Repeat of Week 4 due to bad knees

[LeilaB]

I've had a few problems with knee pain the last few weeks so I've missed a few runs – it’s been getting better although it had been nearly 3 weeks without a run so I re-did a run from week 4 (maybe because I’m too scared to do the dreaded week 5). I was at my parent’s and purposely packed my running gear but in the mad rush to leave the house I forgot the bag with my running shoes and knee support in – so I’m at my parents absolutely kicking myself because it’s been so long since I've been for a run. The weather was awful bordering on flooding again -my parents live in a village in the middle of the countryside – which would be very nice to run through the fields and woods in the summer when running on firm ground but the area goes really boggy and difficult to walk on in a lot of rain. So I went on the treadmill – my parents have an old treadmill they bought on an impulse years ago which has been used as a shelf to keep things on for a long time. I found some old trainers in the bottom of my wardrobe and did my run on the treadmill – the run went well but my legs felt like jelly when I got off and the next day my knee hurt. I’m a bit disheartened by it all I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere I feel like I have a good run then my knees hurt then I have a week or so off do a run then they hurt again I’m worried I’ll never get to 5k.

[Mitts Graduate]

Have you had your gait analysed? Maybe your trainers don't quite fit your running style. I get sore knees someimes too, I slather arnica cream or voltaren gel on them, or an ice pack is good too esp if they're swollen. Or a hot bath followed by stretches if it's an aching muscle.

I would move on to week 5 - W4 is horrible with all those run/walk changes, that's tough on your knees too. Doing 4 W4 runs is verging on the masochistic... I found W5 much easier, don't worry about R3, it's all in the head, even if you don't make it the first try you'll do it another time. Just take things nice and slow. Jogging on a softer surface like grass or a dirt track is better for your joints too, so you could have a go in the park or someplace if you haven't already.

Good luck anyway and happy running!