Official Running Thread

[jimmygull]

I've always struggled with my knees, more before running than since though. I used to play football on a sunday, not be able to walk without discomfort all week and then play football on a sunday again. The best advice immediately is to seek professional advice because you might have strained a ligament or have something more significant going on but in my experience, knee pain is caused by overuse which requires icing, stretching and resting. See what a professional says, but I think ice and rest may be your best bet.

Thanks Ninja! It's really odd as I don't have any discomfort now, and walking, going up and down stairs etc is pain free. When I started to jog earlier it feels fine, but then the discomfort starts to kick in after a few minutes and obviously in my head this will only get significantly worse attempting 26 miles and I am fearing the worse with 10 days to go. I will take your advice and see someone, if anyone can recommend someone please do!

 

[jimmygull]

Maranoia, rest up.

(I don't doubt you have a pain in your knee, but I'll wager you are ultra-sensitive to every twinge at the moment. Rest and relaxation... and probably some ice... is the way to go.)

Hope you are right mate. It felt significant enough to stop running, so just hope it improves with 10 days left and it's manageable on the day. I've done 5 marathons in the past and never quite got under 4 hours, but I am bang on track this time! Will rest and ice as instructed and fingers crossed!

 

[Curious Orange]

Hope you are right mate. It felt significant enough to stop running, so just hope it improves with 10 days left and it's manageable on the day. I've done 5 marathons in the past and never quite got under 4 hours, but I am bang on track this time! Will rest and ice as instructed and fingers crossed!

Lummy, that's four more than me - I guess this is out of the ordinary from previous build-ups, so I can see why you're worried! Apologies for being so flippant.

 

[Artie Fufkin]

Thanks Ninja! It's really odd as I don't have any discomfort now, and walking, going up and down stairs etc is pain free. When I started to jog earlier it feels fine, but then the discomfort starts to kick in after a few minutes and obviously in my head this will only get significantly worse attempting 26 miles and I am fearing the worse with 10 days to go. I will take your advice and see someone, if anyone can recommend someone please do!

Is the pain on the outside of your knee? If so, it could be your IT band. Very common overuse injury among runners going into new territory in terms of miles running. Discomfort sets in once you try running and can definitely become too painful to continue. I'd suggest foam rolling, stretching and rest.

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a19576110/iliotibial-band-syndrome/

 

[dazzer6666]

Hello all. Just looking for a bit of advice. Went for my last significant training run last week. Just 18k, but the last 8k at a really decent pace for me around 4m30s km's. The only issue being that I started to feel a twinge in my knee with about 5k left. I should have stopped but I didn't as I was feeling great otherwise and wanted to get a good last run in! I then went skiing with my son at the w'end and I didnt really feel any issues. But, i have just been for a PT session on Hove Lawns and I jogged down there (first run since last week) and felt the knee again. We normally do a running exercise to start the session, but after a couple of minutes, the discomfort was significant enough to stop. I did squats, lunges etc in the session without pain. But when I tried to jog back to work I felt the pain come back again after a couple of minutes and stopped. I will be absolutely gutted if I cant do Brighton and London as planned as have put in a lot of effort to get to this stage and have raised a decent chunk of cash for charity, but it is what it is!

My questions are, has anyone else had issues with their knee/s? Does anyone know a physio etc they would recommend or any advice in terms of strapping, stretching etc? 10 days until Brighton, but 24 until London, part of me is thinking miss out on Brighton with the hope I might be ok for London, but then of course i will be less fit with no runs in my legs for 3+ weeks. Or maybe try Brighton and pull out if the pain comes on too much. Sorry for the rambles, but just got back and extremely gutted!!

As others have said, could be ITB or any number of other things. Best thing to do now is rest......don’t even be tempted to try a run for a few days - nothing you do now is going to improve your Brighton time anyway from a fitness perspective, but aggravating a niggle could well **** it up. If no further pain, an easy couple of runs a few days before the event is all you need.

If you can get to a physio then do so - if it is, for example, ITB related they’ll probably be able to release it. If not a physio, then a sports massage therapist will definitely help - can recommend Maria Pali locally (she’s a very experienced runner too - 100+ marathons) so will understand.

https://www.mariapali.co.uk

Good luck - most of us have been in this situation before........

 

[knocky1]

Is the pain on the outside of your knee? If so, it could be your IT band. Very common overuse injury among runners going into new territory in terms of miles running. Discomfort sets in once you try running and can definitely become too painful to continue. I'd suggest foam rolling, stretching and rest.

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a19576110/iliotibial-band-syndrome/

Good call. Should be ready for marathons if so.

If behind the knee cap [MENTION=24077]jimmygull[/MENTION] it’s more likely a time off problem.

I have got 2 or 3 running again on here with my magic stretch courtesy of Paul Godley, RIP. It helps knee pain caused by tight thighs. Only do when warmed up and STOP if any pain felt in knee. Lie face down on floor. Starting with good leg grasp under ankle bring heel up to touch bottom. Bring stomach in and slightly stretch shoulders away feeling the stretch in the thigh. Hold for 30 seconds.

Then with extreme caution try with injured leg ready to stop immediately if any pain. As part of the initial warm up sitting on a table doing 10-20 non weighted leg raises can help settle things down.

Good luck.

 

[Curious Orange]

If it is the ITB, then a Seated Pigeon stretch (actually performed sat in a chair) is great... and also good for tight glutes and back too.

