Not sure if I should run today. W5R1.

[Bloomsbury22]

After the thrilling success of finishing W4 (genuinely still on a high from that), have been raring to go with W5 (although with a certain bit of wonderment how I will do W5R3). However...my knee has been niggling. It started a few runs back. My inner right knee. I ran through it, did the proper stretches before and after and strengthening exercises, hydrated etc. I've now had two rest days, and it is better, but am I ruining my momentum by taking a third rest day. This is a big running week going in to and I don't want to lose my enthusiasm, the stamina I have built, but I also don't want an injury. Any advice? Am I ruining all my good work if take an extra (third) rest day? Thank you in advance.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

As advised in the guide to the plan, you lose next to no condition in the first two weeks of non running and if you need more rest days then that is fine.

In respect of W5 this breakdown may be helpful Welcome to the forum and well done on

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you for that. That is very reassuring. I'll be my best self today and hopefully fully back to prime form tomorrow.

[Bracken2018 Graduate]

Hi,

Mm,

I think it depend how bad the pain is on the inside of your knee.

Do you have support for your knee?

I got to week 3 and realised I needed to wear knee support on both knees due to previous ops. These helped me to continue and still wear them now.

You can also buy a bandage that sticks to itself too. They are used a lot in sport and I used them years ago with horses.

However, you knees your body , whatever you do take care and take it slowly.

Your choice whether to seek medical advice and or take rest . You will know.

There’s no rush is there ? You will succeed, you will continue and you will graduate 🐾

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Bracken2018]

Thank you for the advice. Funnily enough, I thought it would be my ankle that was the problem, having badly broken it a few years back and after a few surgeries. But have good shoes and taken real care there. A support bandage might be just what I need. It feels a bit twisted, which is the best I can describe it. It is much better than yesterday, or the day before. So thinking, just to be safe may take one more rest day. Am more than keen to get on with my run, but really don't want to injure myself, especially going in to this week.

[Bracken2018 Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

You are correct .

It takes longer to recover as we get older.

There are some very good products at the pharmacy. I decided to use Voltaren gel before and after I ran . At night and in the morning .

The next week ,I used Care ibuprofen gel which is good too.

Pharmacist are great to chat with and helpful, hence the knee supports .

For some of us, rest with a hot and a cold compress can help .

I laid down and watched a movie whilst the following happened .

Laugh , one knee had the frozen peas (cold) - the other had a beanbag out of the microwave or hot-water bottle (hot).

My husband wanted to take a photo of me !

Hay - the-outcome, it worked for me.

Your determination will get you back on track whatever Chou decide to do . All the best , I’ll keep an eye out for your progression postings.

You will be saying YES, I DID IT

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Bracken2018]

Thank you! My personal favourite is a good soak in the bath after with the most absolutely divine epsom salts that I found in Waitrose, that are infused with lavender and lemongrass. Not sure if the salts themselves do anything, but it smells incredible and is very relaxing. I need to swing by the pharmacy Monday so will investigate gels and support bandages. I am allergic to aspirin, and know a lot of those gels contain topical aspirin, so I will definitely get advice. Thanks again for the advice and support! x

[Bracken2018 Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

Epsom salts are one of the best solution to soak in with the luxury of oil essence . My favourite is Rosemary too. Keep in touch 🐾

[Roxdog Graduate]

I wouldn't worry at all about having an extra rest day. As a sufferer of knee arthritis I found week 3 and 4 were the weeks where my knees started niggling.

I took extra rest days, mainly ran every 3rd day throughout the programme until the last couple of weeks, did knee strengthening exercises, got new shoes and don't now have any problems with my knees at all. I have to do the strengthening exercises permanently though.

You might find applying ice after a run helpful. I didn't get on at all with knee supports, but you might.

Good luck

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Thank you for that advice! Going to take just one more day rest, and do some exercises, which am going to try and do every day.

[Roxdog Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

You'll be fine if you take care of your knees. Mine are stronger than ever and I'm 60 with arthritis. Good luck

[Newbie59 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

I was worried about my knees because there are so many different opinions out there as to whether running is good or bad. However, recently I read that running will strengthen the muscles around the knee so I hope that is true!

[Newbie59 Graduate]

Hi, I've just joined, and yesterday I did Week 4 Run 2. Today for the first time both of my knees felt a bit odd when I got up, but in different ways! I've looked up the knee strengthening exercises and will try these and see if they help. I've been doing quite well with the runs so far, but now in Week 4 I am finding that I sometimes need 2 rest days in between runs, rather than just the one. Very helpful to read the other answers to your post.

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate]

Well done you! With me, so much of this has been about getting my head in the game. That is 90% of my struggle. So now that my head is engaged, and enthusiastic about running (if not entirely liking it quite yet...although think am getting there), I love the progress and sense of achievement and can feel myself getting stronger. So, like I said, now my head is engaged, I feel stronger about listening to my body when it needs a bit more rest. So will take an extra day's rest today and tackle it tomorrow.

[Eletheelephant Graduate]

Id second what everyone else has said on here, you are absolutely not damaging your progress by taking an extra rest day. It's really important to do that if you're concerned about injury and you would have to take a lot more days off if you push it too hard and end up injuring yourself 🙂

On knee supports I have had a knee injury in the past and I've chosen not to go the route of knee supports with physio advice because I wanted to build the strength of my knee back up and not rely on the support to do the work. That's not going to be the right thing for everyone so if this continues to be an issue maybe try and get some professional advice on what's right for you.

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Eletheelephant]

Thanks for this! I did end up taking that extra day’s rest, did more exercises and stretches and then nailed my run! All with me knee now feeling better! So very much on the same page as you. Having badly broken my ankle a few years back (three surgeries to rebuild and two years of casts), I am a big believer in listening to your body and taking it one baby step at a time. X