It’s fair to say that today didn’t go the way I expected. Yes, I haven’t trained as much as I’d hoped, and yes, some of training runs have been tough but I wasn’t in any way anticipating what happened today.
A lovely meet at the start with SkiMonday and Cowladyrunning . It was much colder than anticipated and was regretting shorts. After a bit of faffing about, I met Cowladyrunning at the start as we had similar expected finish times and we had a very civilised chatty run together for the first few km. The route is really scenic through the trees with hills but not scary ones. I was feeling great. About 5km in, I noticed that my right knee was feeling pretty sore on the outside. I’ve never had that before. I decided to try walking and it settled a little, but not long after that, both knees started feeling really sore in exactly the same way. Nothing else aching-leg muscles fine, breathing fine, raring to go except for the sore knees. I wondered it might be one of those niggles that come and go but by 10km, they were just getting worse and worse.
Walk/running became walking, and walking became hobbling. By 15km where my husband was waiting to wave me past, I could hardly take a step without pain. It was such a dilemma about what to do. I really didn’t want to give up but 6km seemed like too far to go on excruciating knees. We decided that MrU would get this car and the sensible thing would be to pull out and not risk damaging anything. He left for the car park and I almost immediately decided that I wouldn’t be beaten and I’d push on bravely to get my medal….for about 200m. If this had been me finishing a big event like the London marathon, or one where I was fundraising, maybe I’d have kept going but today, the rational part of my brain won. I turned round and waited to go home.
So it’s not the result I was hoping for. I think it’s likely ITB syndrome but I’ll try and see a physio this week to get some advice on the cause and how to proceed. Today wasn’t the greatest of days but there’ll be other days which will be.
Thanks for all the pom pom waving ❤️
Written by
MissUnderstanding
Half Marathon
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condolences MissU , well done for taking the sensible option. There will be another opportunity. I have ridden horses and cycled through the FofD it is a challenging (if beautiful) terrain, it can be hard to settle into a good rhythm . I hope you got to enjoy some of the scenery.
Thanks, it was a beautiful place to run and I’d definitely recommend the event. Hopefully I’ll have another go next year. It was so lovely to have birdsong as an accompaniment to the run!
Oh no! Poor you! But very sensible to stop…and good job MrU was there to bring you home. Have you had any problems like this before? Defo rest up and see that physio!
Thank you! I have to confess, there were tears in the car but I’m feeling much more philosophical about it now. I still ran 15km and isn’t nothing.
This has come totally out of the blue. My left knee was sore for a while after my fall but I thought that was just the bruises healing and once they’d gone, it was fine. Perhaps the slightly uneven terrain and the cold was just too much today, or maybe it’s been brewing for a little while and this was just the final straw. I’d been mentally prepared to feel very tired with achey leg muscles because that was what happened a couple of weeks ago on my last long run, but pain like this was really unexpected.
It turns out there’s a well recommended physio who works in my village so I’ll try and see her this week. Thanks again for your kind words xx
Uneven terrain can catch you out…all those micro adjustments you probably aren’t aware that you’re making, just to keep on an even keel. A lot of pressure on your knees.
Not a bad thing to have a little weep…frustration, annoyance, disappointment…but as you say…15km is not to be sniffed at, could you have imagined it 18 months ago?
How lucky to have a local physio! Let’s hope she can see you asap xxx
That’s a very good point! I hadn’t run a step at that point (apart from an occasional 5 minute warm up on a gym treadmill when my PT made me and I always dreaded it!). Thank you so much xx
Thank you! I think I’ve just about reached the place where I’ll take that “well done” and feel like I did do well, despite the DNF. Stopping was so much harder than I’d thought-I really didn’t want to be beaten but I absolutely know logically it was the right decision. We will live to run another day xxx
So sorry about your knees preventing you from not completing your HM this morning but you were wise on stopping, if you had continued it would have just got worse, I hope your physio will give you advice on the cause so your knees don't stop you again when you resume running.
