Is this your closest running partner? If so, you may want to consider alternatives!
When I first started running, I was dealing with painful, swollen joints and muscle aches every time I went out. I knew that aches and pains would happen while we trained, and that it was "part of the fun" (especially with my autoimmune and joint flare ups), but I had not expected it to be so intense at first! I searched around online, and what I came across shocked me: some runners (especially those that runs lots and lots of miles each week) are popping ibuprofen (such as Advil, Aleve and the like) before long runs and races! There are tons of articles out there about the subject, but the ones I enjoyed and that sparked this post are here, here, and here.
Honestly, I had never thought about taking ibuprofen before running, and if you haven't either, let me be the first to tell you:
***PLEASE DON'T DO IT!!***
Let me explain it from the physiological point of view. When we run, our bodies respond and adapt in specific ways, like sending much needed oxygen to our hard working muscles via red blood cells. Since our muscles are getting extra attention from the bloodstream, other areas of our body take a rest and give up some of their blood flow to help out. Those areas are largely the organs of the digestive tract-- the intestines, stomach, liver, and kidneys, to name a few. When their blood flow is constricted, they do not function up to par.
These babies take a lot of junk (literally!) from us!
In case you didn't know (I was the anatomy nerd in high school, and I'm loving getting to bring this up!), the kidneys filter out all the unnecessary junk from our blood. Medications like ibuprofen stress the kidneys when used excessively, and when you are actively running with ibuprofen in your system, the kidneys lack of proper blood flow can actually shut the kidneys down. Yes, re-read that. I said kidney failure back there.
Not only are the kidneys in trouble from ibuprofen on the run, but the intestines are at risk too. With less blood flowing to them, they tend to dry out some, and ibuprofen in the intestines can cause small leaks and discomfort. This effect is temporary, but over time the damage can be dangerous.
Luckily, there are a lot of alternatives to ibuprofen (and no, acetaminophen/ Tylenol is not one I've listed) for use when running and just after to alleviate mild and moderate aches. All of these are frequently tested by yours truly, and have proven very useful for me-- try a combo of them to see what you enjoy the most.
Here's the first of my favorite alternative ache therapies:
Photo courtesy of Lush
The Lush Wiccy Magic Muscle bar! The shea and cocoa butter bar just rubs on easily. The red bumpy sidecontains aduki beans, and all of the bar is infused with cinnamon and peppermint oils-- a natural method of massaging out sore muscles and tightness. I bought one, a little skeptical of it, and I have given at least 3 as gifts and haven't been without one since! I slather some on and massage in a bit before bedtime the day of a run (I run in the evening, if you run in the morning I suggest after showering off before starting your day), and the next day is much less sore and painful! The smell is strong, so I suggest smelling in store if you can, or imagining a cinnamon mint smell-- if either of those bugs you, you may want to consider another alternative.
photo courtesy of Biofreeze
Some folks may call you an old lady/ man for it, but when you are having trouble with aches on a run, this stuff packs a punch that really can give you relief for hours. It's a similar idea as the above topical relief aid, Biofreeze comes in just about any delivery method you can ask for (the above photo illustrates this-- there are even on the go wipes!). I personally like the roll on, but any of them work before and after a run. Just put it on, and it cools, then heats ( there are several other brands of products that do similar things, but this one just works the best for me, and it smells by far the best!) and helps relax the tension and pain away.
image courtesy of Dr. Teal's
This is a pretty old method of soothing aches, but a good bath in epsom salts will certainly not hurt. I do advise waiting several hours before soaks in hot water though-- give your muscles time to begin healing before jumping into a hot bath, if done too quickly you can encourage inflammation more than healing. If you can stand it, a cool bath immediately after can be beneficial to soreness and can aid in stopping inflammation (I just ice troubled spots, I can't sit in cold water like that!)
Any brand (or DIY versions) of epsom soaks will do the trick, I just recommend this brand as I've used it forever, and the different blends of essential oils and herbs are lovely (the eucalyptus spearmint is my favorite!). There are liquid forms as well, with bubbles! This brand also has a wide range of products-- specific foot soaks, liquid washes, and much more!
Hey, maybe with patience we can all do this!
Stretching can also help (though there has always been debate!) after you finish a run. I am a firm believer in the 5-10 minute stretch out, but I know folks who haven't stretched a day in their lives and they don't have soreness issues. As for me, I feel like it can't hurt, so why not?
One last note about pain relievers:
I am by no means telling you that pain relievers are off limits! Ibuprofen is actually insanely helpful for sprains and other running injuries. When you are nursing a pulled muscle (as I was recently) taking ibuprofen for the first 2-3 days is really helpful to stop inflammation and damage in combination with ice therapy, elevation, and compression. So, the key is using it when appropriate, not just for every ache or to "help" on race day (please, never on race day! There have been reports of runners collapsing and having long term issues due to ibuprofen use like that). Happy soreness conquering!
What methods do you have for keeping soreness at bay? Do you/ have you taken ibuprofen or other pain medications before a race? Do you stretch after you run? Why or why not? Share any of these you want to answer (or all!)!
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