Well after nearly two years of running I have a new friend called PAIN !! Can anybody take him off my hands he is getting annoying.

It started last Saturday when I probably overdid it a tad with a long run, which I have built up gradually up to 17.5 miles and on that day I done 19.5 miles 75% of which was through muddy canal banks at a steady pace (8.45 min/mile).

The following day my knees, mainly my right knee behind the kneecap was quite painful and manifested itself when going up and down steps/stairs to a point where it was one step at a time.

This eased off a tad during sunday and I also decided to rest on monday where the left knee (my leading leg) felt ok, so Tuesday morning I strapped up the right knee for insurance purposes as this also felt ok and commited myself to a 9.3 mile tempo run, after which again all felt ok although there was a right knee niggle.

Wednesday came, a 6 mile XC run, and on the return back to home down a steep hill Pain crept up behind me and struck as I hobbled down most of it with the right knee well and truely complaining.

So now I have spent the last 2 days with no running whatsoever, right knee with compression bandage and a vast range of rubs and lotions, ibruleve, deep freeze, deep heat, etc. To a point now as I am writing with my knee feeling ok with a slight ache that I can cope with without wincing going up and down stairs.

The test is going to be tomorrow where I have a 10k XC race, third of the series on what I think is going to be flat playing fields. I will be committed to running this as after what will be 3 days I think that although I won't be 100% I'm going to make a fist of it, and for the first time my goal is just to complete the course as opposed to beating the next man. Although afterwards I'll probably book into the sports physio for a check up as I have another 2 races coming up in a couple of weeks time.

......And I have missed my daily runs, and been hitting the biscuit barrel for solice.

Derek

That's a rough roll of the dice for the new year.

With all of that running are your shoes worn out?

Are you a heel-striker; mid foot or fore foot runner?

When you run are you leaning back; upright or leaning forward?

On your forward stride do you land with a straight leg or bent at the knee?

A lot of questions to think about but I suspect the problem is "how" you run rather than the distance...

My advice for the w/e would be to put on a yellow jacket and marshall at the race rather than run because from what you have described, you run the risk (literally) of running onto the side-lines for several months. 

Still the mind and let your body decide...

Good luck whatever you decide to do! 

Hi Mike,

I consider myself midfoot as I tend to lean slightly from the ankles when running to ensure that my foot doesn't fall in front of me, for the shoes I have 5 pairs all of which are well under 400 miles of use, I have been mainly using 3 of those which are Inov8 trails, Brookes mach 12 spikes and Nike Pegasus XC because of the weather and concentrating on running on grass verges, rough ground and farmers fields where I can.

I think you may have brought up a point that on analysis I do tend to land straight leg so I'll try a bend on landing, also I might give the rough ground training a miss for a bit and go back to road which hasn't caused me any problems last year.

Knees are a little stiff this morning but I think with a warm up at the course that might shake the stiffness out, if I find that it is painful then I'll withdraw.

Derek

Blimey - Imelda Marcos in drag with that many pairs of shoes.

Re straight leg in front. Aha - I'm sure you know this next bit.

If you shorten your stride you will land with the foot more under the body - believe it or not this should mean a softer landing on those knees as you reduce the braking effect of the straight leg.

 To maintain speed you can then increase the cadence of the foot turnover while leaning fractionally further forward from the ankle.

Good luck

Thanks Mike,

I have just come back from Wolverhampton 10k XC race and as you say on my warm up around the course which was a 3 lapper I shortened my stride on the banks and grassy inclines and focused on bent knees.

The warm up did produce a few twinges so I had to adjust as neccesary, also I did not set the goal on fastest time but to actual finish the course intact and not crumple into a weeping sorry mess.

At the off I started slowly and through the race I didn't experience any pain that concerned me, or the need to slow down further and completed the course in a respectable 44:50 mins which if fully fit probably would have been one to two minutes quicker, but overall I am pleased with the day.

I'm going to give it a rest tomorrow and may start some light track training on Monday night and see how it goes, also I have a foam roller and I think I'm going to give my IT band a bit of a massage tonight.

Well done Derek

Take it easy, no harm in a\day or two of complete rest.

I over did the training during the last ten days and slept for 11 hours last night!

Complete rest today and I'll be back out on Monday.