Recovery from Marathon (Read 515 times)

I know that many of you have run your first marathon this year (yeah for Sara, Rick, Marion, Freckles, and I'm sure there are more of you out there too!!!). I finished my first marathon two weeks ago. I have done three easy runs since, and I'm developing some pains - on my left knee it is on the bottom of the kneecap toward the outside of my leg (ITB area?) and on my right leg it is behind the knee - like the muscle group that connects the hammy to the calf muscle. I didn't have any of these pains before the race...and the second half of the race was pretty difficult for me. Is this normal? Should I take it easy and do non-running exercises for another week or so? When should I start to worry that this isn't just soreness/recovery and it is an injury? Thanks for your help!

I ran a 1/2 about 3 weeks ago, and really pushed it at the end, I don't want an injury, so I have been taking some Advil before bed and trying to bring the inflammation down, I know its in there! I tried doing some very easy running and it just didn't work out for me, then I walked on a treadmill at a slow pace with incline on about 5 and speed at 3.5 to 4.0, raising and lowering the incline from 2 to 8 like a walk in the park and its been helping out, its low stress but at high incline it gets my heart rate up. I have learned the lessons from the past and if your body says no, then you shouldn't push it because running is a full body exercise. My next race isn't for a while and I will build up to it.