Running News Daily

Whether you have just started or been running for years, sore legs are something runners deal with every week. But the question that often runs through our mind is – Should I run with sore legs?

Knowing when to push yourself and when to hold yourself back is the solution to preventing sore legs after a run. So balancing the right amount of recovery into your training is key to keeping you running without any pain or soreness.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common occurrence within the endurance community. Symptoms can differ from tenderness in the muscles to unrelenting pain.

Deep thigh pain after running, sore hamstrings, and tender quadriceps are caused by micro-injuries. These injuries are often experienced by runners returning to training following a period of rest or reduced running. For more experienced runners, DOMS can occur when introducing new sessions, certain types of workouts, and increasing the volume too quickly.

SHOULD I RUN WITH SORE LEGS?

To determine if you should run with sore legs, first figure out if it is soreness or acute pain. If your legs are just tender it’s ok to run. If you find that you have acute pain or can barely walk after running, then you need to rest yourself from running.

Soreness often occurs after a race or tough workout. While it may only put you out from running for a couple of days, it is important to allow full recovery. Otherwise, you may find the soreness starts affecting your running form. Running with sore legs will force you to overcompensate, adding more load to the part of your body that does hurt. This can cause injuries, delay recovery, and prevent you from continuing to train at the required level.

Even if you can push through the pain, running with sore hamstrings, quadriceps or calves isn’t a wise decision. You should first distinguish what is causing this pain and discomfort.

– Is it from lack of recovery?– Have I introduced any new workout?– Is it caused by the surface I run on?– Is it just because I started running?

All of these questions can help you understand why your legs ache after running. It can also help you to re-structure you’re training to prevent it from happening in the future.

If you are experiencing a small amount of soreness after running, you still might find it possible to run the next day. If this is the case, make sure it doesn’t affect your running form. If your running form isn’t affected by the soreness, contact a masseuse to help relieve any tension or soreness in the muscles asap. Alternatively, if you don’t have access to a masseuse, try spending 30 minutes on the foam roller. Both can help speed up the recovery process and prevent further damage to the muscles while the legs are still sore after running.

LEGS SORE AFTER RUNNING FIRST TIME

Even if your fit and active, it is likely that you may experience sore legs after running the first time. The reason can be because:

You haven’t exercised for some time. Not used to this level of strenuous activity. You overdid it during the initial stages of running. You’re used to a different type of sport (example: cycling or swimming)

Either way, muscle soreness the days after a run occurs from small tears in the muscle fibres. When you experience this for the first time, the body’s defence mechanism kicks in, causing fluid to occupy the muscles, causing swelling and pain. This swelling often peaks around 48 hours after your initial run. That is why you may feel fine after a run, but the next day you struggle to walk.

To prevent your legs from getting sore, the number one rule is not to overload the body too soon. That means for any new runner starting, it is best to include a combination of running and walking while the muscles adapt. Once your body gets accustomed to the impact and stress from running, you can slowly increase the amount of running you do.

DEEP THIGH PAIN AFTER RUNNING

If you have been running for a while now, you’ve most likely at some point felt deep thigh pain after running. Although this is common, it is not always normal. Luckily your not alone. Deep thigh pain is a common complaint within runners, and it can affect not only your running technique but training as well.

Knowing what causes this and the best treatment protocol is the first step in getting back on the feet again.

Deep thigh pain often improves during the run, but then comes back worse once you have finished. This is usually caused by the body adapting to the training. By allowing adequate rest, you can usually be back running in a few days.

However, sometimes deep thigh pain can be a sign of strained quadriceps or even a femoral stress fracture. Both of these can put you out of running for long periods. Quad strain pain is often present in a specific part of the muscle. On the other hand, a femoral stress fracture feels like a deep pain in the thigh.

Either way, it is important to take some time off from running and focus on lower body strength training. Of course, if you have incurred a stress fracture you must allow time for recovery.

Exercises like squats and leg presses can help strengthen the thigh muscles before starting back running. But, make sure you focus on light loads and short range of motion loading first. Then focus on keeping your cardiovascular fitness by cycling or swimming, until you can run again.

As for returning to running, there should be a full range of motion and no localized pain before starting running again. Your strength should be back to normal and ideally given the green light from a physio.

Most Olympic marathoners spend their youth focused on running. They join track clubs, compete in national championships, and pursue the sport from an early age.

Julia Mayer’s journey was very different.

Today, Mayer is Austria’s marathon record holder, a multiple national record holder on the roads, and an Olympian. Yet for much of her athletic life, running was not her primary sport.

