Why Injuries Happen Right Before Big Races

In my PT clinics we always know when a big race is coming up because one-two weeks before race day the phone is ringing off the hook. Pain or small injuries that could be ignored when mileage was low start to get louder and more difficult to run through.

Why does this happen?

Training Fatigue

Most of the time our clients try to pin point the one thing they did that caused the injury, but it is usually not from one single workout - it is overall training fatigue.

During the peak of marathon or half marathon training the body starts running very close to its limit. Everyone's limit is different, but everyone has a one. Tissues that were tolerating load well earlier in the cycle are now handling much more cumulative stress with less room for error.

I see this especially with runners whose mechanics begin to change as fatigue creeps in.

Your gets tired late in a training cycle and your muscles are less resilient (this is why strength training is so important). Instead of driving power from the glutes and hips you might be pulling yourself forward more with the calf and hamstring. Stride length may change slightly, Your posture stiffens and push off becomes less efficient.

You usually don't notice any of this happening, because you are just focused on the miles and getting your training in.

But, one day you wake up and your calves stay tight all day. The Achilles gets irritated after workouts. The hamstring starts feeling overloaded. The outside of the knee begins feeling stiff or stuck. So you call the office.

Changing Too Much at Once or Getting Too Excited

Another reason injury pops up before a race can be due to changing things late in training that your body simply is not prepared for.

Switching into aggressive carbon plate shoes full time.

Add extra speed workouts because fitness feels good.

You suddenly start stretching aggressively.

You stop strength training entirely because they are afraid of soreness.

You add long hill workouts after months of mostly flat running.

Its okay to modify and change your training but changing too many things at once or being too aggressive when you r body is already tired creates problems.

The Taper Also Messes With Runners Mentally More Than People Realize.

You might expect your taper to feel nice and magical. Sometimes it does. Other times you will feel flat, stiff, awkward ,heavy or hyper-aware of every sensation in your body. Or you might hate the taper so you just add more mileage (I see you).

Without the distraction of peak mileage every little ache suddenly feels important.

I cannot tell you how many runners have come into the clinic convinced they were seriously injured during taper only to race completely fine a week later. I am definitely NOT saying pain should be ignored. But not every sensation during taper is damage.

Another pattern I see constantly is easy runs no longer being easy late in training.

As fitness improves runners naturally start drifting faster. Recovery runs slowly become moderate efforts and moderate efforts become workouts without you even noticing. The nervous system never fully settles down and tissues stop getting the recovery they need between sessions.

When I look at a runner’s schedule before a race injury there is not typically a single mistake, but lots of little things stacking up.

• slightly more fatigue

• slightly less recovery

• slightly tighter mechanics

• slightly more intensity

• slightly less strength work

  
  

The runners who stay healthiest before big races are usually not the runners doing the most. They are the runners who stay the most consistent with recovery, movement quality sleep ,strength and pacing while everyone else starts forcing fitness during the final few weeks.

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