So I felt dumb because my engineer-husband figured out what was wrong with my calf before I did.

Oops.

You may remember a few weeks back from my Instagram stories I went to Michigan briefly to see family.

And I was SO EXCITED to run up there because the mornings were a cool 50-60 degrees F compared to the current 80 degrees and 90% humidity in north Alabama. I was going to have a running-palooza!

Until I realized...I forgot my running shoes. I might cried a little in the car.

Luckily, REI had my exact shoe, in my size, on clearance so I grabbed a pair of back-up shoes (that I'll actually be needing sooner than later.)

But the shoes alone weren't the problem. I didn't have my custom running-orthotics. So I made the semi-dumb running decision to run without them. (yes, a physical therapist can still be a dumb stubborn runner. I will 100% own this.)

I fully expected some Achilles tendinopathy; no biggie. I can clear that up.

What I DID NOT bargain on was this insane, lower calf tightness 5-8 hours after my long run. The only way I could describe it to my husband was it was like someone turned up the "tightness" and "deep ache" volume and then turned it back down. The painful ebb and flow was something else.

Until my husband said, "It sounds like a muscle cramp to me."

Well, I don't know if I deserve to a be Doctor of Physical Therapy after that...but it does mean my green-flag husband has been listening to my random physical therapy TED Talks.

DUH! of course: it my soleus actively cramping! That's why I couldn't pinpoint exactly where the pain was, because it was so deep, persistent, and low on the calf.

But once I had that missing puzzle piece, I could laterally grab the sides of the at muscle and

ahhh.. momentarily relief.

But then I realized, a number of you may be in the middle or the peak of marathon training. And mileage is stacking. And the calves are grumping. And stubborn, tight, deep achy solei are STUBBORN.

So this week, I wanted to share with you my 8 minute, natural, automatic "off-switch" exercise circuit I used to bring down a spicy 7/10 calf cramp to a more tolerable "just tired" and achy lower leg.

And no, it is NOT foam rolling and stretching. Because when it's truly your soleus being a butt, you will end up foam rolling until your black and blue and stretching every 10 minutes with minimal relief to show for it.

This week's circuit instead uses a basic physical therapy principle that they probably teach us on Day 2 of PT school: recipriocal inhibition. And thank the running and PT-gods, that oldie but a goldie still works ;)

So go check it out here....

and may the rest of your long run miles be smooth and cramp free :)

Dare to Train Differently,

Marie Whitt, PT, DPT //@dr.whitt.fit

P.S. Did you know your body has an automatic "off-switch" for muscle cramping? You just have to now where to find it. Let me show you this week how to stop soleus muscles cramps so you finish your peak mileage long runs without getting sidelined!

Looking for MORE ways to work together?

• ​RUNNING RESCUE CALL: Save your run and your race. Work directly with me 1-on-1 at the first sign of an ache, niggle, or repeat running injury. We'll deep dive into the why behind your injury and create a personalized exercise program that gets you out of pain, keeps you running, and helps prepare you for race day!
• Grab my NEWEST FREE Strength resources for runners: The Calf & Achilles Cure Toolkit, made for marathoners sidelined by stiff, painful achilles and tight, injury-prone calves who want to protect their training cycle and show up to the starting line strong, pain-free, and ready to race.
• ​STRONGER FEET WORKSHOP: Losing the battle to plantar fasciitis, posterior tib pain, or reoccurring Achilles tendonitis? Not with this workshop ;)

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