After the success on Saturday I decided to focus on some small things now. First, returned to a pre-run stretch. I had been skipping that because my legs were in really good condition so it wasn't as noticeable or a stretch to run. But I realized that it would be a good idea to return to that practice and it has helped.
Second, I have become focused on trying to change/improve my running style. After doing some reading about shoes I came to a realization that one of the things that might have been causing my leg problems was I was over striding. Stretching my legs out and doing a full stride when I ran. Which is okay for a short sprint, and for walking, but not when doing the repetitive motion of long runs. So I have started focusing on taking shorter steps and using my forefeet rather than heel. The general idea is to let my foot spring into the next step instead of relying solely on my leg muscles to pull the foot along. And it has made a real difference to run like that, I have not experienced the pain, even when running a hill, or adding in some speed training before I hit the 3+ mile mark.
So 2 little things: stretching & changing my style have made a big difference.
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