So I have a little bit of knee pain, and my next half is on 2/17. I have been icing after each run and taking motrin as needed. I don't have any more long runs planned, just a few short/medium easy runs. What is the best course of action for the next 10 days?
Thanks!
2013 Goals:
5K: 25:00
10K: 52:00
Half: 2:00:00
an amazing likeness
Rest it and heal. If the runs make the knee hurt, don't run. If light runs don't aggravate the knee, then run lightly every other day or so to keep some pop in your legs.
If you're worried about loosing your training for your upcoming race, and that's making you feel like you have to keep running, think of it this way -- if you're hurting on race day, your race is over before it starts.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
That seems like sound advice!
PBs since age 60: 5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.
10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.
Thanks MilkTruck and SimonR!
I ran SLOW today and it didn't hurt at all. Maybe that is the secret. Someone on the racing forum also suggested foam rolling and I'm going to hit that hard this week. This will just be a fun race with a friend. I'm not going to try for my 2:00:00 YET.
But I do have a question about all my various aches and pains (achilles, PF, knees, not all at the same time). Could I be running too fast for my body? I have followed all the rules about increasing my mileage gradually, taking rest days, etc. Should I try to run slower while I increase mileage going forward? Would love to hear what y'all think!
Your log is too limited to provide any basis for answering your question about pains. Can you fill in the blanks?
Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.
Oh sorry about that, I logged for a couple days and haven't really been doing it. I keep everything on an excel spreadsheet. I run 3-4 days per week about 20 mpw total. I also do 2-3 strength training workouts.
I would like to increase to 4-5x/week and gradually increase my mileage 1-2 miles per week to 30 mpw. I need to do this without getting injured again!
I'd say you are running too fast, according to your logs. All your runs are tempo runs? Or at a low 9 something pace? My 5K time is 4 minutes faster then your goal and that's what pace I run for the majority of my runs.
Add more slow miles, that will make you faster and keep you from getting injured. I wouldn't even be doing tempo runs right now if I were you. I went from a 28 minute 5k to a 23 minute 5K without a lick of speed, tempo or any other kind of pace work. I just went from 20 mpw to 40 and BAM!! The speed came with it. Just got a PR in my half yesterday and I haven't done a tempo run since December, but I've kept my 50 mile weeks at a slow pace.
Mileage is underrated I think. If you add the miles and keep them comfortable you shouldn't be getting injured and you should find your race times dropping rapidly.
What's your next local race? We should meet up for a run sometime soon!!
PS. I second MT. Take it easy until your race, no need to push it now and make the knee any worse!
vegefrog - Nice job on the PR @ Save the Light! Yes my 5K PR is 26:11 and my goal is 25:00 by the end of the year. My typical pace for a short run has been 8:30 - 9:30 and usually around 9:30 - 10:00 for a long run. I'm going to force myself to run slower most of the time as I add more miles. My next local race is Catch the Leprechaun in Mount Pleasant. Moms Run in Daniel Island on May 11 (small race but I can walk there and possible place in my AG. Plus it was my first race ever last year). Floppin Flounder in June on Sullivans. I would love to meet up to run sometime!
I'm definitely doing Catch the Leprechaun! Love that race!! I was looking at the Moms run too...since technically now...I am a mom
I still say go slower, longer It's hard I KNOW, but honestly it will pay off.
Maybe I could meet you on DI or the bridge for a 5-6 mile jog this week?
I think you have to separate out aches and soreness from "pain", and from ailments like PF -- they're all different.
Soreness and achiness are normal parts of training and improving your fitness. As you train, you're requiring muscles and tendons and all that stuff to work beyond their current capacity and that's what makes them get stronger in response to the training. It also makes you sore and stiff and ache at times.
PF and tendonitis are over-use (some times), equipment (some times), form (some times), too-much-too-soon (often) and need to be treated with specific treatments for that ailment.
Pain is your body saying "do not do that" and needs to be taken seriously. Pain means something needs to heal before you do the activity that causes the pain. Pain = stop.
Seems to me that lots of folks (not directed at you) equate aches and soreness to mean they need to do less, so they back off training loads and never push their body to handle more distance/time/speed. I know, I do this at times.
MilkTruck - Good points, thanks!
Vegefrog - The moms run is small, you could possible win the whole thing. Oh maybe not if Rives Poe is there again! She is FAST. I did my last short run today but I would love to do the bridge or DI next week. Just let me know!