Running 'Slowly'... doesn't feel natural - hip/knee pain, any tips?

I’m usually around 90% of my maxHR for a half marathon.

Having been a 400m guy in high school I’ve always been a fore-foot high cadence runner. It was struggle to shorten up my stride enough when I started doing endurance type running, much, later in life. It felt like I was running with my shorts around my ankles.

I think part of the problem with the plan you’re doing is that plans sort of auto-generate the paces based on the goal time. The rule of thumb is for easy pace to be 60-90 seconds per mile than goal pace. The problem with that is while that works well for faster people, the slower the goal the closer easy pace will be to race pace.

One of the ‘easiest’ ways of developing a more mid-foot landing is to stand tall, lean forward from the ankles, and fall into the run. You’ll see that demonstrated in the Good Form running videos. Training to increase cadence takes time. Remember, pace is a function of stride length and stride cadence. It follows that to increase the cadence you need to shorten the stride to maintain the same pace. That is made easier by developing a mid-foot strike as you reduce the overreaching that tends to be inherent with heel striking. Stride length should come from a drive off the rear foot not an extension forward of the front foot.

Which Coach do you have? I only used Jeff Galloway so far and he incorporates cadence drills in the beginning of most workouts. Ironically, thats the one thing I‘ve no problem with, I easily get cadences of over 170 in average on long, sloooow runs. Way over 190 on Tempo runs. Also, shorter people (like me) tend to have less problems with higher cadence while many taller people have first to „learn“ it.

And yeah, slooow runs are tough. Though if you ever do a Jeff Gallowy plan for 10k or more, you‘re gonna hate the 20x 800 meter Tempo runs in the end too

I started practicing cadence using the metronome app on my phone. Not immediately 180. For two weeks I ran 165-170, then I started using 180bpm music tracks

Well, the coaching style is of course subject to personal preferences, so it‘s important you choose the coach you feel comfortable with (though I‘d suggest to try a coach out for a bit longer than only one session ). As for run-walk-run: it definitively is not a gimmick. It really did help me and my wife to get new PBs. But again, train with the coach you feel comfortable with. I only suggested him because of the cadence drills.

Just thought I’d do a quick update on my half marathon training. 
Summary:

• working abroad, been really enjoying running around a new city/parks, the garmin did exactly what I hoped it would. 
• aoart from a week quarantine and the odd work schedule interruption, kept on plan, even in the freezing cold. 
• feeling really really good. 
• Form has improved, the slight leaning forward literally transformed my experience - only feeling a little soreness after longer 70-90 min runs or downhills (no idea what technique to use there it’s just horrible and I prefer to walk if steep)
• generally in the top garmin coach confidence level but deciding not to push harder, it was all about completing not getting a gold medal, so just sticking to plan (which I had upped slightly). 
• Generally feeling fit, lost touch weight. Happy. 
• 10 weeks in and was still loving it. 
• Then, injury!

Possibly my foot was weakened from all the running but more likely from a Mis-footing on a step landing hard and jarring my back. That and maybe a steep uphill section the same day. 

Anyway after the back sorted in 3-4 days I had a very unpleasant and sharp pain on top of my foot at the next run, which stopped me in my tracks and I hobbled home. I actually thought I might have a fracture or something as it was still painful after a week but turns out after X-ray it was fine - just ligament injury. 

Advised to wait two weeks. First week of rest and it’s still a bit sore but much improved. Going to wait at least another week. 
not sure now whether I’ll be able to complete this coach plan, but i now know I can do it - if not in 4 weeks time then it doesn’t matter. 
I’ll do it before long. 
to be continued.....

Velo-city said:

I actually thought I might have a fracture or something as it was still painful after a week but turns out after X-ray it was fine - just ligament injury. 

Advised to wait two weeks. First week of rest and it’s still a bit sore but much improv

Sounds like an over-use injury. With this sort of injury, you can wake up next day and feel fine, but resist the temptation to push on too early. I would wait the full 2 weeks and maybe add a day or two more too be sure... you won't lose much fitness over 2 weeks.

I ended up giving it an extra week, felt practically fine unless I really twist it and then I could still feel something around the bridge of the foot.  

Did a 40 min gentle run this morning, and annoyingly I could feel it much more, enough that it was bothering me quiet a bit by the end.

This afternoon it's really sore and during a long walk I was just sensing myself limping on it slightly.

So, that's frustrating especially as I'm overseas.  For now I'm going to cancel my coach plan and rest a bit more.  Bit of a frustrating end to all the work I put in, but at least I've discovered I do actually like running once I get into it.

Hopefully can take up another challenge later in the year and will start a new thread - seems like a 'good' place to end this one.  

Thanks again for all the helpful tips about running 'form', it really did help.

I feel you. New year's eve I had a bike accident, ruptured one ligament on each side of my right ankle. The injury was so bad, I even got a cast. Couldn't walk at all for two months, had to use crutches. After another two months (and some serious physical therapy with specific -and painful- strength training) I was allowed to slowly start running, meaning: one or two minutes of light jogging with a couple of minutes of rest then another one or two minutes of light jogging, max 30 minutes in all. Now I can run a 5k through (slowly), for longer runs I still have to use the run-walk-run method, full recovery shouldn't be long now, though. What I've found in those months is:

• follow your therapist'/physician's instructions
• do as much alternative cardio training as possible (I bought a cheap arm bike, since any kind of cardio involving the legs simply wasn't possible. You can break a good sweat with an arm bike, but it is hard to get and keep your HR up. After three months I was finally able to use the Crosstrainer, even though my foot still hurt)
• every strengtht workout that is possible (while minding the injury, of course) should be done
• try to "differentiate" the pain. I learned to understand which kind of pain is a warning that should be heeded, and which kind of pain is simply the injured limb having to "get used to being used" again. The former pain is a warning that should never be ignored! The latter can be ignored to some extent.

Thx to the last point I was able to properly manage my recovery. Sometimes my foot just hurt because it was not being used and I had to correct this, even though it hurt in doing so. But almost always, the pain got better afterwards.

Now, after four months of not running, I must be careful not to get shin splints (weakest point in my body)...

I wish you a speedy recovery!