Training through an injury: How I used rehab to keep training for a race

A month or so into training for an upcoming race, I started to notice some discomfort and soreness after my longer trail runs. It was not sharp pain and it was not stopping me from running, but it showed up consistently enough that I knew I could not ignore it.

I still wanted to train and race, but I also did not want to dig myself into a deeper hole. Instead of pushing through and hoping it would go away, I leaned into rehab to support the injury while continuing to train for the race. Here is what I did to get myself to the starting line.

Using rehab to support training

The first thing I focused on was managing my soreness and tenderness after runs. I incorporated joint and nerve mobilizations into my routine, especially on days with the longer more technical trail runs. These helped calm down symptoms and improved how my body felt during recovery. Since these things gave me immediate relief from tenderness, they also became part of litmus test, to see how my body was recovering.

Being more intentional with footwear

I also noticed that what I wore on my feet mattered more than I expected.

While I normally prefer being barefoot at home, I realized that doing so left me feeling more sore and tender. I typically prefer to wear a more neutral/barefoot shoe, but came to find out that my body felt better when I wore more supportive shoes such as my trail shoes or Blundstones.

I made the choice to wear supportive shoes more consistently, even around the house. That small change helped reduce lingering soreness and allowed me to recover better between sessions.

Strengthening around what hurt

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Rather than focusing only on where I felt pain, I worked on strengthening the areas around it, and the body mechanics that could have been constributing to what I was feeling. Targeted exercises became a regular part of my training week. The goal was to improve load tolerance so that my body could better handle the long runs and uneven terrain.

These exercises were adjusted based on how I felt week to week. Some days required scaling things back, while others allowed for more intensity.

Paying attention to patterns during runs

I kept track of what aggravated my symptoms and what did not. Certain surfaces or distances were more likely to increase soreness. Other runs felt surprisingly good (including speed workouts!).

Recognizing these patterns helped me plan ahead. If I knew a session might trigger more discomfort, I could adjust recovery, rehab work, or the following day’s training accordingly. I would also schedule my long run to have the most days of recovery after, before my next run in the week.

Getting another set of eyes on it

Even as a rehab provider, I chose to consult with another rehab professional. Having them offer their perspective was invaluable.

It can be difficult to objectively assess your own injury and even harder to stick to your own rehab plan (doctor's can be their own worst patients). Bringing in another provider helped keep me accountable and confident in the decisions I was making.

The takeaway

Training through an injury does not mean ignoring pain or pushing through no matter what. For me, it meant paying attention, making adjustments, and being honest about how things felt. It requires listening, adapting, and using rehab strategically to support performance.

I was able to compete in the race with only minor discomfort and felt good about how I raced! That outcome came from respecting the injury, adjusting my training, and staying consistent with rehab rather than abandoning my plan altogether.

Now that the race is over, I will take some time away from running to allow the area to fully heal, while still continuing rehab to support recovery. Stepping back temporarily is often just as important as knowing when you can keep going.

This is the same approach I use with the athletes and runners I work with every day. Rehab does not always mean stopping. It means making smart decisions so you can keep moving toward your goals. My goal is to keep all my patients engaged in the activites they are doing as long as it is safe to do so.

If you are dealing with a nagging issue during training and are unsure how to move forward, a structured rehab plan can make all the difference. Please feel free to reach out if you need guidance.