel like a chore, Thiruchelvam says, “It’s good to keep going because, despite the challenges, you demonstrate overload and adaptation when you finish this tough session. This can actually help you handle future hard training runs by encouraging the body to adapt.

In other words, don’t give up just because it doesn’t feel as easy as it used to.

He recommends trying the following:

• Proper warm-up: Start out by walking slowly or getting ready to stretch properly before you start
• Go slow: Not every workout has to be tough, so don’t try to run a personal best every day. Instead, swing your workout so you have some lighter recovery sessions that encourage blood flow and mobility
• Strength Training: Lifting weights can improve your injury resistance and allow you to train harder and longer
• Work on running drills: These will improve your technique to ensure you’re as efficient and economical as possible (check out Arj’s own drills on YouTube).

Starr, meanwhile, suggests, “If this is affecting you fairly frequently, I would recommend speaking to your GP, who may be able to help you identify any underlying health issues or areas of improvement in your diet or lifestyle.”

How to overcome a sluggish week or month of running

We all know those weeks or months when running feels like a grind. But there are things you can do to at least try to put some energy back into the movement.

Thiruchelvam believes such periods are a result of psychology (i.e. the monotony of running) rather than the actual physical process. “You need structure when you run and you have a different intention with each workout to adapt to the easy miles where you just start running. That way, you’ll notice a progression in your skills, be it speed or endurance, and this will set off a nice dopamine reward response for your effort.”

He explains that every few months he schedules a few “free runs” for his walkers to disconnect from data and technology. “Limit the amount of route planning and focus on pace, awareness of your surroundings and the fact that you are running because you want to.

“When you look at the bigger picture, don’t judge yourself by the day, but by how far you’ve come and what you wouldn’t have gotten if you hadn’t exercised that day.”

Starr agrees, saying you need to figure out what the blockage is: “If it’s physical, maybe reduce your training load and focus on eating, sleeping and getting good rest so you feel refreshed and see your GP.” up when inertia persists.

“If it’s a loss of motivation, try something new. Join a running club or meet up with a friend, get out into the country and run in nature if you can, find a new goal to focus on (z speaks to you.”

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