Training Fro 5K

Stretch and ice after. Take a paper cup, fill it with water and freeze it. Then in a circular motion message your calves with the ice for about 10-15 minutes. Tearing away the cup as the ice melts. also, not sure if you are, but don't stretch before. Your muscles aren't warmed up enough and you'll only do more damage then good.

Also, your shoes may be a big factor. make sure you get good supportive shoes. A great store is Road Runner sports. They do a custom shoe fitting and scan your foot to see the type of shoe support you need. Not sure if they have them in FL or not but look into it.

are you drinking enough water? I used to do 5 & 10k's and I had cramping after bc I was not drinking enough water also I found that having something salty helped retain some water during training and after runs. gl

Great answers and I suggest the same-stretch real good also are you wearing the right sneakers for your feet? That can make a huge difference-also check out runnersworld.com for some info and tips-there's so much helpful info on that site

Stretch before and especially after each training run. Stand with your toes on a stairstep and slowly raise and lower yourself to stretch your calves.

Take your shoes with you to a good running store that has people who can analyze your gait and tell you if your shoes are right for you.

If there's any chance you can run on softer surfaces do so (dirt is best, asphalt next, concrete worst).

Add more calcium to your diet (sounds suspicious, but has worked wonders for me).

Get a deep tissue massage to force out the lactic acid.

Are you taking at least one day off per week?

Taking calcium? If yes then may need essential fatty acids to get the calcium into the muscles.
best, k