It seems to happen to me almost every time I enter the taper period for a big race. I get a random ‘injury’ that appears from nowhere.  I call these aches and pains, ‘Phantom Injuries’.

The past two days, the hamstrings in my left leg have felt particularly sore. It almost feels like like I have a pulled muscle, but I have no issues with the hamstrings while working out.  I am no doctor, but to me this is just the muscle recovering from the strain of a big training block.  I am very confident that my hamstrings will be fine in a few days.  This is not worrying me at all.

I didn’t used to be this way.  When these ‘injuries’ occurred, I used to freak out.  I was always convinced that my upcoming race was ruined. I had trained for months and now I was injured just before getting to the start line.  In reality, not a single one of these ‘injuries’ has ever stopped me from racing or impacted my performance.

What I have learnt is, that the way to deal with these ‘Phantom Injuries’ is to focus on good rest, nutrition and things like massage and rolling.  Just work on them like the little niggles you get during training. 

That is all they really are.. niggles.  It is the timing that raises the stakes and gets you all worried.  This is all part of the process and these ‘injuries’ will gone by race day.