I see people on a daily basis with running related injuries.  I don’t pretend to be a doctor but the reality is most of them will not see a doctor until the pain becomes much worse.

When I ask what’s caused the pain, the answer is frequently, “nothing”!

So we spend a lot of time talking, digging around for clues as to why their IT band or foot might be hurting now.

It’s a shame science as a subject gets such a bad rap in school because the very basis of the subject – the scientific method – is always the best approach.

You remember the scientific method: ask a question –> make a hypothesis –> test it –> analyze data –> repeat.

Pain doesn’t come from nowhere.  Bad races don’t ‘just happen’.  There’s always a reason.  [In fact, regarding injuries, high mileage is protective for running injuries!  It’s big changes in mileage from week to week that is a big predictor for injury.]

The key is to think of your body like a science experiment.

When it’s time to test a hypothesis (such as “why does my stomach hurt on long runs”), it’s time to pull out a notebook and start setting up some experiments.

Make some hypotheses.  Control the variables.  Change one thing each week.  Observe the results.  Repeat.

PS – this also applies to the rest of your life.