COACH'S CORNER - Sore Knees? Do you need rest?

Pete Colagiuri - Sports Physiotherapist & Co-Founder Bioathletic • November 25, 2023

MY KNEES ARE GETTING SORE AFTER TRAINING. DO I NEED TO REST?

QUESTION:

I’ve been upping my weekly kms and adding more vert. But my knees are getting noticeably sore after bigger sessions. Is it time for a rest? Do I need time off?

RESPONSE:

Knee pain is one of the most common complaints in trail and ultra running. It puts the runner in a tricky position - you can't back off every time your knees get sore but you can't ignore it either.

So what's the plan?

The first thing to understand is the difference between “rest” and “recovery”. After you've done a hard session, the body needs time to rebuild itself so that you benefit from the session. A lack of recovery time just leads to a gradual breakdown of key structures and injury, like bone stress fractures. "Recovery" is a period of rest to give time for the body to rebuild itself. The body is getting stronger and more resilient, ready for the next session.

After a few days, the body has completed its rebuilding phase and is no longer "recovering". After a week or so, we've moved into the "prolonged rest" phase. With the body constantly adapting to its current situation, it begins to reduce muscle and other aspects that contribute to fitness and performance. The longer the rest phase, the more pronounced the effect.

Unlike the initial recovery period after training, when the body was rebuilding itself, a prolonged rest phase results in the body becoming less resilient and less adapted to running.

Which brings us back to the original question and knee pain.

Your knees are sore due to a spike in cartilage pressure and connective tissue loading with more hills/stairs and time on feet. Taking a few days for recovery reduces the symptoms and irritation, almost like a quick reset. It may not get rid of the pain completely but it should help by giving time for the acute inflammatory phase to pass (around 48-72 hours).

Sometimes that solves the issue as the body becomes more resilient to future loading. But if the pain comes back as you return to training, runners will often think that it may just need more recovery time to overcome the problem. And this is where too much of a good thing flips the script and starts to create a downward spiral.

An extended rest period causes a loss of strength, a loss of tendon elasticity and increased joint stiffness. So your return from injury becomes harder as you become less adapted to running.

The take home message here is to schedule in some recovery days, even take an extra recovery day or two if you're managing soreness. But pushing days into weeks is counterproductive and not an effective way of managing injuries. As always, getting professional advice should get you through the injury recovery phase quicker and with less missteps.

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Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater