I used to be a pretty handy distance runner but knee issues sent me onto the bike. I am considering having one last stab at returning to it now I have more leg muscle and hopefully better knee support and tracking. Any sensible advice other than easing yourself back into it? But you can forget that bonkers barefoot lark.

Gt someone to film you, then laugh as you watch yourself running like a duck…

Don’t bother, I had a thought of doing a triathlon last year, (wasn’t a bad runner way back when but stopped because of knee issues) but had a similar thought to yours. Ended up spending 3 large very distinct chunks of 2012 injured due to knee pain.

Don’t go fully barefoot, but think about minimalist shoes – it’ll make you want to run “lighter” and stop you landing on your heels so much, thus transferring shock up the bones into the knee. If you’ve got good muscle from cycling, make it work for you!

And as Tom alludes too, you’ll run like a complete donkey!

If you think you’re easing back into it, then you’re probably doing too much too soon! How long since you’ve run? I reckon that have been a good runner in the past is actually a big advantage as you’re likely to still have decent efficiency and it should be a lot easier to get going than for somebody who’s never run. However I’d be wary of assuming that your biking muscle will make sure you don’t have knee tracking problems – especially if that was a big enough issue to stop you running in the first place – there’s just as good a possibility of getting an asymmetric pull on your knee with those muscles which aren’t used to running. Personally I’d get some advice from a professional (physio specialising in sports).

Also a good idea to do lots of stretching. Flexibility is very handy for running (see above – it’s something which helps prevent injury by avoiding uneven pulling), and it’s something cyclists are generally very bad at.

…I also agree with the advice about minimalist shoes – if you were “pretty handy” then you ought to have been at least midfoot striking. However like running in general it’s something to ease yourself into as despite what all the evangelists reckon even minimalist shoes are tougher on the muscles for those not used to it.

As a runner I stretched religiously and that is of course good advice aracer. I haven’t run properly for 10 years but do loads and loads of fast walking (I walk everywhere at a silly pace) including mountaineering. I know this ain’t the same. I looked shite even as a decent runner.

Good trainers, taking cod liver oil and taking Glucosamine sulfate will keep pains at bay. All 3 have done wonders for me, I can run all I can handle now with no pains. Before tracking any of the supplement’s I couldn’t kneel down and play with my daughter, I have no such problems now.

Might be of some relevance…

Link to article

“I got patellar tendonitis running across the car park in the rain once: must have been about 200 yards. It was absolutely pelting it down, I didn’t have a jacket and I ran really hard, and yeah, I got patellar tendonitis off the back of it. Couldn’t believe it. Because you’ve got the power and the strength to run, but just no resistance to impact.”

Only a personal anecdote, although I’m sure I’ve heard it elsewhere, but being a cyclist can be a disadvantage when taking up running.
I find I’m very prone to calf muscle tears.
Cyclists have got the strength and fitness for running, but not all the smaller support muscles.
Cycling is a bit like using the weights machines at the gym, running is more like free weights.

Build up slowly. Don’t go by how tired you feel, go by how tired an unfit person would feel.
Give yourself a chance to build up those smaller support muscles, the ones you don’t even notice are there until you injure them.

Yep, I used to run and then took up cycling as a response to knee pain. 20 years on, I went back and on the basis I can ride for 4 hours easily, figured all the advice about starting with a 15 minute walk run walk run didn’t apply. After several painful weeks with calf tears and general stiffness I swallowed my pride and did what the website recommended,and now can run pain free again.

I’ve done the “getting back into running” thing a few times, and it’s got harder and harder as I’ve got older!

This year was the worst, ran a bit last year, ran a couple of times earlier in the year and it felt fine, so bang into some 10k runs and checking times. Cue 6 weeks not running!

Back into it again with much lower sights, some regular but ridiculously slow 5k runs, gradually building to a slow but steady 10k was comfy, then increased the speed. Obviously you know that’s what you’re supposed to do, but just thought I’d quote it for truth 😉

I found resistance training helped a lot before easing back into running after over 3 years away from it. Was always a short-middle distance (5-10km) runner. I did a lot of squats, lunges, leg presses and deadlifts. I started with a gentle 3km after 6 gym sessions over 2 weeks. Not going crazy, just over 5 minute/km pace even down to 5:30m/km pace at times. Steadily bumped up the distance over a few weeks and I can now run over 15km. It took 5 months to get here, including a month off for an injury.

Pace is still slower than I like. I’ve had suggestions of adding some sprint training to my running work. I’d do it, but there’s not enough time before my half-marathon in September after which I plan to never run anything more than a 10km distance.

Good luck man. I’m sure you can get back to it. You just need to take it easy and listen to your body without pushing too fast too soon.

I started doing a bit of running again last winter/spring because the weather was so crap for biking, thought I was starting to feel more like a runner again so entered a local 5k canal race (towpath…) along with my son and daughter inlaw. Told myself I’d set off nice and steady and just try and keep decent pace up.
Thing was – in my head or was it instinct? I still thought I was a good runner and set off much too fast, got slower and slower and ended up finishing just in front of D I L (phew) in 23 mins!
At least legs (knees) held up though — so it’s worth a try, but be prepared to be slow. Can’t hold back old father time.

i am getting back into both cycling and fell running. My main focus is my breathing and everything else seems to fall into place nicely. Strava is a great help as well. I am alternating the rides and runs and am including cx cycling/ run/ carry routes to my training. It is going really well.

Ahh fell running… those were the days. A lot easier on the body I found as well.
May have to dig my walshies out again…. well maybe not

I have just bought some New Balance minimalist trail shoes to do a bit of cross training off road. Don’t intend to do a lot, probably 3-4 miles tops. Haven’t run ‘well’ since I was about 12/13 so not looking forward to it but need to get fit at something other than cycling for when my boy grows up. I got some stability shoes about 3 years ago but they felt horrible and made my back hurt so I’m trying the barefoot lark…

Fell running is exactly where I want to end up. I was always a cross country runner with the Grizzly as my annual target race.

I ended up fell running after having started on road, then country and track, picked up various injuries the worst being chronic back problems. My driving job at the time didn’t help. Got far less injuries when turning to fell running – apart from the odd twisted ankle. The back problems certainly eased off, mainly due to the less repetitive nature of the sport ie surface/camber/stride length etc.
I think hard surfaces and high mileages contributed a great deal to my knee problems.

Happy being able to keep active on the bike(s) these days.

Stretch your IT bands. A lot.

And start small.

There are plenty of fells to stretch the legs on here in West Cumbria.
So all is well. 😀

I found that ‘spinning’ on out of the saddle climbs on the bike helped my running a lot – I was far springier in my stride.

Stretch your IT bands. A lot.

And start small.

I’ve found a foam roller a big help with ITB band issues.