It’s no secret that marathon training is demanding on the body. That's why it is so important to listen to your body along the way for signs of struggle. Aches and pains for a long distance athlete are similar to a yellow flag in a car race. When a yellow flag is raised in a race, the drivers are forced to slow and hold their place until the course is clear again. If you listen to your body’s yellow flag when the first signs of aches and pains occur, your risk for injury will drop dramatically. The key is to talk through your symptoms with your coaches, or an experienced physical therapists as most aches and pains, if caught early, can be fixed with a quick and easy modification (training, flexibility and strength exercises, shoes…). And just like the pit crew in a car race, these professionals want to keep you training towards reaching the finish line safely.

If aches and pains become a regular part of your marathon training and stick around longer than 4-5 days, seek advice from a physical therapist, coach or doctor. Use the following guide to access the severity of the symptoms.

Guide to Accessing Aches and Pains

1. Injuries are classified in types based on pain and level of function. Use this to determine the severity of your injury.

• Type I: pain after activity only
• Type II: pain during and after activity but not limiting
• Type III: pain during activity, restricts activity
• Type IV: chronic, unremitting pain

Continued training with Type I or II pain is okay as long as it does not cause you to alter your running gait and there is an understanding as to what is causing the symptoms. (i.e. tight calves causing posterior leg pain, and that it does not progress). However, be sure to remember the following: listen to your body and don’t wait until stage 3 or 4 to adjust or get help. Waiting may result in time off from training or an end to it altogether.

2. Seek help immediately if you are in type III or IV or the pain has not subsided after 4 days of active (cross-training) or complete rest. Refer to professionals as they will be open to guiding you back on course. If you live outside the Chicago-land area, the best resources to find these professionals are in specialty running stores, local race directors, regional athletic newspapers or magazines and through word of mouth. As with AthletiCo Sports Medicine, most physical therapy clinics will offer a free screening to access your injury and help you return safely to training.

3. Follow the road to recovery and shorten your down time. Recovery doesn’t mean total inactivity; it means modifying activity to heal, stretch and strengthen. Active recovery is three times faster than passive recovery. You will heal both ways, but it is up to you how quickly you want to get there. Here are a few ways to speed the time of healing:

R.I.C.E: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Rest from walking or running, ice the area and put compression on the iced area and elevate the injured area. R.I.C.E. has an immediate effect on reducing pain and inflammation.

Relative rest: Substitute with activities that do not cause symptoms (cross-training). Reduce mileage and/or intensity to allow for healing time.

Restore flexibility: Stretch involved muscle group.

Restore strength: Strengthen weakened muscle group.

Fix training errors: Don’t try to make up for lost time or missed workouts. Increase mileage, speed, and frequency gradually.

Happy trails,
Coach Jenny Hadfield
Co-author of Marathoning for Mortals
Co-owner of Chicago Endurance Sports

*Coach Jenny’s advice is provided as general training information. Use at your own risk. Always consult with your own heath care provider for questions relating to your specific training and nutrition.

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