Training for a Marathon? Be Aware of These Common Injuries

Key Takeaways:

As you increase mileage to prepare for fall events such as the City of Trees Marathon or the Boise Half Marathon, overuse injuries such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, stress fractures, shin splints, and forefoot pain shouldn’t be ignored. Mild soreness may improve with rest, but pain that changes your gait, persists between runs, worsens as you continue, or becomes more localized signals an injury that needs treatment. The skilled doctors at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle identify the underlying source of your condition and help you address it before a manageable problem becomes one that sidelines your training.

You have a fall marathon on the calendar, a training plan in place, and a goal you have been working toward for weeks or even months. As the miles add up, every run starts to matter a little more—which can make it tempting to dismiss foot or ankle pain and hope it works itself out.

But this stage of training is exactly when a small problem begins interfering with your progress if it’s not addressed early.

Our Treasure Valley podiatrists at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle help runners understand the causes of potential sports injuries and how to keep moving toward race day safely. With the right diagnosis and treatment plan, you may be able to protect your training, avoid a longer setback, and stay focused on the efforts that brought you this far.

What Are the Top 5 Running Injuries We See Most This Time of Year?

Problems often start when fall marathon training demands increase faster than your body can adapt. Longer runs, more frequent workouts, added speedwork, hill training, and too little recovery places repeated stress on your feet and ankles. Even small changes in stride or training intensity overloads tendons, muscles, bones, and joints over time. Tight calves, limited ankle mobility, or an old injury that never fully resolved also have an effect.

Surface and equipment matter, too. Switching between pavement and soft surface trails, such as Harrison Hollow, the Eagle Island Loop, or the Boise Foothills, changes how your feet absorb and respond to impact. Worn running shoes and poor support add even more strain. Together, these factors help explain why certain overuse injuries tend to appear as runners move deeper into marathon training. 

Here are common overuse injuries that show up most often during fall marathon and half-marathon training blocks.

1. Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain

Sharp heel pain with the first steps out of bed is the hallmark symptom of plantar fasciitis, caused by inflammation of the band of tissue running along the bottom of your foot. It often eases as you warm up, then returns at the end of a long run.

2. Achilles Tendinitis

Consistent pain and stiffness along the back of your heel points to inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Hill work and sudden speed increases are common triggers during fall marathon training.

3. Stress Fractures

Repetitive impact without enough recovery can cause small cracks to develop in the bones of the foot, especially the metatarsals. One type, known as a Jones fracture, occurs in a specific area near the base of the fifth metatarsal—your pinky toe—on the outside of the foot. Because this area is slow to heal, an accurate diagnosis with imaging is crucial so you can get the right treatment quickly and avoid making the injury worse.

4. Shin Splints

Also called medial tibial stress syndrome, these usually feel like a dull ache or tenderness along the inside of your shin. They often show up when you add mileage, hills, or speedwork too quickly, especially without enough recovery time.

5. Peroneal Tendon Strain

Pain along the outside of the ankle can signal irritation or strain in the peroneal tendons, which help stabilize the foot and ankle while you run. Uneven terrain places extra demand on these tendons, especially when combined with higher mileage or fatigued muscles.

When Should You Stop Training and Schedule a Visit With Our Treasure Valley Podiatrists?

Dedicated athletes are used to working through fatigue, tightness, and the occasional sore spot. The challenge is knowing when discomfort has crossed the line from normal training stress and is now a possible injury. Continuing to push through the wrong kind of pain turns a problem that might respond to early treatment into one that requires a much longer break from running.

Watch for warning signs such as:

• Pain that changes how you walk or run, even slightly
• Discomfort that doesn’t improve, or gets worse, after a few days of rest
• Pain that starts earlier in each run than it did the week before
• Localized, pinpoint pain over a bone rather than general soreness
• Swelling, bruising, or visible changes to the foot or ankle

If you notice any of these issues, a full evaluation will help you get to race day without setback. Our Treasure Valley podiatrists will assess your gait, strength, range of motion, foot structure, training history, and the exact location of your symptoms, then use diagnostic tools when needed. That may include onsite X-ray imaging, as well as additional imaging or testing when the source of the injury is not clear from the exam alone.

We’ll also listen to your fall marathon training goals and provide you with essential information to help you avoid these common running injuries.