Running is a tough sport. It is hugely demanding on your lungs, legs and joints; running-related injuries are not uncommon. Being able to listen to your body to distinguish discomfort from pain is a skill learned only through experience–even professional runners still make the mistake of ignoring signs their body is telling them to stop. In a sport that constantly keeps you hovering on the edge between growth and injury, being cautious will play in your favour.
Discomfort
Discomfort is usually OK. By discomfort, we mean a relatively mild, generalized burning or heaviness in your muscles, which signifies you are pushing yourself through fatigue. It is supposed to be difficult–that’s the way to increase your fitness threshold and get better. Sometimes, your body shuts down or just has a bad day, making something feel harder than it usually does. The days that your body feels heavy are the days you try your best and do what you can. One lousy workout won’t make or break your fitness–so don’t overdo it by trying to make up for it elsewhere.
Fighting through discomfort is a testament to your motivation and drive to improve as an athlete and meet your goals. With experience, you will learn what level of hurt is sustainable for you, so you aren’t left incapacitated and unable to work out in the ensuing days.
Pain
Pain is not OK. This could be sharp and/or random sensations that make you wince, or intense tightness or discomfort in a localized muscle or tendon that is causing you to alter your gait. If the pain keeps getting worse as your workout or run continues, it’s time to call it a day. (Joint pain is also a big red flag.)
Backing off is better than doing too much–consistency is key. Pushing through pain for a few mediocre workouts just to end up making things worse is not worth it; the recovery time and effects on fitness resulting from a serious injury will be much more significant than taking a few days off or cross-training when new pain arises.
Being able to back up and play it smart is also a testament to your drive as a runner; sometimes, it isn’t easy to call it a day after you did all that work to show up for the workout in the first place. If you have confidence in the work you’ve put in so far, you’ll realize that missing one race or a few workouts to look after your body won’t be detrimental to your fitness in the long term.
