Sore ankle and training for 10k.... any advice?

[orangina]

Hi all,

I am relatively new to this running lark, but am feeling pretty chipper about it. Got through c25k and then hit 7k, then last weekend, 9k. Woohoo! BUT, since then, I have had a slightly sore and swollen left ankle (outer edge), so I have had 5 days off, tried to do a gentle run just now but OWWWW.... can't run. Ankle too sore. Suspect it will swell this evening.

Do I gently push on through it? Do I rest until it is fully better? Help! I only have 4+ more weeks until my 10k charity run and I need to keep going, as I am not a veteran or super fit.

All advice gratefully received!

Swimming is your friend to maintain fitness. Try to do intervals for about the same time you would run for.

Then get yourself to a good running shop and get your trainers checked. Whenever I have has sore joints it has always been a trainer issue.

Please don't 'push through' injury and proper pain live there.

I would ice it and rest it for the next few days and see how you go.
Running through it is probably only going to make it worse.

Is physio an option? A sports-specialist physio will be around £40 (for an hour session) but a good one should be able to diagnose the problem and then give you exercises to do at home.

And make sure you streeettttccchh after your runs! You'll be amazed how much an over-tight calf muscle can pull ankles and knees out of alignment if you don't stretch out after your runs

Thank you both, very sound advice! I think I have done this by doing "too much too soon"... (jumped from 7k to 9k as a relative novice). I have done the running shop/gait checked/new shoes thing already, so I don't think it is that (plus, I have been running in these new shoes for a little while). I iced it a bit last night, and think I might do a bit more now, but I have been frantically busy for the last few weeks, so fat chance of me getting too much time to put my feet up.....

Might try for a sports physio session, and probably need to increase stretching after runs. Will bear all of that in mind.

Thank you both!

Agree with doing too much too soon. General advice seems to be not to increase by more than 10%, which can be tricky till you've tested some routes. So when you're OK again about 6-7k, build up by