Its really hard to know when a pain or soreness is something that needs rest or something you can run/bike through.
For most of us, if we always rested whenever something hurt or didn’t feel quite right, we might never train!
I was having some pain in my right knee the last few weeks. 4 days of rest didn’t seem to do anything for it. Last night I biked hard and ran hard on it, and this morning is feels fine again.
what the hell?! =)
but now my right glute hurts 
I agree with you there.
I hear that. I personally ‘love’ it when some random muscle in my core starts to ache while I’m warming up for a race, then completely vanish within the first few miles…only to be replaced by some other ache or pain (usually my glute). It sucks…you start the race with a sense of dread…then that dread vanishes and you feel fantastic only to have that crushed.
I was on the treadmill yesterday and had a sharp horrible pain shooting into my left knee. The first thought…holy hell my season is through but alas, I keep running (hobbling) and it completely dissappeared. Today I did a 2 hour run with hill repeats and absolutely no pain.
Phantom pains are the story of an athletes life. I will probably always run, bike, or swim through pain unless it lasts a few days. Not the smartest but works for me.
HA! And you’re a young guy. You should know the pain I live with on a daily basis trying to train hard and race at 53. Plus, I have a farm and I’m constantly working on fences, carrying 80 pound bags of concrete, carrying hay bales, etc. (Try getting rammed in the shin by a goat the night before one of your big races … that’s always fun.)
But as you said … the pain doesn’t go away when I rest. It goes away when I work through it. The only time I feel really good is when I’m training. The rest of the time, something hurts … always.
as a heads up if you get knee pain again - if I have knee pain it is invariably tight quads, solution = foam roller
If you have something that hurts
Think biomechanics, what’s causing the pain.
I’ve been fairly lucky with aches and pains overall. No major issues preparing for and completing my first marathon!
If I can still do this crap at 53 at all that will be a victory! good work!
HA! And you’re a young guy. You should know the pain I live with on a daily basis trying to train hard and race at 53. Plus, I have a farm and I’m constantly working on fences, carrying 80 pound bags of concrete, carrying hay bales, etc. (Try getting rammed in the shin by a goat the night before one of your big races … that’s always fun.)
But as you said … the pain doesn’t go away when I rest. It goes away when I work through it. The only time I feel really good is when I’m training. The rest of the time, something hurts … always.
Jack,
One of the black arts of athletics, especially endurance sports, is knowing when an injury or pain can be ignored and when it can’t. And when it can’t, knowing how to maintain maximum performance/minimum downtime.
Highly experienced coaches get a feel for it, but every person is different. I’m almost an expert in this black art when it comes to myself.
One important lesson I’ve learned is that after an injury, no amount of time off will ever result in 100% pain free operation. Once I know I’m ‘healed’ (meaning resuming activity won’t cause a relapse) I begin training and it’s the training itself that eventually results in 100% pain free operation.
I think that so many people have ‘trick knees’ or ‘bum shoulders’ because they got an injury and ended their sports career waiting for the pain to go away and 20 years later they’re still waiting.
HA! And you’re a young guy. You should know the pain I live with on a daily basis trying to train hard and race at 53. Plus, I have a farm and I’m constantly working on fences, carrying 80 pound bags of concrete, carrying hay bales, etc. (Try getting rammed in the shin by a goat the night before one of your big races … that’s always fun.)
But as you said … the pain doesn’t go away when I rest. It goes away when I work through it. The only time I feel really good is when I’m training. The rest of the time, something hurts … always.
I’m with ya here, 'ceptin I’m 57. I try to think of the farm chores as “core” training - something always hurts.
The fun is running the section roads with tights and a retro 80’s Nike jacket (you remember, orange, blue, yellow) - the ole boys just shake their heads.
You’re right tho, I also feel best during long slow runs.