For 16 years, she played soccer.

Then she discovered something that would change her life.

“I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun,” Mayer said when reflecting on her transition from soccer to distance running.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. She eventually made the bold decision to leave soccer behind and focus entirely on running. It was a move that surprised many people around her, but Mayer believed she had found her true athletic calling.

The decision proved to be the right one.

Within a few years, Mayer developed into one of Europe’s top marathon runners. Her steady improvement carried her from local races to the international stage, where she began rewriting Austria’s record books.

She now holds Austrian records in the marathon, half marathon, and road 10K. Her marathon best of 2:26:08 established her as the fastest female marathoner in Austrian history. Her performances in the half marathon and 10K have further cemented her place among the country’s all-time great distance runners.

Her rise culminated with qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing in the Olympic marathon represented the realization of a dream. On one of the most challenging marathon courses ever used for the Olympics, Mayer ran courageously against the strongest field in the world and finished 55th in her Olympic debut.

Behind the scenes, success has come through extraordinary dedication. During marathon preparation, Mayer trains twice a day and covers approximately 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, each week. The workload demands discipline, patience, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement. 

What makes her story especially inspiring is not simply the records or the Olympic appearance.

It is the fact that she found her greatest talent later than many elite runners.

In a sport where athletes are often identified at a young age, Mayer’s journey serves as a reminder that potential does not always reveal itself early. Sometimes it takes years of experience, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to follow a different path. 

The former soccer player who once chased a ball across a field is now chasing history on the roads of Europe.

And according to those closest to her, her best performances may still be ahead.

For runners of every age and ability, Julia Mayer’s story delivers a powerful lesson: it is never too late to discover what you are capable of.

From soccer player to Olympian, her journey proves that remarkable achievements can begin when least expected.

Megan Keith produced the performance of her career in Oslo on Thursday night, shattering one of Scotland’s longest-standing distance running records and cementing her place among Britain’s greatest female 3000m runners.

The 24-year-old clocked a sensational 8:28.35 over 3000m, breaking the Scottish outdoor record that had stood for nearly four decades. In doing so, Keith eclipsed the previous mark of 8:29.02, set by Scottish legend Yvonne Murray back in 1988, ending a record reign that had lasted 38 years.

Keith’s breakthrough run was more than just a national record. The performance also propelled her to third on the UK outdoor all-time list, placing her behind only two of Britain’s most celebrated distance runners — Paula Radcliffe, who leads the rankings with 8:22.20, and Laura Weightman, whose 8:26.07 remains the second-fastest outdoor mark by a British woman.

The significance of Keith’s achievement is amplified by the calibre of athletes she now joins in the record books. For decades, Murray’s mark stood as one of Scottish athletics’ most untouchable records, surviving generations of elite competitors. Keith has now succeeded where many outstanding runners have fallen short, announcing herself as one of the leading distance talents in British athletics.

Her time also compares favourably with the best performances produced indoors. Olympic medallist Laura Muir ran 8:26.41 indoors in Karlsruhe in 2017, underlining just how exceptional Keith’s outdoor effort in Oslo truly was.

The run continues a remarkable rise for the Scottish star, whose progression over recent seasons has transformed her from a promising prospect into a genuine force on the international stage. Running with confidence and composure against elite competition, Keith demonstrated both the speed and endurance required to challenge the very best in Europe and beyond.

With the World Championship season gathering momentum, Keith’s record-breaking display sends a powerful message. Not only has she etched her name into Scottish athletics history, but she has also established herself as a serious contender in one of the sport’s most competitive events.

In Oslo, Megan Keith did far more than break a record. She ended a 38-year wait, climbed into the upper echelon of British distance running, and delivered a performance that may prove to be a defining moment in her career.

British middle-distance talent Phoebe Gill took another significant step forward in her return to top form, producing a determined victory over 800 metres at the Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday.

Competing in challenging, wind-affected conditions, the 19-year-old demonstrated both resilience and composure as she held off a late charge from Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo to secure the win in 2:00.81. Vancardo finished just three hundredths of a second behind in 2:00.84, underlining the fiercely contested nature of the race.

While the margin of victory was narrow, the result represented another encouraging milestone for Gill as she continues to rebuild momentum following her injury setback. The young Briton showed impressive race awareness and strength in the closing stages, maintaining her advantage despite the difficult conditions that made fast running a challenge throughout the evening.

