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View Full Version : I ran 21k and in first few kms, i feel tightness in my shoulders. How to prevent?



canadien99
May 23rd, 2012, 02:09 PM
Hello all marathoners/experienced long distance runners,

Alright, i just jogged a half marathon over the weekend.

The difference this year is: My foot is blister free, I'm less tired after the race compared to other 21kms, i no longer feel cramps on my legs.

I'm a casual runner. I run for fun rather than for time. I do these long distances to improve my endurance.

My foot is blister free because a day to two days in advance of the race, i will apply a layer of vaseline to the base of my feet, and everyday leading to the morning of the race, and a layer before the race itself.

I no longer feel cramps in my legs because i eat a bunch of bananas for breakfast prior to race start. That has worked really well for the few 10kms i did.

Just to try something different and because i was running a little late, i skipped the McDonalds big breakfast (no pancakes option), and opted for yogurt, and as a result: The problem i have now is i feel pain/weirdness/tightness in my shoulders, and i have to do shoulder rolls or simulated butterfly swimming strokes during the run in order to loosen the feeling.

Before i'd feel it too but i'd feel it much later into the race. This time, i felt it within the first few kms. How to complete cut out the shoulder tightness completely no matter what distance i run cuz it's simply annoying.

Is my body telling me i need to take in more protein prior to the race? I'm pretty good with leg exercises and stuff, but i'm not sure what kind of warmup exercises i can do to prevent the shoulder tightness. Do you know what i'm talking about here?

I tried something else new this time. Rather than stopping at several water stations, i keep nuun tablets in my four water bottles and only fill-up one with water. Keeps me light and when i finally do stop at a water station, i just fill one bottle with water. The nuun tablets are awesome electrolytes and they are sugar free.

Thanks in advance my fellow running brothers and sisters alike.

Stock R
May 23rd, 2012, 02:56 PM
Honestly, to me, it just sounds like you did something differently that morning... like in anticipation of the long run, you tightened up your shoulders... or the terrain was different than usual and your body adjusted accordingly... or you slept slightly different due to anxiety.

Unless this is consistently happening, I wouldn't think anything of it. Can't solve all your running issues with some tool or device or pill you know ;)

canadien99
May 23rd, 2012, 07:00 PM
Honestly, to me, it just sounds like you did something differently that morning... like in anticipation of the long run, you tightened up your shoulders... or the terrain was different than usual and your body adjusted accordingly... or you slept slightly different due to anxiety.

Unless this is consistently happening, I wouldn't think anything of it. Can't solve all your running issues with some tool or device or pill you know ;)

Haha, you're right. I'm just trying to do my best to prepare so that i don't let small things like thise affect my performance. I'm heading into my 2nd marathon, and if the shoulder pain happens in the first few kms, i'm doomed.

Honestly, it is pretty consistent in that it happens all time for my runs except that it happens at different points of the run. I have done half marathons before. So you're thinking it's got to do with anxiety and nervousness, rather than the repeat motion of the shoulder going up and down, for example?

What kind of warm-up stretches can i do for that part of the body to loosen up the tension? I try shoulder rolls but i don't really feel any tension when doing those that would really stretch anything. It's unlike the leg warm-ups... such as stretching the leg out or the feet up and down, kind of thing. I can actually feel it in my legs for those exercises.

Stock R
May 25th, 2012, 01:23 PM
You might just have weak shoulder/upper body muscles and they got sore/tired after a while of bobbing up/down. Have you tried core/upper core conditioning exercises?

mawzi
May 30th, 2012, 10:56 AM
You might just have weak shoulder/upper body muscles and they got sore/tired after a while of bobbing up/down. Have you tried core/upper core conditioning exercises?

+1

Work on your upper body strength. Rows/pushups/pullups/presses

Most runners focus on training their legs only.

vip3r87
Jun 2nd, 2012, 08:18 PM
I am definitely no long distance runner, but have had this issue.

My left shoulder has a history of dislocation and 5 years ago I had it operated on. Before the surgery and about a year or 2 after I would get the same feeling...very very painful in my case.

I'm guessing I was pinching a nerve or something, but physio and a lot of strength/weight training seemed to have make it subside and haven't experienced that pain in recent memory

Try doing some rotator cuff exercises prior to running and see if that helps

Good luck and you're crazy for running 21km

:P