Aching feet or a sudden drop in performance can ruin running. Find out how to avoid typical mistakes and keep your training healthy.
Running is one of the most beautiful sports, but it demands a lot from our bodies. Especially the feet bear the main burden. When your shoe pinches or you run out of breath, this is often due to avoidable mistakes in training or equipment. Various reports and experts show that the combination of the right footwear, smart training management and adapting to the environment makes the decisive difference.
Many runners struggle with blisters, black toenails or calluses. According to a report by Runners World, this is often because we squeeze our feet into standard running shoes that are too narrow. Our feet are actually built to splay when walking or running. Narrow shoes squeeze the toes together, which can even impair ankle stability. Experts like physiotherapist Dr. A. Stacie Page warn of the risks of shoes that are too narrow for running performance.
One solution can be wider running shoes or the use of toe separators. According to coach Madeline Garcia, toe separators help to realign the toes properly, reduce pressure and strengthen the small muscles in the foot. You can wear them on rest days or while stretching.
Another major problem is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the plantar fascia on the sole of the foot. According to physiotherapist Adefemi Betiku, this often manifests itself as sharp pain in the morning. The causes are diverse: increasing volume or intensity too quickly, worn-out shoes or even weaknesses in the hips and glutes. If pain persists or is unclear, you should always have it medically cleared.
To avoid pain and injuries, the right dose is crucial. Physiotherapist Hamish Vickerman emphasises that sudden jumps in training volume overload the tissue. The topic of double runs – i.e. running twice a day – should also be treated with caution. Coach Anh Bui explains that while this can be useful for advanced runners to increase volume, it is only suitable if you already run at least six days a week and are injury-free. Anyone suffering from injuries should stay away from it, as constant running on asphalt puts a heavy strain on the body.
The right pace also protects against an early exit. In the ACHILLES RUNNING Podcast, PD Dr. Matthias Weippert explains that ego-driven, unrealistic pacing often leads to premature training or race dropouts. The body reacts with a protective mechanism when energy stores are empty or neuromuscular fatigue sets in. Structured training that avoids panic training shortly before the race protects you from injury.
Not only your body, but also the environment influences your training. According to Runners World, even mild warmth from around 15 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) can unnoticedly impair your performance. The warmer it gets, the more blood has to be pumped to the skin for cooling – this blood is then missing in the muscles. High humidity also makes cooling more difficult, as sweat does not evaporate properly. If you want to run in the heat, Dr. Matthias Weippert recommends in the ACHILLES RUNNING Podcast a targeted, active heat training of 10 to 14 days before a race to adapt the body to the conditions.
Your takeaway: Make sure your shoes are wide enough, increase your training load only slowly and adapt your pace to the temperatures to remain pain-free.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.