Oh my aching knees (Marathon injury report)

[Bostondevil]

Did 12 miles yesterday and had to stop. The last mile I had to walk because my knees were hurting, badly. I tried to tough it out and they started going wonky on me to where I almost fell a couple of times, so I started walking. This development is not good. Any suggestions on what might be going wrong? Other than my knees, I'm absolutely fine.

I finally got the right shoes a couple of weeks ago. The guy at the store told me I don't have any lateral motion problems with my gait. Prior to yesterday, no problems with the knees in the new shoes, including a 10 mile run. I was fine through 10 miles but by 10.5 I started feeling it. The course I ran includes part of Heartbreak Hill and overall is quite hilly. I mapped out a 4.5 mile route that included both uphill and downhill bits, ran it twice, then did one more 3 mile loop. I took ibuprofen before the run.

[greybeard]

I finally got the right shoes a couple of weeks ago.

Sure don't sound like it!

[Fish80]

I finally got the right shoes a couple of weeks ago.

Agree with Grey, I'm very suspicious of the shoes. The timing is right - if the shoes are wrong for you, it could easily take a few weeks for the repetitive strain to show up in your knees.

10 followed by 13 is a lot of miles in two days. Have you recently increased your mileage? Sounds like you're a very experienced runner, so I'm guessing that's not an issue for you.

I've found that as I age, I need to "stretch" more, and I also need more rest days. For 20+ years I could run everyday. Now I take at least two days per week off from running and do something else. Recently started spinning class with my daughter. Weights, swimming, or even walking are good activities for off days.

[aimo]

Many runners have knee problems b/c they haven't included quad strengthening in their workout routines.

And, yeah, the shoes sound fishy.

[Bostondevil]

I meant nothing was hurting me through the first ten miles. I didn't do 10 miles on Saturday. I did 10 miles a week ago Sunday, no problems, 4 miles Tuesday, 3 miles Wednesday, then stationary bicycle on Friday.

My knees hurt in the other shoes. It was one of the things I discussed with the guys at the shoe store. (Fellow Boston Marathoners swear by the place I bought them.) The guys there checked my gait among other things and had me try several pairs of shoes. The ones I bought felt the best. I've had three problems so far, knees, toenails, and boobs. These shoes are helping the toenail problem. Note to female runners - SEAMLESS sports bras and NO underwires. Knees? In the old shoes the knees started twinging much sooner but as I've been confined to a treadmill for awhile because of icy conditions outside, when my knees started twinging on a treadmill, I just stopped. Yesterday I was more than a mile and a half from home. Two things I know, it's not shin splints and it's not a hyperextended knee.

Not that I'm unwilling to buy another pair of shoes, but really, can all problems truly be solved by new running shoes? And where do I go next since I've already been to the #1 recommended store?

I've done some reading and decided I probably need some leg weights. My upper body strength is quite good due to yoga.