• Cut run time/volume meaningfully ~ 20-40% (or swap 1–2 runs for walk/run).
• Keep everything easy effort (no speedwork, no hills for now). 

Step 2: Use the “pain rules”

• During the run: aim for 0–3/10 discomfort that does not worsen.
• After the run: symptoms should settle back to baseline by the next morning.

Step 3: Add 2 quick strength sessions (10–15 min)

• Pick 2–3 moves and do them 2–3x/week:
  • Glute bridge (2–3 sets of 8–12)
  • Side-lying leg lifts or band walks (2–3 sets of 10–15)
  • Sit-to-stand from a chair (2–3 sets of 6–10, slow)

Step 4: Keep moving without poking the bear

• Easy bike, elliptical, pool running, or brisk walking can maintain fitness while reducing impact load.

Avoid This:

• Don’t “test it” every day with a harder run.
• Don’t add speedwork before you have a solid base (especially as a newer runner). 
• Don’t ignore pain that changes your stride (that’s your body waving a big flag). 

Coach Misty’s Guidelines

Effort (RPE): 3–4 /10 (easy)

Breathing test: Nose breathing is mostly possible

Talk test: You can speak in full sentences

Heart rate (if used): Mostly Zone 2

Green flags:

• Pain stays ≤3/10, doesn’t ramp up during the run
• You feel normal again by next day
• No limping or compensation

Red flags (back off if):

• Pain climbs past 3–4/10
• You start altering your form
• Pain lingers or worsens over 24 hours
• Swelling, locking, giving way, or sharp “stabby” pain (get checked)

Common Mistakes I See 

Mistake #1: Adding speedwork “because I finally feel fit” (fitness often outpaces tissue readiness). 

Mistake #2: Jumping weekly volume too fast (even if each run feels easy). 

Mistake #3: Stacking hard things together (hills + speed + long run in the same week).

Mistake #4: Only stretching the knee area, but skipping hip/glute strength (often the missing piece). 

Mistake #5: Assuming “knee pain = runner’s knee” when the knee is a busy neighborhood (different structures can feel similar).

Try this this week:

• Add a 10-minute “knee-friendly strength snack” twice this week:
  • Glute bridge: 2 x 10
  • Side steps/band walks: 2 x 10 each way
  • Slow sit-to-stand: 2 x 8
• And make one run a run/walk even if you can run the whole time (think: preventative medicine).

When to Modify / When to Get Help

Modify if:

• Discomfort rises above 3/10 while running
• You’re sore enough that your next run feels worse
• You can’t keep an easy effort without pain creeping up

Stop and get assessed if:

• Sharp pain, swelling, locking/catching, giving way, or you’re limping
• Pain persists despite 1–2 weeks of smart de-loading
• Pain is changing your gait

Ask Coach Misty

Have a running question you want answered?

If something has come up in training — pacing, shoes, soreness, breathing, strength, mindset — send it to me.

If one runner is wondering about it, others probably are too.

This is general education, not medical advice. If pain persists, worsens, or changes your gait, consult a qualified healthcare professional.