Running 101: Fatigue vs. Soreness vs. Injury
- charlie4243
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
“Marathoners: Life is too easy. I must find a way to make it much much harder.” -- Glennon Doyle, best-selling author
This quote is funny because running, whether a marathon or a 5K or around the block when you are just getting started, is hard! Some discomfort is to be expected. This discomfort may be due to the fatigue of pushing past your previous limits, it may be due to soreness in muscles that are being used in new or more strenuous ways, or it may be pain from an impending injury. And while we all perceive discomfort and pain a little differently, how can you tell the difference between fatigue, soreness and potential injury?
Fatigue
The definition of fatigue is “an extreme sense of tiredness”. Fatigue can feel like a burning sensation in your muscles or a sluggish feeling like you just can’t go on. When lifting weights, you might even reach the failure point of not being able to lift the weight another rep. With running it can feel similar—like it just gets harder and harder to drive your legs forward.
The sensations of fatigue develop progressively during the activity and ease once you stop. While some fatigue is necessary to progress with training, the solution to extreme fatigue is simple—unless you are in a race, it’s time to wrap things up for the day, especially if your running form is being compromised.
Soreness
Soreness is usually felt 24-48 hours after an activity. Multiple areas and multiple muscles can feel tender, tight, or stiff and these sensations even have a name: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS. DOMS can be especially pronounced after a run with a lot of downhills as the lengthening contractions of running downhill produce more muscle damage.
Tissues other than muscles can also feel soreness, and in most cases the tightness and tenderness peak about two days after the activity and then gradually improve in the day or two after that. Movement can help—try walking, gentle stretching and/or foam rolling. If you do go for an easy run, the soreness may ease up a bit as you jog along.
Pain
Pain tends to have a sharper quality and be localized to a single area. The sharpness may be felt more deeply and linger longer than the two or three days of soreness. Pain is often felt in a joint or bony area and may get worse during a run and feel better with rest.
Red flags for pain that may indicate potential injury include:
If the pain is consistent in location and the intensity is not improving or getting worse
If you are changing how you run to accommodate the pain
If pain is keeping you up at night or preventing getting good rest
If you are relying on pain medication in order to run
If you feel in your gut that running isn’t a good idea
If any of these are true, you may be developing a running-related injury and a visit to a healthcare professional is a good idea. Many running injuries respond well when treated early and a provider skilled in working with runners can get you back on the roads quickly and safely so that you can continue working toward your running goals!
Running 101: Advice for Getting Started
Throughout April, the TCM Motion Experts are sharing advice from their areas of expertise focused especially for new runners . If you're a new runner, we hope you find the information helpful. If you're a veteran runner, consider sharing the content with a run-curious friend or family member to help get them in motion.
Find additional Running 101 content here.
The information provided in this article and linked videos is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. It does not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment specific to your individual situation.
Kristen Gerlach, PT, PhD, is a physical therapist who specializes in working with runners. She is one of the team of Motion Experts TCM has gathered to help its subscribers and participants get the most out of their running. Have a question for Kristen: [email protected] or website: instridemnpt.com.
