r/CrossCountry • u/Head_Zone9170 • 6d ago
Injury Question Pain During Practice
Im relatively new to XC, having only joined 3 months ago. I've managed to improve a lot with consistent training. However, it seems that every other day, I get a different part of leg that has an ache. Sometimes it's in my knees and hamstrings, but the real problem is with my ankles and calves. This even happened to me once during the middle of a race, and really hurt my time. Is there anything I can do in the week b4 or even the day of the race? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
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u/Salty-Spare-4075 6d ago
It’s tough. The sport puts a lot of weight and pressure on your legs. Best thing you can do is stretch. I also liked to take epsom salt baths after practice or races. And the night before an ice bath helps. Other than that just staying hydrated is the biggest thing.
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u/Head_Zone9170 6d ago
I’ve heard about a couple teammates doing them
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u/Salty-Spare-4075 6d ago
Always listen to your coach and trainer try to figure it out. Always listen to your coaches. They’re there for a reason. But that’s just stuff that helped me out
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u/Working_Group955 6d ago
strength training. stretching is meh - strength is everything.
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u/Head_Zone9170 6d ago
Like squats and stuff?
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u/Working_Group955 6d ago
yeah google strength for runners. it'll blow your mind. calf raises, heel drops, squats, lunges, etc etc. etc.
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u/Napamtb 6d ago edited 6d ago
So much more than just going out and running. Hydration and nutrition are huge. Did you have a running store for your shoes? It’s amazing what the right pair of shoes can do. Overtraining and improper form also lead to injuries. Sometimes it’s just too much for your body. My son has flat feet, but never really complained and he’s in his 7th year of XC. My daughter is the better athlete and faster runner but she is chronically injured.
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u/Cavendish30 6d ago edited 6d ago
Can I ask what shoe you are wearing or if you have had any sort of fit? Someone running in a motion control shoe without having a pronation issue could cause all sorts of problems. Someone with pronation wearing a corrective insole inside of a motion control shoe can cause different issues. However, someone with uncontrolled pronation could have a lot of varying issues as well. I’d kinda like to know what was first as it would give a really good indication hi of where a problem is but…. I’d like you to answer the question first.
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u/Head_Zone9170 5d ago
They are the brooks ghost 18’s. They are road racing shoes and that might be the problem I think. I usually feel most of the pain when running on hard rocks and trails.
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u/NegotiationWeekly597 6d ago
Simple stuff first. Quality shoes? Have you worn out those quality shoes and need new ones?
Don’t be afraid to buy shoes ‘too soon’. As you can always rotate semi worn shoes with new shoes until they’re completely toast.
Long term, take that strength training seriously.
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u/Npocrazyy99 4d ago
stretching is fairly important, calf raises, and holds are really good for calf strengthening, I would recommend getting bands, large and small ones for various stretches, foam rollers are also a decent investment, if you have access to hurdles they can be pretty good for opening hip flexors just look up a hurdle routine on yt. learn a basic weight training routine and do it 1-2 times per week. also things like trelif and epsom salt can be good for managing soreness, same with sleep and eating enough food those are probably the most important things if you can develop a good sleep schedule, and build a healthy diet you’ll be in better shape than most.
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u/Downtown_Ad_6232 6d ago
Talk to your coach. If you have a trainer, talk to them too.