I swear by this one, and even Mrs Orange is a convert despite her initial scepticism.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Back on eating, my pre long run routine has been a bowl of porridge with a banana and honey and then gels every half hour on my 18 and 20 milers. Works for me just fine but everyone is, indeed, different. My plan on the day is up and eating about 2 and a half hours before the start and carrying enough gels for one every 25 mins. Water with scaps or electrlytes - NO Lucozade! And no coffee before run - it always makes me want to take a dump.

 

[jimmygull]

Blimey this thread is awesome! Thank you all so much for your responses! It's on the outside of my right knee on the right lower side so sounds like it could be ITB. I have a phsyio booked in tomorrow so fingers crossed they can identify the issue and work some magic! Will be trying them stretches out tonight, thanks again!

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Blimey this thread is awesome! Thank you all so much for your responses! It's on the outside of my right knee on the right lower side so sounds like it could be ITB. I have a phsyio booked in tomorrow so fingers crossed they can identify the issue and work some magic! Will be trying them stretches out tonight, thanks again!

Yep. Best thread on NSC. I can't really add much that hasn't already been covered and it sounds like you're taking the right measures to get it sorted.

Good luck for both races – I reckon you'll be fine. It probably is a bit of maranoia creeping in – it comes with the territory of setting targets.

 

[timbha]

If it is the ITB, then a Seated Pigeon stretch (actually performed sat in a chair) is great... and also good for tight glutes and back too.

I swear by this one, and even Mrs Orange is a convert despite her initial scepticism.

An exercise I ignored for a couple of years and suffered accordingly. I do it 2 or 3 times a day now and it works.

Good call !

 

[knocky1]

An exercise I ignored for a couple of years and suffered accordingly. I do it 2 or 3 times a day now and it works.

Good call !

Ditto. The stretch, especially with the right leg, I fear most but do after nearly every run. Ouch!

 

[big nuts]

Thanks Ninja! It's really odd as I don't have any discomfort now, and walking, going up and down stairs etc is pain free. When I started to jog earlier it feels fine, but then the discomfort starts to kick in after a few minutes and obviously in my head this will only get significantly worse attempting 26 miles and I am fearing the worse with 10 days to go. I will take your advice and see someone, if anyone can recommend someone please do!

Almost certainly IT band by the sounds of things. Foam roller and glute stretches and strengthening are the way forward.

 

[dazzer6666]

Almost certainly IT band by the sounds of things. Foam roller and glute stretches and strengthening are the way forward.

Sports massage............worst 45 mins of your life (if you’re thinking soft music and scented candles, think again) but almost instant impact..........

 

[big nuts]

Sports massage............worst 45 mins of your life (if you’re thinking soft music and scented candles, think again) but almost instant impact..........

Agreed. Having suffered from ITB in 2014 it's a nasty painful injury. Prevention is better than cure and I've always made an effort of stretching and strengthening glute muscles regularly. That and making sure you don't wear out your running shoes too much.

 

[dazzer6666]

Agreed. Having suffered from ITB in 2014 it's a nasty painful injury. Prevention is better than cure and I've always made an effort of stretching and strengthening glute muscles regularly. That and making sure you don't wear out your running shoes too much.

I literally screamed the first time I went to a physio and ITBS was diagnosed (and ‘treated’)

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Alternative running training for me this morning, two lots of 20 lengths in 17:15 and 17:17. Consistently not quick. One big difference between being in the pool and being on the road is that nobody can relegate you from a lane when you're out and about. 2 folks were "invited" to join me and an old dear in the crawler lane. Nothing funnier than overhearing, "you're regularly going slower than that guy (me!) and he's not quick". There's some pride in that.

I'll be doing my final hard speed session tomorrow, 30 minutes steady, 50 minutes at 6:45 and then another 30 at steady pace before 19 miles at 7:00 - 7:15 on sunday. It'll be a gentle taper next week and then bang - marathon day!

 

[knocky1]

After my potato bed preparation I'm now £55 lighter from an hour of painful work on my sacroiliac joint where spine connects to pelvis.. No candles or mood music. She got to a pain level that Jesus could achieve and has left me feeling tired and sore.
Feel optimistic that I'll be able to enjoy the day out tomorrow and pessimistic that I'll have no excuse to not do this ruddy marathon.

No Parkrun tomorrow.

 

[knocky1]

Alternative running training for me this morning, two lots of 20 lengths in 17:15 and 17:17. Consistently not quick. One big difference between being in the pool and being on the road is that nobody can relegate you from a lane when you're out and about. 2 folks were "invited" to join me and an old dear in the crawler lane. Nothing funnier than overhearing, "you're regularly going slower than that guy (me!) and he's not quick". There's some pride in that.

I'll be doing my final hard speed session tomorrow, 30 minutes steady, 50 minutes at 6:45 and then another 30 at steady pace before 19 miles at 7:00 - 7:15 on sunday. It'll be a gentle taper next week and then bang - marathon day!

An interesting marathon prep to say the least. You're certainly making up the speed you lose in the pool when running!

 

[Ninja Elephant]

An interesting marathon prep to say the least. You're certainly making up the speed you lose in the pool when running!

I was well rested last year and ran out of puff, this year I'm going the other way. Also, I've only really been able to train for 9 weeks. I think it's long enough, but I was starting from relatively nowhere in january. I was a bit overweight and I was struggling to run at any pace - I've dedicated a lot of time and effort into getting into shape and I feel like I'm ready. I'll have run 500 miles prior to the event and I'll run 500 more afterwards, hopefully!