Will I ever be able to run a marathon? (sinking feelings setting in)

Andrewf20

Hi folks,

I want to do the marathon next year, but up till now ive been mainly doing up to 10k runs. Today I decided to go mad and run as far as I possibly could. I ended up doing 11miles (1hr 36mins) and had to stop, not because of cardio or muscle issues but because my knee joints were so sore. (Getting down the stairs is a little bit of struggle this eve). Id say I spent 50% of the run on low grass, with proper running shoes. Id say my running technique is okay also (land on front - midsole). I do be taking the cod liver and G sulphate tablets as well. Im getting the sinking feeling that a full run marathon maybe a no go.

Have people by any chance found this to be normal and that the soreness will perhaps go away once I start doing more long runs? Just want to see if theres any hope for me out there. I wouldnt mind but I hardly do much running anyway relative to some people.

Cheers.

copacetic

course you will. it is all about building up gradually and allowing your body to adapt. don't add more than 10% per week and every 3rd or 4th week step back about 20% and you will build very quickly to long distances with less issues..

How Strange

This isn't medical advice but my own experience..

I had terrible problems with my knees and on the advice of a physio I took glucosamine with chondritin for 3 months before I started running and one year on (touch wood) I've had no problems with my knees. I still take glucosamine every day.

Also, investing in a good pair of runners has helped. I had my gait analysed and bought the best runners for me which cost €140 but it's a damn sight cheaper than going to the physio every couple of weeks.

The progression and improvement comes in time but picking a race coming up soon and using a training schedule to work towards it will help alot.

shels4ever

Get the right footware and get the gait analysis.

I had some problems when i started back this year, don't increase your mileage too much too soon its a sure fire way to get injured.

Andrewf20

Cheers guys.


I have those Asic's Kayanos and they only have about 100 miles on them, so hopefully the footware is fine. Having said that I didnt get any major foot analysis when I bought them.

I perhaps need to be taking the G sulphate each day, not 3-4 times a week like I am at the moment. Looks like there may be hope yet.

Funkyzeit

Andrewf20 wrote: »

Cheers guys.

I perhaps need to be taking the G sulphate each day, not 3-4 times a week like I am at the moment. Looks like there may be hope yet.

Andrew - I myself had pretty much the exact the same problem - went from running 8-10k to doing 20k - knees in a jock after the runs and next day.

Going to step back (after I did the Cork Cobh 15 mile) and try do 12-15k and work up using the 10% rule.

I've started taking Cod Liver oil and Glucosamine (interestingly on reading up on Gluco it's had mixed results on clinical studies...) also working on my quads (cycling) so hoping that helps too...

--amadeus--

As you know we can't give out medical advice on this forum but what I will say is that of someone said that they went from the occasional 10k run to running 11 miles (not far off double) and DIDN'T have sore joints then I'd be surprised!

When you begin running the fastest gains are made in your CV system and muscles and the slowest adaptations take place in and around your joints. Long after your heart / lungs and legs are ready for 12 and 14 mile runs your joints and tendons will be suffering from them. hey do adapt but slowly which is why the advice from Copacetic is spot on. Build distance slowly - no more than 10% extra on any single run and no more than 10% extra in total mileage per week.

Give yourself time to rest and recover and find a decent marathon training plan (ask on here for reccomendations or reviews if you want, we're a friendly bunch!) and go at it slowly and you will be fine. Better again build slowly - first to a half mrathon and from there to a full.

IMO while suppliments have thier place (and do work for some people) a properly structured and managed training should probably be the first thing you look for to fix the problem

kingQuez

Hey Andrew,

I abandoned marathon training last year after getting up to 1/2 marathon distance (13miles) because my feet were killing me and my knees were very sore. Took a couple of weeks before they were right again.

This year I started training for the marathon again. After the 5mile run in the phoenix park my feet were sore for a week. I realized there was no way I'd run the marathon if I didn't figure out what the problem was.

1) Id been using some random pair of rebok runners that I was using the previous year. Having heard about all this gait analysis stuff I went off to Runways on parnell street and spent 105quid on a new pair of runners suggested by one of the lads in there. At the time I couldnt tell the difference between the two (Id basically got feck all running experience), but now I can really appreciate the difference a good pair of runners makes!

