Dude. You are DOOMED!

Never ever talk about a streak.

I'm giving you 48 hours until both calves and a hamstring blow up. :-)

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"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

63 yr old who would love to trail race at some point .


I wish you the best.

I completely gave at about at 50 years old up on making come-backs to running, after repeated "Mad-Calf" episodes each time I tried to come back and get back into running.

Somewhere around 10 - 20 mins into any and every run, my left calf would just completely lock-up! It was hard to describe, but it was like a cross between a cramp and a pull. "Gone" the next day, but then if I ran . . back it would come! I know a number of other age-peers, all experience runners/triathletes who have suffered similar!

Now I just ride, XC ski a bit in the winter, and get my "weight bearing" stuff in with a brisk, one hour walk with the dog each morning! :)

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Dude, you stole my story. 62 here and just started back after 3 year layoff running when the 100x100 run challenge started. Only treadmill every other day for 31 minutes, starting at 11m pace. Missed two weeks to illness but got right back on schedule. If you haven't already, get some Hoka's, they are the only thing between me and mad calf. I too need to lose 15+ lbs, but went out on the dirt trails anyway and have now done 1/2 dozen of my runs there.

Roll, stretch, and especially hot tub with strong jet on any spot that feels pain when water is pointed at it. Now base at 9 minute mile, doing low 7 minute mile one minute repeats X7 within the 30 minutes. Only thing I should be doing is massage( by another), but the stick and roller really help in that area.

Good luck with your adventure, I will be on that same path, hopefully to a point where I could even think about a 20 minute 5k. I was about the same as you in the old days, 15;30 5k, 32 10k and 2;36 marathon. So it boggles my brain that I cannot do one mile at a pace I used to do 26+ of them in a row, getting old sucks...

Monty ,
Wow are running times are unbelievably close but dude you have me at each distance 15.52,33.01 and 2.39.Of course this was close to 20 years ago .
Cycling has been my passion since then and really enjoy it ,but to run pain free at a decent pace which is relative to age is something I want to pursue .

I recommend that you run 30 minutes 3 times per week during the cycling season so that you are not starting your off season running program from scratch. It gets increasingly more difficult as we age to start anything from a completely untrained state and running consistently year round would be your best bet to avoid mad calf.

Some of us have gotten over the Mad Calf issue thru increased frequency, shorter duration and with repeated short walking breaks to unload the stress during the runs. Calf sleeves, rolling stick, and year round strengthening routine (it may not just be the calf muscle that needs to be looked at) could also help. Mine started in my late 40's and lasted almost seven years and now at 60, I haven't had an issue for several years.

I'm 60, started getting calf cramps 10-15 years ago. I eventually gave up running, just swam and biked. Now I'm running again, fighting the cramps again. I did a 10 mile trail run last month, 20 minutes in and my right calf locked up, fought it all the way to the finish. Once it starts, it is there until you finish the run, and sore the next few days. I ran a nine mile trail run today, no cramps, just a slight twinge in the right calf. I started a new regimen of active warm up that I think has helped a lot. I had a bad habit of just starting off on a run with no warm up.

See these links:

https://www.balancedrunner.com/...les-dynamic-stretch/

https://www.runnersworld.com/ask-coach-jenny/a-runners-guide-to-warming-up

I am a masters swimmer, a lot of us get calf cramps, usually when going off the blocks or on the turns, I'll also get them after about 3 miles into an open water race with hardly a kick being taken. I think it is due to not changing body position for a while (i.e. hanging on the wall).

I think like you, we have tried it all to get past this, I don't think it is electrolytes or dehydration, but something related to our old backs and nerve irritation/impingement. I'm sure you have seen the Hot Shot and Pickle Juice products, I have tried them, almost threw up in a swim meet in the 1,650 after downing a bottle of pickle juice. Pay attention to the saying, never try anything new on race day. :)

I have recently started carrying Base Salt with me when I run, taking a dose at the start and every mile or so or if I feel a twinge. I can't tell if it is just anecdotal or if the stimulation of the nerves in the mouth can really stop a nerve induced cramp, so far so good.

My calf muscles will also fasciculate after a long bike or run, this has been getting worse the older I get, do you have this symptom? I looks like aliens under your skin jumping around. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciculation

I have my first half marathon coming in mid March and want to be cramp free, hoping the new regimen will get me there.

Edited to add - I also wear Hokas, roll the calves, wear compression sleeves and start with a walk jog before running..