Thank you! It was so lucky that I’d listened to a podcast on mental toughness and how we often get it wrong the other day which made exactly the same point. Apparently elite athletes are miles better than amateurs at knowing when to call it a day and that was in my head as I was debating “bravely” (stupidly?!) carrying on. Hopefully next time will be better…after some rest and some strengthening exercises!
Thank you! I was picturing limping triumphantly over the finish line and collecting my medal, but then luckily the image of me explaining to a physio why I’d battered myself for 6km making my knees worse and worse just for a piece of metal came into my head and the sensible part of me won out.
Sorry you’ve had IT band problems too but I’m really encouraged that yours resolved. I was catastrophising on the way home that I’d never run again and I’d have to tell all my friends that I was a big fat failure after today’s DNF but now I’ve calmed down and eaten a lot of Pringles, I’m feeling a lot better. The support on here is just the best ❤️
I wish I had your wisdom as I have, in the past, not stopped when I felt pain. Stupid 🙄 but I am determined not to do it ever again. But with ITB it is impossible to run as it’s just too painful.
I can eat a whole carton of Pringles in one sitting and now you’ve put me in the mood … 😋
I know…. When I’m out in polite society and am offered one (ONE????!!!!!) I am always tempted to take a handful and stuff them in my mouth but of course I’m a lady and don’t.
It was so good to meet you and loved the start of our run together being sensible with pace and chatty 😀 you did make the right choice.... there were more and I think slightly steeper hills after I left you and the last bit on cobbles was really hard on your feet. Glad you're seeing physio and well done for completing what you did in that pain.
Loved chatting to you too! I rarely run with others and it was one of the highlights of today. Hopefully we can buddy up again and next time I won’t end up getting picked up in a car park 😂! Without the knees, everything else felt great. Those cobbles would have absolutely finished me off if I’d have got that far. 15km isn’t a half marathon but it was more than good enough for today!
Aw MU, I'm so sorry to hear this, it must have been such a difficult decision to make. But you definitely made the right one, and I'm pleased your husband was there to take you home and be shoulder to cry on on the car. I hope the physio can give you some answers later in the week, and in the meantime, you should be very proud of yourself!
Thank you! I was just thinking about what would have happened if this issue came up during the great north run which is my next half marathon in September! That would have been a nightmare-hard to find my husband, hard to get to the car and then hours and hours driving home. I’m so glad this was quite a small race, near to home and that I can fix whatever the issue is before the big one! It’s a shame but hopefully only a temporary setback. I’m looking forward to a lot of rest days!!
So disappointing for you but a wise decision not to try to continue. I hope things improve quickly. There are lots more lovely events out there waiting for you to join them in the future.
Thank you so much. I’m pretty proud I managed to be sensible (on this occasion!). I definitely have form for finding it harder to know when to stop than when to push! I’ve got a place in the great north run in September so I’m sure I’ll be sorted and much stronger for that. I’m so relieved this happened today rather than then so I can address whatever the underlying issue is.
Thanks so much. It’s a shame not to have finished but now I’ve had a chance to think back with a little distance, I’m really glad I didn’t do anything to jeopardise my chances of recovering soon. Hopefully the physio will have some useful advice!
Oh MissUnderstanding , I'm really sorry things turned out that way for you. Most unexpected too, but unfortunately these things can happen, however well-prepared you are.
Of course you made the right decision not to continue, and while I wish you hadn't had to, I'm also so grateful to you for posting. It's lovely to read people's success stories, of course, but the "I gave it my best shot but DNF, because I had the sense to stop before I did myself serious harm" ones are invaluable.
Wishing you a full recovery and sending you a hug too xx
That's really true Cmoi - I'm sure I listened to a podcast recently where someone (elite athlete maybe) was talking about being sensible and pulling out of a race if you just don't feel it's right.... It was a strong decision MissUnderstanding made.
