I wanted to start runing to shed some of my 18 or so stone. Last week I walked 3 miles on Mon in around 44 mins, did the same on Wednesday but ran for probably a minute or two at most and came in with another 44 minutes.

On Friday I did the same run (Walk ) but probably got two seperate minutes of flat running in and did about half a mile on a decent downhill.

Sunday walked quickly to the of the first hill (About 5 mins) and started getting pains in my knee, ran for a few yards and pain got worse. Walked the rest of the route but regretted continuing ater around 1.5 miles as my knees really started to hurt

Three days on the pain is constantly there albeit bareable, knees go stiff after sitting and are tender to the touch on the inside and down slightly fronm the knee cap.

Have I overdone it, should I avoid downhill running due to the extra stress...

Help, a bad start to what becoming quite enjoyable, albeit wet...

Welcome to RF!!

You do need to take it easy to start with to allow your body to adjust to new pressures...don't get de-motivated though...we all had problems when we first started.

When I organise hill sessions for my club it is the downhill work that most complain about so perhaps you should look for level ground for now.

All the best..and welcome to the mad world of running...keep in touch!

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Get it sorted...and get it sorted early.

Welcome to the forum havabrew.

Don't lose heart and keep at it.

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots

Thanks, would you recommend that I rest until there is no pain, or could I go back to the walking with a small amount of pain?

Ive signed up for the Sport relief 3 miles and would prefer no to have to walk the full distance....

Cheers

Ive signed up for the Sport relief 3 miles and would prefer no to have to walk the full distance....

Cheers[/quote]


When is this event?

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots

March the 16th, I was hoping that 8 weeks would be sufficient to get up to a 3 mile run...but the start hasn't been too good

Have you been fitted out with proper trainers?

If so getting up to 3 miles I think is doable in 8 weeks.

When you run are you running flat out?

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots

Flat out - not quite Although I hope it would be classed as jogging

New trainers that are comfortable, Nike for about £30 in the sale, seam to have plenty of bounce but they were bought without a fitting.

when you start to run start off slowly and stay there until you get comfortable and able to maintain the pace, speed at the moment is not necessary.

Your trainers are essential I would find a local running shop and take your trainers there and ensure they are right for you, you can gain all sorts of injuries if they're not, if you can get to a sweatshop or a he runs she runs or other specialist running shop you can get a gait analysis and that will tell you what type of trainers are right for you.


Hope this helps

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots

this could also explain the problems with your knees apart from the fact that you are new to running and like steve said we all suffer initially.

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots

I think a proper fitting may be the way to go, Ill post back when i try my next walk / run.

Thanks for the support

If you have access to a gym I'd recommend giving the cross-trainer a go and using it instead of some of your runs, it'd save the pounding of the joints that your body isn't used to but still help to improve your fitness. Exercise bike would do similar but the cross trainer would better replicate the running motion.

No joy with a gym hence the jogging, but Ive found a nice flat circuit and as the knees haven't improved a visit to the doc will be in order - maybe i can run back

I have arthritic knees and have had two op's but still run. Maybe your best bet would be to start in the gym on a treadmill or run on grass. But most of all, take it easy and do what your body tells you.
I'm really not the best to giving advise as I suffer a great deal with knee pain, but are still doing the London Marathon, two 20 milers and a couple of half marathons before the end of May, and I don't even want to think about the training.
Good luck with your training and let us know how you get on with the Sports Relief run.

Good man! Glad you're getting out there and doing it. The time of year doesn't help. The cold makes any injury feel worse and definately makes you sieze up a bit when you sit still. You should see me and the missus helping each other off the sofa of an evening. She goes first and I have to push her from behind and then once she's up she pulls me up.:eek: