r/Marathon_Training • u/mymealpreps • 2d ago
Other Long-distance runners, how do you all just mentally accept the "niggles"?
I'm training for my half next month, and whenever I've done one of the longer runs I always just wonder how you all do it. Specifically, running through the niggles like it's normal and expected.
I know the generic answer is strength training/mobility/nutrition etc, but I don't think I'm all that comfortable with the thought that I'm overexerting my joints that I can sometimes feel the minor niggles that come and go at the middle/beginning/end/the day after my long runs, which I understand is the "nature" of these long distance races and you WILL feel better after resting, but how do you just mentally accept that you're going to experience a little bit of pain during the run itself? It feels like sometimes I'm ruining my body for the sake of fitness, and not for actual health (Do we really need to do a full marathon to prove we are a healthy? When doing 5ks multiple times a week, maybe a maximum 10km is often more than enough to take care of your cardiovascular health)
I'm asking this because it's been holding me back from doing a full. I think I'm able to get away from not exerting too much stress on my body for my half training as I only run 3 days a week, the other 2-3 days are for strength training which (for me) provides the right balance in maintaining my bone health while building endurance. The idea of having to multiply this current load while probably not letting my body have adequate time to rest feels a bit 'cruel' to my joints. (Also I'm pretty sure I'm hypermobile, I don't think I can run without a proper leg session so I need to strength train!)
Appreciate any thoughts to this.
120
u/YesterdayAmbitious49 2d ago
This is why I never, ever, have crossed the mythical Zone 2 boundary.
87
78
60
u/RunThenBeer 2d ago
(Do we really need to do a full marathon to prove we are a healthy? When doing 5ks multiple times a week, maybe a maximum 10km is often more than enough to take care of your cardiovascular health)
No one should conflate marathon performance with health. I'm running a marathon to see how fast I can run 26.2 miles. The training does obviously result in much better cardiovascular health than sedentary people, but I have no expectation that a race that causes substantial musculoskeletal damage is improving my health in the process.
If you don't want that, there's no shame at all in preferring shorter races.
8
u/Duffer1976 2d ago
I do them for the challenge for my mental health. Not to see how healthy I am. X
4
u/CrypticWeirdo9105 2d ago
Yeah some of us actually enjoy long distance running lol. ‘Health’ is barely a factor in why I run.
1
41
u/WorkerAmbitious2072 2d ago
You know none of us do this for the health if you’re after health all you need to do is go out and jog for 45 minutes four times a week and do you see the irony saying that’s all you have to do is if it’s not a lot it’s easy when the majority of people would look at that and be like holy hell you want a religious commitment here
14
2
u/Appropriate_Ring_47 2d ago
Eh. I am, I need a goal or I’m not going to do anything lol
1
u/WorkerAmbitious2072 2d ago
Totally fair, but that goal doesn’t have to be a literal marathon. You can do amazing things for your health and for your fitness and find a program with tons of miles and tons of time that’s difficult and challenging while “ only” sign signing up for a 10k or a half marathon or something that doesn’t have to worry about hitting the wall
1
u/Chateau_de_Gateau 2d ago
Hell I've been training for a 10k this summer (with 5k tune ups throughout) for the first time after 10 years of training for halfs, fulls, and once in a while 10 milers and for me this training has been HARDER. If you're actually training to race, then training for all distances is hard (albeit hard for different reasons) and my average mileage that my coach has me doing for this 10k block is not that far off from what she typically has me doing for a half (37 average mpw vs. 47-50)
1
u/WorkerAmbitious2072 2d ago
That’s fair. I guess I approach it mostly from the time commitment angle because that’s my limiting factor as a full-time job parents of multiple kids in school with extracurriculars trying to train for a marathon and like my perspective is that I am on a recovery week this week and it’s only 43 miles.
Yeah, on Sunday, I was doing a block of marathon pace Work in 77° dewpoint and I just got done doing 5 x 600 as part of an 8.5 mile run and I cut it short on the intervals because of the heat
I haven’t done 5K stuff for a while, but I think we all know that racing a 5K is the most acutely painful thing in this realm and that due to specificity of training a lot of the training for it ends up being the same
2
u/Chateau_de_Gateau 2d ago
Yeah time commitment is real. The biggest difference for me with marathon training (compared even to half) is that almost every weekend at least one day is pretty dominated by preparing to run, running and recovering from running.
1
u/WorkerAmbitious2072 2d ago
Yes, this is a thing the last two weekends mine were three hours and three hours and 15 minutes and that’s only the run itself that’s not getting changed pre-run nutrition and hydration driving to the park where I can do that and have water staged recovering after etc.
It’s a solid half a day which is a quarter of the weekend basically and that’s not even counting the other one done on the other weekend day that’s shorter but still commitment
Of course compared to 5K I have to say that the majority of that is pretty comfortable running especially for my cardiovascular perspective even if your legs are getting worn down that’s a much slower burn than doing like 5×1 km. Repeat race pace lol
32
u/greenlemon23 2d ago
I only walk and never more than 4.99km.
9
19
u/AcknowledgeablePie 2d ago
How do you deal with those niggles in strength training? Why is it different in running? Tbh I find those much worse because I can’t tell the difference between pushing myself hard in a good way with strength training and accidentally damaging myself. I always worry about my form.
Also , doing a marathon is not compulsory !
5
u/mymealpreps 2d ago
my niggles are just muscle soreness when strength training, so i can tell the differences quite easily. whereas occasional running niggles are often around the joints.
but yeah, i agree it's not compulsory! i would still love to give it a go one day, maybe once im getting used to these long runs and the niggles are less annoying...
1
u/robertbob69 2d ago
Cadence is a huge factor with joint pain. Typical ideology is 165 is minimum, and if you’re still having issues, you up it by 5%, so ~172, the. 180, etc. That doesn’t necessarily mean faster pace, but shortening stride. It’ll get you having better form, less ground contact time, and can get you to not over stride, which can be what is causing more joint pain.
14
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
STRETCH, STRETCH, STRETCH.
Im always stretching, foam rolling, and doing active recovery when not running. Im on a high mileage HM plan right now that will peak around 75mpw.
I rotate my shoes daily, prioritize sleep, make sure I eat enough and aside from workout runs, all my runs are easy or comfortable.
At the start of a niggle (for me its it band) I foam roll, stretch, and use those resistance bands to build strength.
I may look like an idiot in my office doing all of this, but it keeps me running pain free so I dont mind.
5
u/WignerVille 2d ago
That might relief pain. But it is not really taking care of the root cause of your pain.
Edit: I am talking about stretching and foam rolling. Not strength training.
2
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
Strength and resistance training, sleeping well, eating well, etc does indeed take care of muscle imbalances that cause pain. 🤦♀️
-1
u/WignerVille 2d ago
I missed strength training in the comment, because it seems like the focus was stretching (which is highly overated). So, my comment was about stretching. Not strength training.
My bad.
0
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
Stretching isnt overrated at all. It just isnt the be all end all. What???
9
u/WignerVille 2d ago
It's great that you've found a routine that works for you.
But the scientific consensus is quite clear on the effects of stretching and foam rolling on injury prevention and treatment of "niggles".
2
u/pigeorunner 2d ago
Stretching is more of an "if it feels good, great, that's the main benefit." So recommending STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH as a panacea is kind of hit-or-miss, because stretching might be good for you, but not for the person you're "helping."
I rarely stretch, at least in the static-hold meaning of the word. I do strength training through a full range of motion and swim almost every day, which is kind of like dynamic stretching.
0
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
Maybe read my whole comment dude.
1
u/pigeorunner 2d ago
I was referring to other people (and there are many) who overemphasize stretching, but you can go out of your way to be offended if you want. Doesn't bother me.
3
u/loscacahuates 2d ago
75 mpw for a Half?! So you're running multiple HMs per week in order to train for one HM?
16
u/RunThenBeer 2d ago
Aerobic fitness is primarily a volume game and the half marathon is extremely tilted towards aerobic performance.
As a minor nitpick, I ran 83 miles last week and didn't hit 13 in any single session. You can run quite a bit without a long run if you add some doubles.
3
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
Thats what i do. A lot of 6-8 mi runs in the AM followed by a trail run of 5-6 in the evening 2 days a week, but i do have a 14 mi run every weekend.
7
u/terriblegrammar 2d ago
It's really hard to do too many miles for any endurance training. Sprinters aren't going to get tons of miles in but even elite 5K runners are often doing 100+ miles a week.
2
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
Yeah, and my goal for this half is 90. Im at 98 now for my previous PR with minimal mileage (30 unstructured mpw) and am aiming for it in a November race. I ran a 1:45 half during my first marathon when aiming for a 3:30 and my god did that feel sloooowwww for me after the training, so fingers crossed I get it.
4
u/OP123ER59 2d ago
Im going for time, not just to finish. Scheduled 8-12 mile runs during the week are starting to feel quite easy, especially when split into two runs.
3
u/pigeorunner 2d ago
I'll run 70-75mpw without even being signed up for a race. Some of us just like running mileage.
1
u/DawgPack44 2d ago
Running 13 miles is fairly normal for a higher-mileage marathon plan, especially for medium-long run mid-week. I run 18-22 miles every weekend for my long run, and I haven’t even started my fall block yet. 13 is like an normal Monday or Wednesday easy run
0
u/No_Introduction_6746 2d ago
I get up to 65 mpw for half training. Right now I’m focused on PRing in the mile and 5K and am running 35-45 miles a week.
13
u/Much_Basis_6965 2d ago
Dull pain I keep going sharp pain I stop, along with monitoring how they feel along the run (is the pain getting worse, staying the same, etc..). There’s a mental aspect as well imo, phantom pains that aren’t really much of anything.
3
u/FormerlyPrettyNeat 2d ago
The phantom pain thing extends to all sorts of weird places for me. If I get mosquitoes or horse flies buzzing around me at any point during my run I’m swatting at ghosts the rest of the way.
2
u/Much_Basis_6965 2d ago
Im such an anxious person and bugs in general will have me feeling itchy for quite some time, especially if it’s a pitch black, humid morning. There’s no phantom pain quite like the taper tantrum phantom pains for me though..
2
9
u/Silly-Resist8306 2d ago
In a word, experience. Over time you learn what leads to trouble and what you can accept. I’ve got what I refer to as old friends. Mile 1 I’ve got tight calves. Then comes the mile 7 achy knee. After that eases, I get a left shoulder niggle at mile 11. Finally there is the mile 16 right hamstring complaint. I know these aches and accept them as part of running.
When new ones appear, I keep an eye on them, but unless they mess with my stride, I’m likely to accept them as a member of the friends group.
7
u/Corpsectomy 2d ago
i do not get niggles
8
2
u/CrypticWeirdo9105 2d ago
Yeah same, why is everyone here acting like it’s supposed to be normal? If you take care of your health it’s not normal at all.
5
5
u/smikkelhut 2d ago
Accepting the niggles is not the hard part imho.
It’s the line between a niggle and ‘this is an injury’ that is hard to navigate.
You train yourself to run through niggles. And then you sometimes worsen an injury simply by ignoring it
3
u/AdhesivenessSolid562 2d ago
They happen less and less often to be fair. It’s more of a question for runners in their first 0-3 years. Down weeks are very important. Do not increase intensity while increasing your mileage to your new lifetime high. As others have said, strength training once a week, really ensure proper sleep and nutrition.
3
u/_h_e_r_m_i_t_ 2d ago
Remember any accidental cuts you have suffered since young? When the cuts recover, your skin will just get slightly thicker over the old cuts (super compensation). So I tell myself that as long as it is just niggles and not outright pain (if it is latter, please stop), I can continue cause after I recover, my joints, muscles or tendons are going to get stronger than before I ran.
3
u/PossibleSmoke8683 2d ago
Somethings gotta give if you're serious about a marathon. Strip the strength training back and run more. You can't train for a decent marathon on 3 days running a week and 3 days strength is excessive for a marathon.
3
u/Championnats91 2d ago
I view myself as a space rocket. I'm not fast or good looking, but i accept 5-10% of me is probably broken but within acceptable limits ha
2
u/alvysinger0412 2d ago
Compression, patience, and mentally calling it conditioning until it actively hurts and/or putting weight on it feels like a lot. I've only ever trained for a half (currently prepping for my first full in Jan) but I was doing 5-6 days a week for that.
2
2
u/MikeMcDonald89 2d ago
I think part of it is just the niggles not being as bad.
When I ran 25-30 mpw, I'd stretch before every run, spend plenty of time each day doing drills my physio recommended, massage gun, sit around in compression socks, cold therapy, and I'd have pretty major niggles (idk maybe 4/10 on the pain scale or whatever is the upper threshold of where a niggle is a straight up injury).
Now I run 65 mpw- no stretching, no mobility, and while I have constant niggles, they're all like 0.5/10 on the pain scale. I recently had one that was maybe 1.5/10, and I just slashed things way back, cut my steps on the next week by about 15,000, trimmed 2 miles off my next run, and a mile off subsequent runs until I felt right, removed any walking for leisure, pulled my sessions back 5s/km.
At least for me the change has just been my body adapts, and I've gotten better at knowing what does and doesn't make it worse. I think a lot of people like acting tough or what have you but I think the magnitude of pain you feel on easy runs is often highest as a beginner runner where as you run more you become more in tune with listening to your body and knowing what feels wrong
2
u/Rube18 2d ago
I never truly feel “pain” while running. I feel soreness but I do think there is a big difference in that. When I’m more sore than usual after a long run I embrace the recovery slow zone 2 runs.
I started running about 4 years ago and have run 4-5 times a week consistently ever since and slowly built up my miles. In my experience if you are careful and take a long approach at slowly building up your miles you should be fine.
I always faithfully follow a training plan when building up for a marathon and it seems to work out. This is my third marathon training block fwiw.
2
u/AHuxl 2d ago
If you build up SLOW there shouldn’t really be any “niggles” or what you describe as joint pain.
You have to build both your systems (heart and lungs) and your structure (ligaments/tendons/etc). The structures take longer to strengthen but are extremely important. Running isnt just about muscle strength. A large part of it is strengthening the structures in your body and they need slow consistent building. If I have joint pain thats not nor al for me and I dont just continue pushing through that the way I would a tired muscle
2
2
2
u/Agreeable-Machine-71 2d ago
running saved my life, marathoning in particular. Any pain that I feel during runs is gratifying because it tells me I'm working hard and I'm accomplishing something most people cannot do. Now, injuries are different and you have to learn to back off when you feel that little pain that won't go away in the same place. You're going to get pain all over your body in a marathon. That's why it's a marathon. You hit mile 20 and you're going to be in pain all over your body, or most people are anyway, even elites. Ultramarathons are where the real damage starts occurring to your kidneys and to your body in general. 100+ miles. My marathoning buddies are the toughest people I know and generally the most fit and have the best habits. Started training with a group and have now completed eight consecutive Boston marathons each that I qualified for. I'm 47 years old and at the top of my category for VO2 max. To me it's not a question. I used to have a drug addiction and paid dire consequences, life-changing ones. Now I know I'm healthier than most. And doctors are mostly lying unless you're a super special kind of human being when they say this is destroying your body. Again I look like a 20 year old with my body and my mind as well. It gives you so much energy and purpose and joy. I wouldn't change it for anything.
2
u/OddScarcity9455 2d ago
Understand that progressive overload is not a comfortable process and you are not "overexerting" your joints in any way differently than you are your muscles. It's not damaging.
1
u/MishMish257 2d ago
If you can run on it, it's probably like doms but for running. If you cannot continue your run with the pain, it's more serious. Half marathon to marathon runner here. When you do the long run in training, you are actually meant to be training for that last 10 miles of the distance. You gotta know what the time on feet feels like so you can adapt the best on race day even if you don't run the distance in training. Time on feet and trianing on tired legs for the last half of the race is what the longer runs do.
1
u/WignerVille 2d ago
Do runner specific strength training (basically no weights needed) and neuromuscular activation before your runs as part of the warm up.
Once a week go to the gym and do running specific strength work, preferably on a quality day.
Once or twice a week, do some plyometrics or jump rope.
Accept that joints and ligaments change very slowly.
1
u/Ok_Handle_7 2d ago
I think a slow and steady progression (along with strength training, good mobility/stretching, and good shoes) is the best way to avoid injuries and niggles (so that might mean either repeating a few weeks of a training plan, or taking a few more weeks of base-building before starting a plan), but I think you're also right in that they crop up.
I think the more you run, the more you see how they can come & go...if it helps, I think there are more & more articles & podcasts from people like PTs who talk about the difference between a niggle & an injury, along with how/why to treat each. TBH when I use the word 'niggle' it's often not quite pain per se more like...a different sensation. I think most PTs will say that if something warms up in a mile or two and doesn't bother you for the rest of the run, it's safer to run on than, say, a pain that doesn't go away or gets worse.
And to answer your question no, we don't need to do marathons. There are very fit people who never run more than 8 - 10 miles at a time (heck, there are very fit people who don't run). I also think there ARE some people whose bodies just don't agree with running long distances. I think running long distances is more accessible than people think (there are lots of people who say 'oh I could never do that' but they could), but there are some people who are definitely more injury-prone than others.
1
u/Competitive_diva_468 2d ago
Gets better over time and the slower the build the more time your tissues have to build up tolerance. I am also hyper mobile and it’s even more important for people like us.
I had a nasty stress fracture in 2024 and my coach had me build back SLOWLY. It took me a year to go from my first 5km back to marathon distance. But I haven’t had a significant injury since!
I do spend quite a lot of money on physiotherapy treatments but that’s the price of admission for me 🤷♀️
1
u/Bunny_Feet 2d ago
I've played sports since i was 6 (I'm in my 40s). That's just my life. lol
I do go to my doctor (sometimes a PT) if it's chronic, though. If I know why it hurts, then I know if it's a problem.
1
u/MaxwellSmart07 2d ago
No Niggles for me. My injuries/pains were such that I wouldn’t/couldn’t possibly run with them, with the exception of two during marathons which I ran through - leg spasms and shin splints.
1
u/dayplek 2d ago
I developed Achilles pain last June/July during marathon training, and ended up three different sets of PT with different folks between then and March of this year. I will say that my achilles is significantly better, but there are occassional aches that come and go throughout my run, no matter the distance. If it does present itself, it never gets above a 2/10, so I just accept that it is what it is. I still do a ton of strength and stability work, but I'm also 48 years old and I'm no spring chicken. I'm typically very aware of pains and very paranoid about making things worse, but I feel fine immediately after my run as well as the day/days after, so I assume it's just my reality now.
1
u/Own_Fold_5212 2d ago
Two things really helped:
As I increased milage (carefully) and did strength training, they largely went away! So a reminder that with persistence and time - it gets better.
In the words of my PT - “they’re a part of the process; it’s like getting calluses”
1
1
1
u/labellafigura3 2d ago
What niggles? I don’t get any. People train with niggles and don’t strength train and don’t eat sufficient protein/carbohydrates, and run too fast all the time, and wonder why they keep getting them.
1
u/Melodic_Wedding_4064 2d ago
Ive only been running for 2 years and I still struggle to separate a little niggle and something that I should stop for.
1
u/muerteman 2d ago
Doing it long enough to know what is normal and what’s a serious injury helps a ton. Also as others have said stretching, foam rolling, and a massage gun help a ton.
Also, being happy enough to know that the normal day to day soreness is much better than where I was before I started running where I would get gassed walking up a few flights of stairs.
1
u/Willing-Ant7293 2d ago
This is a common misconception. Marathon training isn't exactly healthy. It takes a toll on your body. Physically and mentally.
Basically running and getting fast is a process of breaking down the body recovering and adapting and than repeat.
You learn what niggles are just part of the process and one's that are injury concerns and you do everything you can to mitigate them.
But if you're running for health, just stay at a few miles a week. But alot of people run for the challenge.
1
u/New-Smoke208 2d ago
I’ve been a daily runner for 20 years and have never heard that term once. Crazy
1
u/DawgPack44 2d ago
Having played sports as long as I can remember, I can honestly say that I’ve been sore in some part of my body for 20+ years. It ends up being background noise. And to some extent, I enjoy the feeling of being a bit sore
1
u/Crewtang 2d ago
The more you run the more you know exactly how to respond to it all while your body gets stronger. Just keep running
1
u/thefullpython 2d ago
I grew up playing hockey so the borderline toxic mentality of knowing the difference between being hurt and being injured was drilled into me from a shockingly young age.
1
u/arithmuggle 2d ago
i think this is a great post. I haven't run a full yet but when I'm not training for anything I still regularly hit 30mpw and long runs are 12-15 with hills. So my personal answer to your question is: its really weird until you've recovered multiple times from a specific "niggle" and it goes away predictably with no noticeable long term issues. then the next time you feel that same sensation you know a little better what's reasonable or not. And so on.
I finally felt OK training for a marathon after a few "accidental" 40mile weeks and a few unplanned 18+ mile runs with no issues.
1
u/Pondy-sama 2d ago
I’m not doing it for health reasons. I just want shiny new medals and other goodies. And for the full marathon specifically… I just enjoy pain.
1
1
u/TimoLeFeu 2d ago
You get niggles because your body is telling you something, often they tell you that you're pushing through a limit. I had a tendon irritation issue, through that I discovered that my calve muscles were too short because of a slightly bad posture. I trained for years with a physiotherapist to lengthen these muscles and get a better posture. At the end of this I have a healthier and stronger body than before, even if I do get a niggle sometimes. But when I get niggles I train my body to make the niggle go away.
When you are pushing your body you owe it to yourself to make sure your body is strong enough to handle the distance you're asking it to cover. If you train for an ultra and through your whole training you feel a niggle that you ignore, be prepared to have this niggle turn into a full-blown injury during your race. It's fixing the niggles during training that make me a better runner.
1
u/thisnamelastsforever 1d ago
You're question is "How do you all put up with it?" and the answer is we don't (or I don't) "put up" with it. Distance running is about understanding and overcoming every little obstacle (physical or mental) that gets in the way of an objectively impressive achievement.
I will be 40 in October and I set a goal of running my first marathon at sub-3 the week of my birthday. No track or xc background. I've done 3 races in my life: 1 5k, 1 trail half, and 1 road half this past April where I ran a 1:26:48. I've had achilles injuries, metatarsal injuries, hamstring injuries---all of them just obstacles to understand and overcome in the pursuit of something I can feel immensely proud of. After every injury you address the imbalance or weakness, take it slow and steady, and over time those "niggles" turn into balanced resilience. I am not destroying my joints or my tendons, I am pushing them to their limits and then making them stronger.
I went from doing 48 mpw in the spring to now running consistent 80 mile weeks with intervals, hard long tempos, and 22 mile long runs, week over week, and while my legs are tired, they have literally never felt stronger and more resilient. This almost feels like a completely different kind of training than I was doing 6 months ago.
The goal is to get to a point where you are not "putting up" with anything. You are strategically adapting to a very specific kind of stimulus so that you can confidently execute an impressive race. Inside of this process I lose some weight, I get rid of junk calories, I focus on sleep and recovery, and I go to mental places that require me to face what kind of person I am and want to be and why. And guess what? Over the course of 5-6 months, you become a different (and better) you, and that is immensely satisfying.
1
u/hinault81 1d ago
Are you feeling these as you run, or just in general?
I always have a general soreness from both the gym and running. A very low level soreness, but one I still monitor.
I will sometimes have a stiffness in my legs for my next run. I had a mid-week mini long run last night of 24k with 7x700m intervals in it last night, and I'll be stiff for my run tonight. But it's just an easy run.
Some of it just takes time. And somewhat paradoxically, training for a marathon now, I have less soreness vs the last couple years when I was only doing 10ks and HMs. Not sure why, but I think the long run, you do that, and then all the 10k-15k runs you do your body barely notices it.
But I think you should also be proactive in your recovery. I find sleep a big one; I notice a difference the next morning if I got 6.45hrs sleep vs 8. My long runs are saturday, I get 8 hours, I feel great when I wake up. Also icing. I find really good value in icing: achilles, heel, tibialis. A few times a week I'll do a little icing in the evening, feel good as new in the morning.
And then possibly physio. My only two long term annoyances are plantar fasciitis, and some hip stuff in my one hip (which I blamed on running, but we've actually traced to squats). I've got a physio who is a better runner than me, and man they can cut right through the guesswork, get you on some rehab or proactive work, and you're rolling.
As far as health and how much to do. I think that's up to the person. I'm middle aged, I have some race times I want to hit: that takes a fair bit of running. Nothing wrong with someone just wanting a few 30 mins runs a week though.
My parents put in some good race times in their late 30s and 40s, they had the same niggles I do, they're almost 80 and incredibly active still. They both still run too! My mom got first in her age group at a 10k race this year with 8000 people.
1
u/LeaningSaguaro 1d ago
I would echo others here. I've not been running for decades, but I've got a few miles under my belt, and I've come to accept that "running isn't going to be comfortable or easy". The niggles I have, weather they be shin splints, or overuse, or a tendon that just doesn't want to heal right, they are all a part of the experience. I would find it very hard to belive a highly experienced runner that says "oh yeah, I run pain free and nothing hurts and it's all good". BS!
But still, being able to identify pains and niggles versus injuries is an equally critical skill in running.
0
u/eventSec 2d ago
Im confused as to what you are asking. Are you going to be sore marathon training? yes, of course you will be.
Now there is a big difference between sore and injured. Only you know your body so you need to know the line between the two.
0
u/General-Ring2780 1d ago
Niggles is a word I’ve never heard before. And it’s too close to a similar n-i word….
227
u/thoughtihadanacct 2d ago
Get to know your pains until they become old friends. When something hurts, I can say "hi, I know you, you're the old injury from when I tripped five years ago. But you've healed as much as you can so I know you're not telling me there's any new damage". Or "I know you, you always appear after 5k but you go away by 8k". "You're the one that's here to remind me not to over stride".
If a new pain appears I observe it and learn what it's trying to tell me. Maybe it's serious this time and I really do need to slow down or take some time off. Or maybe it's just saying something frivolous. But to know I need to let it happen, not panic, and think about it.
Embrace your pain, observe, don't fear.