Oh MU, that’s so disappointing. You did the right thing by not pushing through to the end and I’m sure your knees will thank you for that. Hopefully the physio can identify the issue and recommend some helpful exercises.
I guess it’s just one of those things and could happen to anyone; just a shame it happened to you en route to a piece of precious bling. 🥹 There’ll be other opportunities though. 😀
Thanks-I was just so surprised by it. Had been expecting to feel tired but not in actual pain. Never mind-there’s always another event. I’m sure the physio will be able to fix me. They’re magic people and I think IT band problems are common enough that I won’t be a medical marvel!
It will be interesting to hear your physio’s take on both knees being affected at the same time. You have been really really unlucky; you definitely made the right call, in fact there was no other viable option available. So well done for having the courage to be sensible.
My right calf “went” a few k’s into the Great South Run last year. For reasons I won’t go into, there was a lot of underlying emotion around that run, so my decision making was probably not the best. I was lucky enough/daft enough to find a way of running by shortening stride and running slowly. Somehow I made the 10 miles, but my time was about 10 minutes slower than planned. After the run I was limping heavily, and had the greatest difficulty emerging from a post run bath! I might still have been there now, although I guess the staff would have needed the room for another booking at some point! My physio took weeks to undo the damage. I think it was six weeks before I could run properly.
You didn’t have the luxury of choice. There will be other runs; and you did have the joy of meeting VRBs. Your physio will give you a rehab plan which should prevent a repeat. You absolutely deserve a medal for all the preparation and training….🥇🏆
Sorry I missed this amongst all the other comments! I can totally understand pushing on for a sentimental race. If I’d been in a different situation, I can see me having done that too. Luckily it was just a fun race rather than anything meaningful to me.
The physio said what had happened was really common and both knees can be affected at once. Often one side starts it and the other tries to compensate so that gets irritated too. He said the main issue is hips and I’ve got exercise to work on those. Will have a review in a week and another (hideous) massage. Just glad to have a plan! He seems to think light runs in a couple of weeks will be possible. I’m very pleased with that outcome!
You did the right thing by not pressing on MissU. Every knee injury I have had has resulted in hip exercises and squats. I hope everything is back in alignment quickly. Running again two weeks sounds really good.👍
That’s a really interesting read! It’s so good to know others have had this issue and still been able to carry on running with exercises and adjustments. Hopefully will have some news tomorrow after I see the physio. Thanks for sharing!
Oh no, my heart goes out to you MissU. Such a hard decision, but ABSOLUTELY the right one. Well done. There will of course be more events, albeit that's likely to be of little comfort right now; but there won't be more knees, or IT bands. I hope you get a physio appointment fast and get yourself started on the road to recovery and your comeback event. You will get there. In the meantime, hugs and very best healing wishes ❤️
Thank you so much! I’ve been lucky and have an appointment tomorrow afternoon also hopefully I’ll be on the road to recovery. They’re less sore today than yesterday which is good. I’ll be taking it easy until the physio tells me what I’m best doing next,
You did so well, but can't run in pain so you did the sensible thing and looked after your knees by stopping, there will be another race and you will be stronger
Thank you so much! This forum has been so good for drumming in the “do not run in pain” message that I really knew it was the right thing to stop. Onwards and upwards!
Thank you! I’m framing this as sorting a problem I didn’t know existed before it gets worse or comes up in another race. Hopefully the physio tomorrow will be helpful!
Such a shame that it happened during your race, but well done for taking the sensible decision to stop rather than try to push through the pain and possibly make it worse. Hope you get a quick diagnosis and can get on the road to recovery x
Thank you! It was a bit of a rubbish time for it to appear but at least it was easy to stop and get home. Physio tomorrow-hopefully that will be a positive appointment and I can start getting it sorted ready for the next one.
Well done on running 15km! Sorry it didn’t go as planned but running 15km is awesome 👏🏽. Rest up & I hope you get good news from the physio & recover quickly 😊
Thank you! I’ve worked out that instead of a half marathon, I covered approximately a 3/8 marathon. That should be a thing! Physio tomorrow and hopefully some answers.
