This post is rated Sprinters, Olympians and Ironman.

There is a fine line between results and recklessness. In the world of endurance sports, this line is not always easy to see. We spend minutes, hours, days building our endurance. We run, we swim, we bike and cross train our way to aerobic fitness. The very activity that leads us to results can very well also be reckless beyond reason…

My training today called for a long run. I am preparing for the Mercedes Marathon this month in Birmingham. This is not my first and it certainly will not be my last. I know whats it takes to prepare for a marathon and so I started my run with confidence. About halfway into my journey, I felt a small tingle on the top of my right foot. The dreaded first sign of pain….yeah, I ignored it OF COURSE…I continued my run telling myself it was nothing. At the 2 hour mark, the pain had moved and now was set firmly throughout my foot. By the time I hit mile 20, I could tell that something was wrong.

I’m sure you can relate and can tell where I’m going with this. All I did was complete my last long training run before my event. The very same motion of running that I performed today is what I have been doing all along. The endurance that I have built over the last 8 years had a lot to do with my running. So why, on this day (and so close to my race) did my running lead to injury?

This is the “fine-line” that I refer to in my title. Running is wonderful and provides so much benefit to those who engage. At the same time, running can be reckless….it just doesn’t make any sense. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our actions. In the moment when pain first presents itself, might I encourage you to do the most difficult thing your mind can imagine….STOP and live to run another a pain-free day.