2) Having heard about the wonders of glucasomine+cod liver oil I started taking them religiously (every day as part of my waking up routine). The rickety knees I thought were just normal went away after about a month.

3) The next time my knees started to bother me I went to see a Physio. It was handy because it was subsidised in college, but I'm *very glad i did*. She instantly spotted that I was leaning in on my arches quite heavily, and when I started to push up the distance this resulted in problems in my knees. She gave me a bunch of strengthening exercises specifically to fix that issue, and ran through general core-strengthening exercises (which id never heard of before) which I also do daily now.

I'm glad to say I ran the marathon on monday, so you can definitely do it! Im no expert, but I would say as soon as you feel pain in your knees go and figure out what it is and don't ignore it. The earlier you find a fix the easier your training will go.

Good luck!

macinalli

Hi Andrew,

Kayano's are good runners but they may not be the best for your running style. You mentioned that when you run, you land on the front/mid-sole - I've a similar style, with very little heel strike, and had a completely different shoe recommended by Amphibian King (New Balance 1062s, work great!)

It's something to bear in mind when you get your next pair, but for now I'd say go with Amadeus' advice - he's the coach here for a reason!

geoff29

Hi OP,

A few months ago I was doing a lot of running, including training on successive days. From April to June, my legs were getting sorer and sorer, and even though I played around with different runners, the pain persisted. It had gotten to the point that I felt like my legs were siezing up, and there was one day I was walking around town, and really, it was so painful I could barely walk. Excrutiating. Now, at this point I was still about 1 mile from where I was parked. By the time I got to the car, I was asking myself all sorts of questions - because really I couldn't continue as I was.

Knees, legs, ankles, feet, all felt terrible - like they were made of meccano - but which was now buckling!! I kept thinking back to say the previous year when I could remember running 13 miles regularly, albeit slowly, but without ever a pain or any bother - the only thing that concerned me back then was my breathing i.e, getting out of breath. It was very frustrating now that, my breathing was fine, i.e, fittest I've ever been, but now my body of all things wasn't keeping up!!! I felt very low about it. Was new to me.

So, I then started working-in rest days, 2 and 3 at a time. But catch-22, because I was always trying to improve my times and I didn't want to un-do all the good work I'd done til then, I would only allow myself those few days, and then I'd be straight back into the running one the track/road. Some days I would feel fine, but other days, especially when I was on the track, I'd run about 400m hard and then suddenly feel that grinding feeling come back again - very fragile feeling. I'd grind to a halt and somedays drag/crawl shuffle back to the car - must have looked odd to some people because often I'd have just run very fast! So, it was this lack of being able to walk which was concerning me - and I was asking a lot of questions, is running worth this? I'm a young guy - I don't need to be causing myself any long term harm!

At the end of July, I went away for a week or so, and only cycled - at that time, that was my longest break from running in probably 6 months - 1 year. Did a world of good. Went back running and felt *pretty* good. There was definitely an improvement.

Then, I got sick in August and September, and my running pretty much ground to a halt. It had been trailing off 8 miles was becoming 5 miles and 4/5 days a week was becoming 2/3...

But...

Regarding the pain in the legs? It has been a blessing in disguise. I am totally recovered. Back to what I was before. The problem? I havent run in 6/8 weeks. Tis very sad to see myself fall away but I think I needed it, Im feeling fresh these days. A few days ago I went to the gym and used the treadmill for the first time in ages. I ran 5k in 21 mins and was totally screwed after (couldn't have continued another metre). But for me it was a return to form - unfit - but - my *body* was fit!!

So, for you, I would suggest rest. I was so flippant about it -'rest? Who needs it?!' But I throw my hands up and say I was soooo wrong. We all need rest, I totally realise that now. The fact that, I know I couldnt do it fast and it might take 6 hours, but I could run/walk 26.2 miles right now - and apart from the norm I know my legs would be fine. I think it could be the same for you.

And don't forget you can improve your fitness with cycling/swimming as well to keep up your fitness on the days you're not running!

REST! and Good Luck!!

--amadeus--

I agree, rest is vital. Yet another reason why following a proper plan is pretty much essential for any novice runner, good plans will have lots of rest built into them and it's the bit most people forget about.

Andrewf20

Great info guys. Much appreciated.