Running With Sore Knees: What I Did When My Knees Hated My Run

Today I went for a run, and my knees were not thrilled. If you run regularly, you know that feeling in the first few minutes of warming up where you just know it’s going to be a problem. Here’s what happened and how I adjusted.

In This Article

• When the Warm-Up Tells You Something
• Pivoting Instead of Pushing Through
• Lessons for Runners With Cranky Knees
• Why I Keep Showing the Rough Days

When the Warm-Up Tells You Something

Normally when I run and notice some knee pain, it fades after a few minutes and I move on with my day. Warm-ups are great for that: the joints loosen up, the stiffness goes away, and the run feels fine.

This time was different. Right as I started warming up, I could tell this wasn’t going to fade. That’s an important moment, because the easy move is to push through it anyway.

Pivoting Instead of Pushing Through

I decided to pivot and adjust to something new rather than grind out the planned run on sore knees. I’m not a doctor, but I’ve been lifting and running long enough as a NASM certified trainer to know that ignoring a warning sign rarely ends well.

Changing the plan isn’t quitting. It’s keeping yourself in the game for next week, next month, and next year.

Lessons for Runners With Cranky Knees

• Pay attention to how your knees feel during the warm-up, not just ten minutes in.
• Be willing to change the workout instead of forcing the original plan.
• Swap in lower-impact work when your joints are complaining.
• If pain keeps showing up, get it checked by a medical professional.

Why I Keep Showing the Rough Days

Not every run is a great one, and I think the honest days are worth sharing. Getting fit after 40 is a lot of listening to your body and adapting. Watch the video to see how my run played out.

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