even after only light exercise (strech before and after) my muscles ache for hours.. sometimes days

i know this is normal, but i want to know how long this will last... when does it stop aching all the time?? days? weeks? months????

Unfortunately there's not an exact time table for it. It all depends on how quickly your body repairs itself. How long have you been exercising now? Is it something new? Because if it's something new its going to be like that for probably a few days and should subside but if you continue to up the intensity/reps/types of exercise you will have muscle ache. Anytime you do something your body is not used to you will be sore. I'm not a doctor but I'm going from personal experience and things I've heard others say I wouldn't be too concerned unless it's lasting a looooong while. The more you do the more your body will get used to it and the less sore you'll be. Just stick with the program and you'll get better.

Gymlee is absolutely right - there is no time table.... I still have days where I am so sore....... it's normally because I have either really pushed hard, done something new or did not do a really good stretch session. So - as long as it is not a sharp pain or attribute it to not stretching properly - I just consider it my gold star. But, one thing that I have found that helps me is that if I take the time to stretch a second time before I go to bed - it seems to help me not be quit so stiff in the morning.

Good luck!!!

Do/Have you had pain otherwise? I mean, before you started exercising did you experience muscle, bone or joint pain?

Landons Baby... Yeah, my knees hurt before exercising.. But its the back of my thighs that are sore.. The place that stretches when you bend over with your legs straight... Its not intense, just enough to make me feel stiff. It gets less the more I strech, so Im not worried.

Gymlee.. This is the first time exercising in a LONG time... Since 2004 Im taking it slow, so I dont hurt myself, and Im being sure to stretch slowly and for long counts (20+ counts of holding it per stretch)

I have muscular dystrophy, so I know I have to take it easy and take care not to injure myself..

Im so excited to start my C25K Challenge today

Well it sounds to me you know what you're doing by taking it slow and working within your comfort zone since you are just starting out. But honestly, the more you keep at it, the better it will get. I can tell you from personal experience when I first started working out again a couple weeks ago, I was sooooooo sore. But it passed the more I stayed consistent with the program. I've actually been rotating my activities and such so now I'm getting sore again but I guess because I have a high pain threshold it doesn't bother me as much. If you need to, just take it a little lighter when you've got pain or look into something to help ease the pain like warm showers, massage, taking a bit of tylenol, etc. It's bothersome but it will get better.

OMFG... I just got home about half an hour ago, from finishing my first day of the C25K... MY WHOLE FEET ARE ONE GIANT BLISTER!!!!
I cant even stand up to go pee...
But the rest of my body feels GREAT!!! Though I didnt stretch yet... I should do that...

maybe you need new shoes?

I would definitely get your shoes looked at - when I started I had no idea how important that was until my feet were throbbing every day. Also, I found out that even though you may still have tread on your shoes - the internal support can be completely gone.

If your shoes are in good condition and they are the right style for you (it turned out that I needed more arch support than I realized) - check out what kind of socks you have.... I have some socks that even though they are considered "sport" socks they don't handle running very well. I can walk around all day long - no problem - but when I run in them - they rub the tops of my toes (the knuckles of my toes?) until they are really sore.

Good luck!

lol i ran in sandals yesterday... that felt sooooooo much better than the tennis shoes.. though i also ran in circles in my yard which didnt feel good.. i think i'll go back to running down the straight road out back..