If you did all your training on a treadmill and then ran the HM outside, that is probably why you are so sore.

Did you doctor give you reasons why running outside was damaging your knees, but running on a treadmill is not?

I found that a lot of doctors that have no interest in running take a "Running is bad for your knees" stance when they hear "knee pain" and "running" together. A lot of knee pain is the result of issues else where and can be resolved with stretching, rolling, strength training. You might want to find a doctor or an ortho that is a running and you might get some better info.

I completed my first half yesterday in Houston. It was beautiful and all around a great day to be outside enjoying a run. I did run a good chunk of it but walked a lot as well. My next goal is to run the full length of a half at one in November. I am so incredibly proud of myself for starting out 2014 this way but ran into some unexpected complications and was hoping to get some advice from you more experienced runners. I am really sore today, I did expect that but my muscles are swollen in my legs and butt is this normal? Also I weighed myself this morning and I have gone up almost 4 pounds! I expect this to be water weight mostly since I definitely did not eat that many calories in the past few days to gain that much fat. Last but not least when I started training I was running outside but my doctor told me I needed to run on a treadmill or rubber track until I dropped more weight because I was damaging my knees. I started running on a treadmill and did all of my running training there. Fast forward to yesterday and running outside, I guess Houston's humidity got stuck in my lungs because I couldn't stop coughing after I finished. Today is better but I am still coughing on occasion and it feels like my lungs have fluid in them. Any advice on that? I suppose running on uneven terrain could also be a contributing factor to why my legs and butt are so sore today?

I'm reading two issues here:
1 - you're coughing and you feel that your lungs have fluid in them
2 - your legs and butt are sore

If you feel like you have fluid in your lungs, why not see a doctor?


I haven't come across any study that concludes that training on a treadmill leads to either of those conditions so I would not agree that training on a treadmill has been the cause of your issue. If you Google "training for a marathon on a treadmill", you'll see that it's not uncommon to spend a lot of time on a treadmill and run well.

Insofar as being sore, how does your current level of soreness compare to other training runs of similar distance, weather conditions, and level of exertion?

My butt hasn't been that sore since when I first started running, but come to think of it that was when I was still running outside. Maybe I use my butt more when running outside?

Do you run with any incline on the treadmill? I know hills cause my butt muscles to work more. You probably just used those muscles more during the half.

Do yall think it would be ok to go for a short walk today to just get the muscles from tightening up? Maybe only 45 minutes?

For me, the best way to recover is light exercise. Cycling, Walking, or even an easy run. Take it really easy. Sitting around just makes the soreness last longer.

First of all let me say Congrats for completing your first Half Marathon that is awesome. I am currently training for my first Half in March, but in the process I have raced in 10ks and 15ks to slowly help me increase the mileage and get my body used to running certain distances. When I cannot get outside I run on the treadmill but only for the short distances, on Saturday for the long runs I always make sure to run them outside.

With your knees hurting first thing I would ask is did you got to a running store and get fitter for proper shoes?
Maybe add some inserts to your shoes to help with support if you need them. I was having pretty bad knee issue during my training I had to ice my knees every time after a long run, but after getting fitted for the right shoes and inserts my knee issues have gone away.

For you next Half Marathon I would say it is ok to do some of your training on the treadmill, but make sure you get out and run outside.

Good luck

Update...pretty sure the fluid in the lungs is from allergies starting to turn into a sinus infection, feeling pretty low today but much less sore so that is a good thing. Thank you all so much for your advice.

"Insofar as being sore, how does your current level of soreness compare to other training runs of similar distance, weather conditions, and level of exertion? "

I haven't ran in any weather conditions for a while, just inside on the treadmill. The most sore I was and am is on my inner thighs and I have never been sore there before so it was unusual. My calves and quads were pretty much equally sore as the day after my long runs on the treadmill. My butt hasn't been that sore since when I first started running, but come to think of it that was when I was still running outside. Maybe I use my butt more when running outside? Today it's just my inner thighs that are sore but I don't think I pulled anything I was very careful to warm up and stretch before and after the race and have been doing light stretches yesterday and today. Do yall think it would be ok to go for a short walk today to just get the muscles from tightening up? Maybe only 45 minutes? I am new to the running scene if you can't tell I just went for it so I never really added any strength training for my knees I just figured as I added more distance it would build the muscles up.

You may well have run differently on the ground than you were on a treadmill. Or not. We can't tell.

"Maybe I use my butt more when running outside?" Quite possible. If you change your foot strike, you may be using your glutes more than your quads so you could have overtaxed your glutes (speaking from experience).

"very careful to warm up and stretch before and after the race and have been doing light stretches yesterday and today."
Warmin up = good.
Static stretching = no bueno

Static stretching is a great way to damage muscle fibers and reduce power output. A longer term issue is that runners rely on "energy return" in our legs so the more limber we are, the less energy we're able to get from the latter portion of the gait cycle.
(When I first started running (again), I used to stretch after a run. After a few months of reading and learning about running I stopped. I used to be able to put my palms on the floor - for grins and giggles, I tried touching my toes yesterday and got my fingertips about an inch from my toes.)

"Do yall think it would be ok to go for a short walk today to just get the muscles from tightening up? Maybe only 45 minutes?"
45 minutes is a "short walk" - wow! You'll learn how much pain you can deal with. Unless you've torn muscles, a walk may be helpful but the best thing you can do is avoid ibuprofen, massage your sore muscles, and rest your body.

"I never really added any strength training for my knees I just figured as I added more distance it would build the muscles up."
We can do exercises to strengthen the muscles in our legs (and hip girdle) that influence how the knee cap articulates and, if you have "runners knee", that may well happen. If you have recurring pain or significant pain, why not see a sports doc/physiotherapist? It's quite possible that a short course of physio could strengthen the muscles in the thighs and hips and the issue could be resolved. As a data point, my 30+ years of knee pain ended after I'd been running for about 4 months and I've had zero recurrence in the 1800+ miles since then.

Congrats on the HM! How exciting!

I'm one who seconds that the varied inclines during the race could explain the increased soreness. Hills really work those inner thighs. You may be different, but correct shoes, switching to a midfoot strike, and lots of ice in the beginning helped eliminate my knee pain.

As for the coughing, you could be coming down with something. It's actually quite common for long distance runners to come down with a cold or virus after a race or long run. This article talks about it, why they think it happens, and some precautions you can take: http://www.livestrong.com/article/505632-getting-sick-after-running-a-marathon/.