How Bad Is It Going to Hurt?

“How bad is this going to hurt?”

I hear this question from first-time 100-milers, veterans going into a big or new race, and runners coming back after a break.

And if we’re honest, it’s probably in the back of all of our minds before every race.

I particularly remember wondering this before my first 100.

With none of today’s social media…even the internet we take for granted today, I was left to my (possibly overdramatic) imagination.

“Will my quads explode?”

Yes, I really wondered this, complete with mental image. And ran anyway.

Today, of course, I know the answer.

No…your quads won’t explode.

Now that I’ve put that burning question to rest, here are three more common myths about ultra pain you can release:

Myth 1 - “It’s going to keep getting worse from here.”

Once things begin to hurt, you see this ahead and grit your teeth to try to out-tough the pain.

But this myth is based on the erroneous assumption hurt increases at a constant or exponential rate every mile you run.

In reality, discomfort goes in cycles or waves. You have highs and lows the whole way.

Myth 2 - “If it hurts this much in a 50, it’s going to hurt twice as much in a 100.”

How are you going to do that? A 100 seems out of reach, so you give up before you start.

But this myth is based on the flawed assumption you can calculate future hurt by multiplying the hurt of a known distance.

And sure, a 100-mile race might hurt more than a 50k, but not necessarily times three. A 50k can hurt more than a 100 if you run the 50k hard.

The 200s I’ve run also didn’t hurt twice as much as a 100. They felt the same - just longer.

Myth 3 - “I won’t be able to handle the pain.”

When you think this, you resist discomfort, which keeps you focused on it…which magnifies it. Which makes the myth true - you can’t handle what seems that big. You’re done.

But this myth is based on the faulty assumption you’re powerless against hurt.

You’re not. You can control it with mindset. You don’t want to ignore actual pain - it alerts you to potential injury - but you can place routine discomfort to the background of your attention, even tune it out.

Plus, you have plenty of actions that can dial hurt down, like slowing speed, taking walk breaks, eating, and hydrating.

Three myths that affect your race performance, all from simple assumptions.

They seem obvious but assumptions like these are hard to spot when you’re the one making them.

I help clients root out assumptions that block them from doing their best.

And make it easier to do what they want to do.

I’ve got an opening for a new client. If you’re interested, or curious about coaching and want to know more, use this link to sign up for a free consult call.

Whether we work together or not, you’ll leave with a strategy for your issue.

Ultrarunning CAN be easier.