Mid-race Injury?
Q: What do you do when you injure yourself in the middle of a race?
Mid-race injuries are a runner’s worst nightmare. Although they are unpleasant to think about, it’s always best to be prepared. What should you do in the event of injury during your race? How do you know whether to continue or to drop out?
Mid-race injuries:
There are various ways you can get injured in a race:
Trips or falls can be common at the start of a race when there are a lot of people on the line, or on cross country courses that feature hilly or muddy terrain. Apart from slowing you down, trips might cause you to land incorrectly and sustain an injury.
Strains and sprains can occur from overstretching a muscle or ligament respectively. Ankle sprains can occur by landing on the side of your foot.
Signs that you should drop out:
To prevent worsening the injury or developing additional ones, it’s crucial to listen to your body. You will usually be able to distinguish between regular fatigue and a major injury. Here are some signs that you should drop out of a race:
You hear a ‘pop’
You feel a muscle tear
You experience a sharp or stabbing pain that won’t go away even if you slow down
You should immediately stop running if you experience any of these. Move to the side of the course or track, out of the way of other runners, and call for help. If you are unsure if what you’re experiencing is a sign of a major injury, it’s best to play it safe. A serious injury can potentially end your season and even your career. Pushing through one race is not worth missing out on several others. Focus on recovering properly so you can perform even better in future races.
However, you shouldn’t see this as a reason to give up at the slightest sign of discomfort. A minor trip might slow you down or misguide your focus, but persevering through lesser pain is worth it. As long as you can run without a limp or severe pain, finishing the race is still within your sights.
Event-specific tips:
In cross country and distance events like the 1600m and 3200m in track, races last a lot longer. If you sustain an injury toward the beginning of the race, you have a long way until the finish line. Running extensively with injury at race pace can cause further damage. It’s a good idea to not finish the race if you get injured.
In contrast, the shorter distance track events go by a lot faster. If you sustain an injury and have to stop running, stay out of the way of other runners. Avoid interfering with their performance in any way so as to not inflict injury on others.
Preventing race-related injuries:
Some ways to prevent getting injured mid-race are…
Practicing proper form
Proper warm up and cooldown
Strength training (especially for ankles)
Conclusion:
In short, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to injury. If you’re a cross country or track athlete looking to improve your running, push yourself hard but not to the point of injury and discontinuing your career. Though pain resistance and the ability to endure strenuous physical effort are qualities attributed to great runners, it’s important to be smart and prioritize your health. After all, you will run many races in a lifetime, but you only get one body to do so.
Sources:
Mace, Matthew. “Should I Feel Bad for Dropping out of a Running Race? - Running 101.” Running101, 4 Nov. 2020, running101.co.uk/should-i-feel-bad-for-dropping-out-of-a-running-race/.