Congratulations on the 15k- sounds like a lovely place to run and you had good company. Even more impressive is knowing, and doing, the right thing when your knees were painful.
Thanks! Without the knee issue it would have been a top quality day! There were lots of good bits and hopefully it’s highlighted a problem I didn’t know about that can now be sorted. Physio next and we’ll go from there.
Oh what a shame ☹️ I’m sure you were gutted 😭 but you made the right choice. If you have any doubts listen to a bit of Coach Bennett in the NRC app - You can run ‘hard’ or ‘smart’ and ‘stopping is brave’. Just imagine the southern twang 😂
15k sounds amazing to me 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Hope the physio sorts it soon.
I'm really sorry to read this MissUnderstanding - it must have been gutting for you.As I read the tale I already presumed it was your ITB, something from which I'm recovering right now, do I feel your pain. The good news is that it is sore but not serious and should resolve completely. For what it's worth, I went to both a physio and a sports therapist and, for me anyway, the latter has been the more effective.
Get well quickly, do your stretches and invest in a fitness band for the abductors😉.
That's the running equivalent of "a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" I guess. Running / walking or even hobbling on sore joints, without knowing what the problem is, is a setup for bigger problems later. It would have been a painful decision either way, but it sounds like you made the right one.
A huge well done on the 15km, that's still a great achievement and a long way to run!
Thank you! It’s utterly bizarre to me that two weeks ago I ran 16km over similar hills without any hint of this but I guess that’s how it goes sometimes! I’m still really proud of how far I got, and how good it felt on everything part from my knees! Hopefully next time it’ll be a happier finish!
Oh no you must have been gutted, so sorry to hear, but probably for the best before you did any real damage. My heart goes out to you, so frustrating 🥺🥺
Thank you! It was such a shame-I was enjoying the event and I well prepared but it just wasn’t to be. My knees have been sore today but I’m absolutely sure it would have been worse if I’d carried on. Sometimes sensible is good!
Thank you so much! It’s a shame, but a very good excuse to go back to the Forest of Dean. I hobbled over to the village shop to pick up a coffee and it felt like quite a change my usual Monday speed run! At least I could still make it there back and which I didn’t think would have been possible as I was struggling to walk at all yesterday. Onwards and upwards (with lots of rest and recovery first!!).
First of all well done 👏🏻 that’s a great distance! I know it’s not the outcome you wanted but you made the right choice and only did what you would have advised if anyone else. I’d be the same and be upset at first about it, totally understandable . Good luck at the physio and keep us updated 🥰
Thank you! I’ve not long come out and he was great. Horrible massage but I feel much better. He thinks it’s definitely IT band issues. Straightforward programme of strength and stretch and shouldn’t be a long term problem. Feeling very pleased with that outcome! No running for two weeks 😫 but walking/swimming encouraged. That’ll keep me busy!
Thank you! Really glad you used to get it and don’t have it now. It’s not fun! The physio was really positive that it could be fixed and I’ve got a plan now. Two weeks off running and hopefully long term will be stronger.
Thank you! It was a big internal battle to know what to do for the best. Part of me really wanted to carry on but I knew it wasn’t a good plan. Physio today was very pleased with me for making to decision to call it a day. He said most of us runners are stubborn and don’t like to listen to people telling us to back off or stop running!
MrU has been on the scene for a little while…15 years this year! He’s not been a runner until recently. Hopefully we’ll be running a 10k in June, injuries permitting! He has a sprained ankle at the moment. What a pair…
sorry I didn’t see this earlier MissU but I have now seen your post physio post. This is common for newbie runners as they extend to longer distances, and you definitely did the right thing to call it a day. The pain is excruciating isn’t it? Fortunately, with me the first pains happened in training and the physio treatment and exercises enabled me to do the intended race . It could have been so much worse if you had carried on.
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Had the most amazing run today
Madge at the Cambridge Half Marathon....