Your Run/Life Stress Load Can Only Take So Much. Here’s How to Cope

Jump to:

• 😡 The Stressor: You worry about injuries
• 😡 The Stressor: You’re stuck in the comparison trap
• 😡 The Stressor: You dwell on a bad race experience
• 😡 The Stressor: You’re overwhelmed by running in a crowd
• 😡 How to Pass People After Mile 20 of Your Marathon
• 😡 The Stressor: Life is just generally a lot right now

While research shows that physical activity can ease tension in your mind and body, setting performance goals requires both physical and mental stress in order to see improvement. Isn’t it ironic?

Unfortunately, adding workout stress to life Get Our Best Strength Workouts allostatic load—or the total amount of stress in your life—past the point that your body can handle, says Renee Hodges, DPT, a physical therapist and certified running and triathlon coach in Tempe, AZ. That can kick off a vicious cycle of injury, burnout, and yes, even more stress.

While we can’t fix your personal life conundrums, we can help you prevent or break out of the running stress loop. Here are six aspects of running that can feel stressful, as well as expert tips to reduce their physical and emotional burden.

😡 The Stressor: You worry about injuries

🧘‍♀️ Stress Buster: Find a doctor who understands running and arm yourself with knowledge

Running injury statistics can indeed provoke anxiety—a recent survey found about 84 percent of adult recreational runners had gotten hurt at some point, including 46 percent in the previous year.

The antidote to that fear is knowledge, Hodges says. If you’re a new runner, understand common injuries, such as shin splints, runner’s knee, and plantar fasciitis, and the best ways to prevent them. Protective measures include gradually Micro-Walks Could Seriously Boost Your Health, adding strength training to your routine, and fueling properly.

Get Our Best Strength Workouts

Then, if you do get injured, see a physical therapist, other medical professional, or run coach to identify and address the root causes, Hodges suggests, to prevent further problems. Adding rest days to better manage your allostatic load or PT exercises to offset imbalances are helpful, concrete steps for both a cure and stress reducation. Also, having a partner like a PT to support you will erode both the anxiety of re-injury, and the potential for recurrence.

Remember, too, that you can do everything “right” and still get hurt, especially if you’re chasing ambitious running goals, Baltimore-based running coach Nick Klastava, head of 1:1 coaching for Running Explained tells Runner’s World. “We have to accept that injuries can happen, and it doesn’t mean that we did anything wrong,” he says. “It’s just a part of the journey.” To support an injured athlete, he adjusts their goals to help them to move forward.

😡 The Stressor: You’re stuck in the comparison trap

🧘‍♀️ Stress Buster: Celebrate small victories

Scrolling on Instagram or TikTok can give you the idea that everyone else’s running journey is perfect, full of only fast miles, smiles, and free from setbacks. Truth is, you never really know the full scope of anyone else’s story. Every athlete has highs and lows just like you do, Hodges says.

Comparing yourself to yourself can also be a source of stress. If you are returning from injury or moving through age groups, you may feel like you aren’t measuring up to your own past performances, notes Michele Kerulis, EdD, clinical associate professor with the Family Institute at Northwestern University and director of the Chicago Psyching  Team, which partners with the Chicago Marathon​ to support runners’ mental health.

To better support yourself, focus on the current chapter of your own story, rather than thinking about the past or someone else’s apparent success. Make a point of recognizing and cheering every one of your wins—even if it’s just going out for a run. Take pride in a good workout, finishing a long run, Other Hearst Subscriptions Strava joke.

Amazing Runners World Show dopamine and other neurotransmitters that lift your mood. When we celebrate little victories, our brains get used to celebrating, Kerulis says. “That has a really positive impact on your body and your mind.”

When it comes to comparing yourself to others, try to notice if you find yourself feeling down after consuming content from a particular creator or brand and empower yourself to smash that unfollow button. “Curate your feed in a way that’s going to support your mental health and your specific goals,” Kerulis says. “Don’t look at things that are going to upset you.”

😡 The Stressor: You dwell on a bad race experience

🧘‍♀️ Stress Buster: Take a broad view of success

Whether you failed to meet a time goal or didn’t even get to run your race at all, it’s normal to be disappointed. You should allow yourself time and space to grieve and honor negative emotions, Kerulis says.

