Like Peanut Butter and Jelly: Endurance Racing and Pain Go Hand in Hand
Some things just belong together. Peanut butter AND jelly. Burgers AND fries. Milk AND cookies. Nachos AND cheese. Ok, maybe not liver AND onions, but you get the point. And no, this isn’t a blog about nutrition—although, fun fact, when I did the Hawaiian Ironman back in ’98, I taped a PB&J to my aerobars and inhaled it at the start of the bike leg. Not my smartest move, but hey, we live and learn.
That brings me to another pairing that’s just as inseparable: Endurance racing AND pain.
Whether it’s a super-sprint triathlon or a full Ironman, a blazing 5K or a grueling 100-mile ultra, pain is the jelly to your peanut butter. It’s going to happen. But how we deal with it can make all the difference. Let’s break down the two types of pain you’ll face:
1. Race Pain
This is the “good” kind of pain—the one that comes from pushing your limits. Your muscles are running low on glycogen, electrolytes are depleted, and fatigue is creeping in like a tidal wave. But with proper training and mindset, you can push through it.
2. Injury Pain
This is the pain you want to avoid. Sometimes it’s easy to tell when something is off, but not always. The key to differentiating race pain from injury pain often comes down to experience. Sometimes, you’ll feel something hurt a little during a race, and it’s nothing. Other times, you’ll push through and regret it. The more you train, the better you’ll become at telling the difference.
Now that we’ve established that pain is inevitable in endurance racing, how do we manage it?
Tips for Managing Race Pain:
1. Prepare for it
Minimize pain wherever you can. If you blister easily like me, make sure you’ve got your blister-prevention game strong—Vaseline on the feet, extra pairs of socks, whatever it takes. Proper training is also key. Racing beyond your training will hurt a lot more, so be prepared for what the race will throw at you.
2. Mentally brace yourself
Pain will come, and sometimes it’s worse than you expect. Be ready for it. As Clubber Lang famously predicted in Rocky III, the answer to what’s coming? “PAIN.”
3. Focus on your purpose
When the going gets tough, the why gets you through. Ask yourself why you’re racing in the first place. Is it for personal growth, a cause you believe in, or to conquer a personal challenge? Let that fuel you when the pain kicks in.
4. Lean on your race goals
Do you have a time goal, a place you want to finish, or maybe someone you want to beat? These goals can be the mental fuel you need when it feels like your legs are being hit with baseball bats. Let your goals drive you forward.
A Final Thought
Pain is temporary, but the sense of accomplishment will last a lifetime. Like peanut butter AND jelly, endurance racing AND pain are a package deal. The pain will fade, but the pride in what you’ve achieved will stick with you.
So be smart, prepare, push through the pain, and enjoy the feeling that comes with crossing that finish line. You’ve earned it.
