Moving forward with extra rest days vs repeating a week
lotte24601
Posts: 14 Member
So, I finished week 1 (wild Kermit arms: yaaaaaaaaaay), and I'm pleased to say that the runs themselves are going shockingly well. Once (but only once), I even said "already?" when my phone told me to walk.
It's when I stop that I run into problems. An hour or so after I'm done, my right knee starts hurting, and it aches noticeably for the next day, plus a bit. I've been taking an extra day off between segments, and that seems to take care of things, but now I'm faced with a dilemma: do I move on to week 2 and continue taking the extra day off, or do I stay on week 1 till the knee gets strong enough to handle every other day?
Answers? Advice? Wise anecdotes from way back when you were starting out?
It's when I stop that I run into problems. An hour or so after I'm done, my right knee starts hurting, and it aches noticeably for the next day, plus a bit. I've been taking an extra day off between segments, and that seems to take care of things, but now I'm faced with a dilemma: do I move on to week 2 and continue taking the extra day off, or do I stay on week 1 till the knee gets strong enough to handle every other day?
Answers? Advice? Wise anecdotes from way back when you were starting out?
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Replies
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I don't run every other day, mainly because I don't always have the time due to work or other commitments. A typical Couch to 5k regimen for me is normally either Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday or Sunday/Wednesday/Friday.
The important thing is to listen to your body. If you feel like running every other day doesn't work for you, then move forward with extra rest days, but do be careful that you're warming up and cooling down properly too, as that will prevent injury. Are you doing your 5 minute warm up and cool down walks during the workout? It's also a good idea to stretch after your run and before if you feel you need to (some people think stretching mainly has its benefits afterwards). The Couch to 5k website has some good stretches you can do. It might also be beneficial to invest in a good pair of running shoes if you haven't already. I've not faced any problems with the shoes I run in, but some people find that getting a new pair of running shoes works wonders.0 -
I'd probably do week one an additional time and see if your knee gets strong enough to run every other day. If you decide to keep going and run every third day, then I would probably try and go for a long walk on one of the non-running days so you're still getting exercise and strengthening your knee without adding as much stress as running.
I have problems with my knee too and for the most part I've just been pushing through and continuing to run every other day, I'm mid-way through week 7 right now. One thing I've found that really helps my knee is to use a heating pack. One a bad day I'll take some ibuprofen before I go for my run. But- I also have a pretty good idea what the problem is with my knee and I don't think I'm risking a major injury to it, for me I think the pain is just something I need to learn to adapt to and live with.
Do you have a good pair of running shoes? If not, I'd go to a store that specializes in running shoes. You can tell them about the knee pain and they'll watch you walk and run to see how your feet and legs move and then fit you in shoes that match your running style. Having a good pair of shoes makes a big difference!0 -
I have a similar knee situation. I was in a lot of pain the night after my runs and all the following day. I always take an extra day to make sure my knee feels strong again. The good news is that the pain has decreased over the course of the program (I am just finishing week 5) as my knee got stronger. It always helps to have good shoes, but it does take a while to build up strength in the muscles that support your knee so, until you do, take it slow and listen to your body.
And make sure to ice immediately after you run (and stretch)! I throw a bag of frozen corn on my knee for about 15 minutes and that relieves about 90% of the discomfort. Good luck!0 -
I weigh 292 lbs. and have had bad knees since high school, when I was in great shape. I begin week four today.
When I started paying attention to my form, running got much easier. The best advice I have found is to make sure you run at 180 footfalls per minute, which you can do by counting your right foot landing and trying to get that to 90 per minute. That will force you to take smaller strides when running and land on your midfoot, which is far easier in your body. My knee and hip pain disappeared instantly when I did this, and I found I had more energy when running.
Second, I have found that lifting two or three times per week has done wonders for my legs. Squats and dead lifts have made my legs much stronger and more stable. If I have some residual muscle soreness on my running day, I just run through it, since there is a difference between soreness and pain.
Good luck on your running!0 -
Thank you guys so much for the excellent advice. I ended up repeating week one, adding a quick stretching session between the 5 minute warmup and the run, and icing as soon as I get home instead of waiting till it starts to hurt. It's made all the difference.
Y'all rock.0 -
I actually went through this exact scenario for the first couple weeks. I posted on here and the responses really helped. So I'll tell you what I changed...
I realized that the way I was running was very rough on my knee. When my foot would hit the ground I was putting all my weight on my heel. Almost like stomping. My heel still hits the ground now of course but its only for a split second and the majority of my weight is on the balls of my feet while I push off.
I also wasn't stretching much if at all.
Changing these 2 things made my knee stop hurting almost immediately. Just be super conscious of how your feet are hitting the ground for the next few runs and you're likely to see a huge improvement.0
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