When Injury Strikes Close to Race Day
By Coach Nic Baxter | NBx Running Coach
You've done the work. The long runs are banked, the taper is on the calendar, and race day is close enough to taste. Then something twinges.
I've made the call, several times, that every runner dreads, I've deferred races or changed my race distance to shorter, less intrusive, distances. It happens, and here's what these tough decisions have taught me, and what I tell the athletes I coach when they find themselves in the same spot.
1. Don't run through it
A little soreness that warms up and fades is normal. Pain that changes how you run, hurts when you walk or climb stairs, or gets worse as the run goes on is a stop sign.
Running through a niggle in the final weeks rarely buys you fitness. Those last weeks are mostly about arriving fresh. What it can do is turn a two-week problem into a two-month one.
If something doesn't feel right, get it looked at early by a physical therapist or doctor. I'm a coach, not a medical professional, and a proper diagnosis beats guessing every time.
2. Change the goal, not the commitment
Switching distances or deferring felt like a loss at first. I had done all of the training, and I have race plans for how I wanted the days to go.
But changing your (time) goal or distance isn't quitting. It's choosing the version of the race that your body can handle on the day, so you can still show up, still get a start line, and still enjoy the day. Many races will let you drop down in distance, so check the rules and deadlines early. Doing it sooner gives you more options and less stress.
I don't say this lightly. In over 23 years of running, I've only had one DNF. Along the way I've deferred races to give my body the chance to recover, and I'd rather miss one start line than lose months of running.
When you're deciding, ask yourself:
Can I run the shorter distance without making the injury worse?
Can I change my goal and still enjoy the day?
What is the cost of racing the longer one? A DNF, or weeks of lost training?
What do I want from this race? A time, an experience, or a day with friends?
3. Redefine what a good race looks like
So your goals become simple: start healthy, run smart, finish strong, and enjoy the experience.
A few things that have helped me, and they might help you:
Write the new goal down. A fresh target gives your training a purpose again.
Focus on what you can control. You can't undo the injury. You can control your rehab, your sleep, your attitude and your pacing on the day.
Let yourself be disappointed, briefly. It's okay to feel gutted. Give it a day, then move on to the next step.
Keep the people part. Race day is more than a finishing time. The atmosphere, the other runners, the scenery and the post-race coffee are all still there.
4. Rest is training, not time off
This is the part that most runners find hardest. When you're injured, resting feels like falling behind.
It isn't. Fitness doesn't vanish in a week or two, and it's built on rest as much as on miles. Your body adapts to training while you recover, not while you're running. If you skip the rest, you skip the adaptation.
That means:
Taking easy or off days seriously
Sleeping enough, especially during a heavy training block
Fuelling and hydrating properly
Cross-training only if it's pain-free and approved by your clinician (cycling, pool running and walking are common options)
Rest also protects your mindset. Showing up healthy and a little under-trained beats showing up over-trained and injured.
5. Strength training is your insurance policy
Strong muscles, tendons and hips help you absorb the load of running, and many injuries, hamstrings included, show up when training load outpaces what the body can handle.
Two sessions a week is a great starting point. Focus on:
Hips and glutes: bridges, single-leg bridges, clamshells and side planks
Hamstrings and posterior chain: hip hinges, deadlift variations and, once you're cleared, controlled hamstring curls
Single-leg strength: step-ups, split squats and single-leg balance work
Calves and core: calf raises, planks and dead bugs
Build slowly, and don't start a new strength programme in your final weeks before a race. If you're coming back from an injury, get cleared first and progress gradually.
The takeaway
Getting hurt close to race day is frustrating, and it happens to every runner eventually. What matters is how you respond:
Listen to your body early.
Get it assessed.
Change the goal if you need to, and don't be ashamed of it.
Treat rest as part of the plan.
Build strength so you're more resilient next time.
And I'm still living this. I have two more marathons on my calendar in the next 4 weeks, and I may have to defer one or both of them, depending on what my sports doctor recommends this week. It isn't the news I want, but it's the advice I'd give any athlete in my shoes: follow the medical guidance, protect the long game, and stay positive. In the meantime I'll keep moving forward with slower running, cross training, keep up my strength work, and keeping my head in a good place.
This post is general information, not medical advice. If you're injured, see a qualified healthcare professional.
Coach Nic Baxter is an RRCA Level 2 Certified Running Coach and ACE-Certified Personal Trainer, based in Morristown, NJ. She coaches runners locally and virtually worldwide through NBx Running Coach and is currently training for NYC Marathon.
Comments