Rest or Sustain?

I'm posting this here as well as the injury section because it pertains to both.
I'm up to a 20 mile run this Saturday in prep for the Marine Corps Marathon on Halloween. The issue is that my right knee is starting to bother me, not a lot, but consistently. It is a dull, numb pain that is worse after I run and after periods of inactivity. I have plenty of time between now and the marathon to take some time off if I need to. Not looking for medical advice here, just experience from what others have gone through as they trained for their first marathon. My question is do you think I should, and if so, for how long?

I would start the 20 and listen to your body, finishing the 20 at this point is not worth being off for a month.
sometimes all it takes is a 3-4 days off, putting of a 20 mile training run on hold for week will probably end up being a good thing.

Like i said though, i would start my 20 mile run, and if things were going good i would keep on going. if the exact same pain came back and stayed with me for more than i mile i would call it day.

where on the knee does it hurt?


if it is under your cap...stretch your quads
if it is on the side stretch your ITB
if it is on the inner you may need to go to the doc.

start icing now. 3-4 times a day for a few days. never before your run.
ice after your run.
take aleve or advil. to bring down the swelling.

if you can run thru it, it is most likey some swollen muscle. it just needs some love.

I would run my 20 also. but if the pain gets worse during my run...I am going to shut it down.

start small if you do stop running. 3-4 days off. try back slowly. if that doesn't work then I would go a full 7 days. and so on to two weeks off. if after two full weeks off of no running, I'm off to the doctor.

Great advice guys..I have numbness in my right leg from the it band problem but I find relief from stretching and a strap that I wear above my knees that helps a great deal so you may want to try that , it works for me.

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Compete and Improve

Great stuff. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where the pain is. It's more of a dull pain that persists throughout the knee but typically not when I'm actually running, so I'm leaning toward giving it a shot tomorrow.

posted my two cents in the injury forum