Have to re-do the plan... (Read 980 times)

I am still working through a 13 week learn to run plan. It's sort of like the C25k but spread over a longer time and focused on time as opposed to distance. I ran my 5k race Sunday Sept 28 and my knee was a little tender for a couple of days last week so really only started up again on Friday Oct 3. I had finished week 9 but went back to week 8 which was a recovery week. I did Week 8 Day 1 (10:1s x 4) without difficulty except for my knee being sore. I went to a physiotherapist this morning and while we try and figure out what's wrong with my knee he recommends that I go back to 5:1s for now. Here's weeks 7 to 11 of the plan: W7D1: W1 R10 x 5 W7D2: W1 R3 x 10 W7D3: W1 R5 x 8 W8D1: W1 R10 x 4 - did this on Oct 3 with no difficulties beyond my knee still being a bit sore W8D2: W1 R3 x 8 (32 mins total) W8D3: W1 R5 x 7 (42 mins total) W9D1: R10 W1 R20 W1 R15 W1 Run10 (58 mins total) W9D2: W1 R10 x 4 (44) W9D3: W1 R15 x 3 (48) W10D1: R30 W1 R30 (61) W10D2: W1 R10 x 4 (44) W10D3: R20 W1 R15 W1 R10 (47) W11D1: R40 W1 R20 (61) W11D2: W1 R10 x 4 (44) W11D3: R20 W1 R15 W1 R10 (47) Here is my question: I don't have a problem for finishing Week 8 this week but what do I do so I don't lose so much ground after that if I still have to do 5:1s? My guess is to just do 5:1s for the same total time and then when I get the okay to run longer again go back to re-do Week 8 (the recovery week that starts off with 10:1s?) but I wanted to see if anyone thought that was dumb or had a better idea. Or would just like to tell me I'm a little too compulsive for my own good in sticking to something a little overly much Basically, I'm having way more fun with this whole running thing than I thought I would. I figured I was doing good - running slow, mostly flat etc. I still have about 45 pounds to lose which doesn't help the knee much either but I don't want to be doing a "learn to run" forever either. Thanks.

I wouldn't worry about sticking to the plan if you have to slow down for an injury. Knee problems can be caused by not having the right shoes for your feet or old worn out shoes that should be replaced. If you haven't been to your local running store and gotten fitted for shoes yet, you should probably do that. I am a severe overpronator and have very flat feet. If my shoes have no support or the support is worn out, my feet will roll to the inside and put pressure on my knees.

Thanks - actually I got new running shoes from a local shop about a month ago. The physio wants me to check the arches though, they might be too high for me! Man, whoever it was that told me running gear was easy to get into lied!

So this morning should have been easy (even if I did push myself a little harder than usual on Sunday's 5k practice run) it was 3:1s x 8 Only the physiotherapist said to use my old shoes - because maybe the new ones have too high an arch and that's what's bugging my knee - only now my calves ache. Sigh. Now I don't know what to do.

Muscles that you are not used to using will get sore when you are starting out or change something (like your shoes). That is not a bad thing or an injury. Your body just needs to adjust to doing something different.

Thanks very much to both of you! I'm starting to feel re-assured! I will see how Thursday's 5:1s go. Especially after yoga tomorrow night.