The Marseille triumph adds to a growing body of evidence that Gill is steadily progressing toward her best form. Earlier in her comeback campaign, she clocked 2:01.50 for 800m in Bydgoszcz before demonstrating her versatility with a strong 4:05.53 performance over 1500 metres at the BMC Grand Prix meeting in Trafford.

Those performances have highlighted not only her improving fitness but also her ability to compete across multiple distances as she carefully builds her season. The Marseille victory now provides further confirmation that the European junior star is moving in the right direction.

Gill emerged as one of Britain's most exciting middle-distance prospects through a series of breakthrough performances as a teenager, earning widespread recognition for her fearless racing style and remarkable maturity. Injury temporarily interrupted that upward trajectory, but her recent results suggest she is steadily rediscovering the form that made her one of the sport's brightest young talents.

With each race, the signs of progress become increasingly evident. Winning in difficult conditions and under pressure from a quality field is often a stronger indicator than a fast time alone, and Gill's latest success demonstrated exactly those qualities.

As the summer season gathers pace, the Marseille victory offers another confidence boost for the British teenager, whose return continues to gain momentum. If her recent progression is any indication, Gill could soon find herself back among the leading names on the European middle-distance circuit. 

The NCAA Track and Field Championships delivered a moment few could have predicted as Ja’Kobe Tharp produced one of the most astonishing performances in the history of sprint hurdling, rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

Competing in the opening round of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Auburn star stunned the athletics world by clocking an incredible 12.75 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the 12.80-second barrier. In doing so, he eclipsed the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by Aries Merritt in 2012, a mark that had stood as one of the sport’s most revered achievements for more than a decade.

What makes Tharp’s breakthrough even more remarkable is the scale of his improvement. Entering the championships, the defending NCAA and U.S. champion had recorded a season-best of 13.05 seconds. Yet under the brightest spotlight, he unleashed a performance that exceeded every expectation, slicing an extraordinary 0.26 seconds from his personal best in a race that instantly became one of the greatest ever run.

The achievement sent shockwaves throughout the track and field community. While Tharp arrived in Eugene as one of the leading contenders for the NCAA title, few envisioned a performance capable of redefining the limits of the event. Instead, the American hurdler delivered a race for the ages, combining flawless technique, explosive speed, and impeccable rhythm from the first hurdle to the finish line.

The historic run not only secured his place in athletics history but also transformed the outlook of the championship. With the world record now in his possession, Tharp advances to the final as the overwhelming favorite, carrying momentum that could make an already unforgettable weekend even more extraordinary.

For years, the 12.80 barrier appeared untouchable. On a stunning day at the NCAA Championships, Ja’Kobe Tharp proved otherwise, producing the kind of performance that reminds fans why sport remains so unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, he turned a routine qualifying round into a landmark moment that will be remembered for generations.

The world record no one saw coming is now a reality—and Ja’Kobe Tharp is the man who changed history.

A new chapter in middle-distance running may have begun in Oslo after American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus produced one of the most remarkable performances of the season, narrowly defeating reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling men's 800m contest at the Diamond League meeting.

The 17-year-old sensation shocked a world-class field by crossing the finish line first in a race that came down to the smallest of margins. After an intense battle over the final metres, Lutkenhaus held off Wanyonyi by just one hundredth of a second, producing a dramatic finish that left the packed stadium in disbelief.

From the opening lap, the pace was relentless as the leading contenders positioned themselves for a fierce showdown. As the athletes entered the home straight, Wanyonyi appeared poised to unleash his trademark finishing kick. However, Lutkenhaus refused to be intimidated, matching the Olympic champion stride for stride before producing a perfectly timed lean at the line to secure a historic victory.

The result marks a breakthrough moment for the young American, who continues to establish himself as one of the brightest talents in global athletics. Defeating an Olympic champion at a Diamond League event is a feat many athletes spend entire careers pursuing, yet Lutkenhaus achieved it before reaching adulthood.

For Wanyonyi, the narrow defeat does little to diminish his status as one of the world's premier 800m runners. The Kenyan once again demonstrated his exceptional class and competitiveness, pushing the race to a world-class standard and forcing his young rival to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Beyond the result itself, the race offered a glimpse into what could become one of the sport's most exciting rivalries in the years ahead. With established stars and emerging talents now pushing each other to new heights, the men's 800m continues to evolve into one of athletics' most captivating events.

On a memorable night in Oslo, the spotlight belonged to Cooper Lutkenhaus. At just 17 years old, he stood toe-to-toe with an Olympic champion and emerged victorious, announcing himself to the athletics world in spectacular fashion.