r/couchto5k

Hi!

I’m VERY overweight. Used to be very fit, quite liked running and then injury and mental health over took me and I stopped. Packed the pounds on and am not trying to get to a decent level of fitness.

I have ankle problems but until now, no knees issues.

I did week 1 reasonably easily, but have now repeated it 3 times. The second week, I felt great for the first two runs after increasing speed and distance, but the third run and the first two of my third repeat have left me with sore knees.

They recover without any help by the next run, but are sore again very quickly.

I’m running on both treadmills an grass with no noticeable difference in pain. My ankles stop me running always on grass though.

I am a teacher so on my feet all day, but not active - lots of standing around waiting for kids to write stuff.

On the in between days, I am doing body weight exercises like squats/lunges/scissors etc.

I also have a dog and we go for at least one decent (5 mile+ walk a week).

Is this knee pain something I should push past?

Are there exercises I should do to support my knees?

Should I continue to do week 1 until the knee pain reduces or go onto Week 2? I can work on speed/gradient for a sense of achievement haha.

Is there a point when it’s not worth repeating Week 1 anymore?

Sorry for the long post! Also not sure if should flair it this or Week 1?!

My daughter and I have just finished week 1. She’s 7, and I’m low key using her to force me to do this - if I tell my daughter we’re doing something, then no one is standing in between us and the finish line. She’s a great little cheerleader and when she gets tired it’s great for me mentally to say “come on we’ve only got a bit left, we can do it”, it’s like I’m telling myself 🤣
I’ve started and given up on this three times now, and I’ll be damned if I give up when I’ve got a mini me watching! I’m teaching both her and my inner child that we are unstoppable and we can do whatever we put our minds to!

I've been training for the last two months for a 5K I'm doing this Saturday (five days from now). I think I've prepared as much as I can in terms of running and stretching. I wanted to pick people's brains about what to do the night before/morning of. What should I eat or drink to help do my best? This is my first 5K and not my last!

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.