So I’m up to week 5 with a week off at week 2 to settle the knee pain but now I’m getting a pain in my head at the beginning of each run .. any ideas what could be causing this?? I promise I’m not a hypochondriac, probably just my body in shock for starting to run at the age of 53 .. apart from the above I am loving it and really enjoying the challenge and the sense of achievement. Any help with the above diagnosis would be very helpful but not something I want to be bothering the doc with at the moment.
Headache/ pain: So I’m up to week 5 with a week... - Couch to 5K
Headache/ pain
![Sarah2706 profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/224aa619e0708f211f8968d73a3bf55d_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
I don't have any real answers for you but will be interested to hear if anyone does. I had knee pain initially and started to do stretching and strengthening exercises on rest days which seemed to help a lot. As for headaches, I seem to get them after most runs. I thought maybe I wasn't hydrated enough so drank much more but that hasn't helped. I'm wondering if it's maybe a postural thing, in that how I'm running is causing a bit of mis-alignment. Perhaps better shoes or insoles might be the answer. I will be following your responses!
![karen50plus profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/418693fa137d3ce1a9aa18ed7ebac2e8_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
Hello Motorhome . Congratulations in getting to week 5 . Sorry to hear you re having headaches. I have no idea why ( no help I know ) ..... but I have suggestions.
1/Are you wearing a tight head band / earphones / Hat ?
2/Are you running where it’s windy ( wind gives me a headache) , maybe put a thin beanie hat on .
3/Music to loud in headphones 🎧?
4/Posture in running - neck in wrong angle ?
5/Stressed about running ?
6/ Are you running to fast / too hard too soon - blood pressure will affect headaches ?
7/ Is the heat getting to you ?
So many questions- sorry you asked 🙄- I answered 🙈- now aren’t you 😂😂
You say you get the headaches at the beginning of the run ..... not all the way through ?? . Are you warming up enough before starting or just going full pelt ?
Try starting slower ..... jog slowly , don’t RUN ....... 🤷♀️
Just thinking out loud
Hope you figure it out and the headaches stop ✋🏻.
Good luck 😊👍
![karen50plus profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/418693fa137d3ce1a9aa18ed7ebac2e8_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
Ps ......I had REALLY achy shoulders for the first few weeks till I asked “why “in this forum ....... I was told to stop looking at my feet and to stand tall when running - look ahead , not down . - my shoulders don’t ache anymore 👍. ( I didn’t want to look ahead in the beginning / didn’t want to see people laughing at me / didn’t want to lock eyes with anyone 🙈 . Just wanted to keep my head down 😞, get it over with 😖and get home 🥴. ......
Will be interesting to read other people’s suggestions for you . Good luck .
![IannodaTruffe profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/3f4bb9be0d77359f644e07c022a99698_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
Hydration is the most obvious cause. This explains the need for good hydration healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
![kpnuts53 profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/907d8582668e4250923012a4b9d1fd49_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
Hi Motorhome18 Lots of good suggestions already given. I would add that if it is bright or windy have you tried wearing sunglasses? I found I was squinting and this gave me a headache early in the run - it's also easy to hide behind sunglasses! Best of luck in finding the source