W4R3 done! Time for new trainers?

[me_vs_theknee]

I had a little break from the running for 3 weeks whilst on holiday (although I did a lot of walking there) so repeated the week 3 runs when I got back & now have just finished week 4. My knee is playing up a bit & I have to watch every step but it’s not getting any worse so I’m going to carry on for now. I’ve just looked at the plan for week 5 however & it seems almost impossible that I’ll be able to run for 20minutes in a weeks time!! But I suppose 5 minutes felt impossible at the start so I have to just trust the programme. I also wondered at what stage I should look at getting new trainers & whether anyone had any advice on this? I’m currently in an old cheap pair & they’re comfy but I don’t know whether I need to invest now? Thank you for any advice!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

20 minutes... yeah... that’s almost impossible. It was tough when I did it yesterday with my dodgy knees. You will be ready and yes, trust the plan, and believe in yourself.

Running shoes will almost certainly need gait analysis and so a trip to a specialist running shop will be needed. We cannot advise beyond that, you need the right shoes for you. Any time is a good time, and they should help your knees.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

The 20 minute run will be fine. Most people manage it first time. Some then get caught out in week 6 because they think it looks easier ... You’ll have run 15/16 minutes five times by then with the walk breaks getting gradually shorter so you’ll be ready for 20 ithout a break. By then, it’s mental: your legs no longer need the walking breaks but your brain is used to them. Believe me, you’ll surprise yourself. Just take care of that knee meantime and yes, if you haven’t had a gait analysis at a proper running shop then now is the time. Tell them about the knee issue as you may need shoes with extra cushioning. That did the trick for me: in my case I had to do it in week 2 or I wouldn’t have continued but most people reckon week 4 is the right time.