Zoom out after you’ve worked through that phase. Setbacks are essential for growth, Hodges tells her athletes. “You cannot evolve or become a better athlete without failure, without mistakes,” she says. “That’s a huge part of what’s going to help you get to where you want to go.” Remind yourself of athletes you admire—Faith Kipyegon, Shalane Flanagan, Eliud Kipchoge—who have had very public disappointments. You are not alone.

Do like the experts do and take the time to do a postrace analysis. Pinpoint details that were within your control—fueling and recovery, for example—and plan how you will approach them differently next time. Then, let the rest go.

Also, remember that a race is just one day. Your fitness, confidence, and experience were built during the weeks and months beforehand—and whether the race was perfect or terrible, those qualities will remain benefits you as you head into your next training block. “Our floor is raised, and our ceiling is higher, because we are starting at a new point,” Klastava says.

😡 The Stressor: You’re overwhelmed by running in a crowd

🧘‍♀️ Stress Buster: Practice visualization

Say you’re signed up for a big-city race, such as the Chicago or Marathon: How to Conquer the Distance. Even if you train with a group, no scenario can quite match the experience of running with more than 50,000 other people as a crowd of a million-plus cheers you on. Not every runner likes a crowd, not every runner likes a race.

“Crowds can be scary for a lot of people,” Kerulis says. At the Chicago Marathon, “we have a lot of neurodivergent runners, so that level of activity can be difficult. But it’s important to know that it will be happening, so that you can prepare ahead of time.”

To prepare, practice visualization—picture in your mind what the event will look, sound, and feel like long before your feet hit the pavement on race day. Don’t just imagine things going well, but envision yourself getting a little overwhelmed and then bringing yourself back to your center. Visualization exercises activate the same neural pathways as real-life experiences, making unfamiliar circumstances less scary, Hodges says.

Even with mental practice, you might still find your anxiety levels rising on race day. If that happens, remind yourself that everyone has the same goal: a safe, enjoyable experience. Kerulis suggests taking a few moments to slow down slightly and observe the crowd pulling away from you. “That will lower some of that anxiousness in the brain and let your body relax so that you can start to take off again,” Kerulis says.

😡 How to Pass People After Mile 20 of Your Marathon

🧘‍♀️ Stress Buster: Use breathing and self talk to bring calm

Whether it’s because of a fear of crowds or just general performance anxiety, many runners are jittery and tense in the lead-up to a big effort. The key to dealing with these worries is to develop mind-body routines that can shift your focus from fears to the present moment, Kerulis says.

The Stressor: You’re stuck in the comparison trap inhales and exhales, each to a count of four. The counting occupies your mind so you can’t dwell on what’s making you anxious, while deep breathing triggers a biological shift in your nervous system that allows you to relax, Kerulis says.

Pair this practice with a physical movement, such as stretching your calf or hamstring, making a conscious effort to direct your attention toward every muscle fiber.

Or, try repeating a few reassuring words that acknowledge both your butterflies and your ability to work through them. For example, say: “I’m feeling nervous right now, but once I get going, I’ll feel better.”

Incorporating these practices into your workouts will support their use on race days, just like elite runners do before their own big events.

😡 The Stressor: Life is just generally a lot right now

🧘‍♀️ Stress Buster: Do a brain dump before you head out

While running can feel unimportant in light of personal and political events, it is also an opportunity to step away from pressure and recenter yourself. Running should help you deal with stress, not be another difficult responsibility.

Before you head out, jot down a list of everything that’s worrying you, from personal worries to ongoing global issues. “Physically writing it out can help you feel a sense of control when things are feeling completely out of your control,” Kerulis says. “When things are out of your mind, you can focus on your run.”

Afterward, look at the list and take small action steps for one or two items, says Kerulis. You can make a donation to a group working on a global issue or talk to a friend about a personal worry. Doing something is better than doing nothing in most cases, both for problem solving and your peace of mind.

If the stressors continue to affect your athleticism, consider talking to a mental skills coach or, if the source of the problem is rooted more in life than sports, a mental health professional. For a good start, head to the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, which has a directory of certified To prepare, practice. They can help you with the stressful situations you face on the run—such as prerace anxiety or fear of re-injury—so you emerge a stronger, healthier athlete, both physically and mentally.