Top Endurance

Injuries are an inevitable part of endurance training. The optimal race performance or fitness level is achieved by pushing to maximize conditioning without overtraining or injury. A breakthrough performance occurs when the athlete and coach are able to maximize the training load without going too far. Experienced coaches often talk about training their athletes on “the knife edge”—pushing them to maximize adaptations without pushing them over the edge.

Injuries can be placed into two categories: acute and chronic. Acute injuries are those that have an identifiable onset; for example, turning an ankle while running on a trail, or finishing a swim session and noticing shoulder pain. Chronic injuries have a more gradual onset. The athlete may notice pain or discomfort (for part of a workout or after a workout) that subsides after a short period of time. As training progresses, the pain or discomfort may become more severe or may be noticeable for a longer period of time.

The rate and severity of injuries can be reduced by using periodization and by recognizing that stress occurs not just from training and inadequate rest, but also from other areas of life. Poor work conditions, family problems, and trying to do too much all create stress that requires recovery. If athletes try to do too much training, fit too much into their life, or skimp on recovery and rest, they will eventually be unable to recover from the stresses of training. As a result, injuries will occur. Remember, it is better for an athlete to be on the starting line and slightly undertrained than to be overtrained or injured.

If an injury occurs, the athlete needs to be able to identify it before it becomes too severe. Especially at high training volumes, small irritations can become big problems if they are not recognized and dealt with. Athletes must understand the difference between muscle soreness from training and muscle pain from the beginning of an overuse injury. This is something that is difficult to teach, but it is a valuable skill for an athlete to develop.

Athletes can take steps to minimize the loss of training time due to injury. These steps include following a proper training program, allowing adequate recovery from training, and developing a network of medical professionals if injury does occur. A short course of physical therapy, combined with modifications in training, can often reduce the loss of training time from an acute injury—or prevent a slight problem from developing into a chronic injury.