Spring Running Comeback: 5 Signs You Might Be Overtraining

Every year when the snow melts, motivation spikes and people jump back into running. It feels good to be back out there. The catch is your eagerness often comes back quicker than your body’s ability to tolerate the load. That’s usually when we can see issues spring up!

5 signs you might be doing too much, too soon

Pain that decreases as you run but comes back after

You feel stiff or sore at the start, it eases as you run but returns later that day or the next morning. This usually means you’re right at—or just over—your current capacity.

Symptoms lasting more than 24 hours

General soreness is fine. But if pain in a joint or tendon sticks around into the next day (or longer), your body isn’t fully recovering between runs.

Symptoms getting worse as the week goes on

Each run feels slightly worse than the last, or you’re starting to cut runs short or adjust how you move. That trend is a clear sign of overload building.

Loss of “pop” or heavy legs

If your stride feels flat, heavy, or sluggish, that can be a sign of accumulating fatigue, even if you’re not in pain yet.

Localized tenderness or subtle compensation

A consistent tender spot (Achilles, knee, hip, shin), or catching yourself limping, shortening your stride, or favoring one side—these are early warning signs your body is trying to protect something.

6 steps you can take to correct overtraining

Adjust your running load

A small reduction in volume, frequency, or intensity for 5–7 days can go a long way. You don’t need to stop completely, just give your body a bit of room to catch up.

Use cross-training to keep fitness up without the same load

Cycling, swimming, elliptical, or even brisk walking can maintain your aerobic fitness while reducing impact through the joints and tendons. I say this all the time—your cardiovascular system doesn’t really care how you train, but your tissues do.

Vary your running terrain

Flat, consistent surfaces are helpful early on, but mixing in different terrains (grass, trails, slight hills) can help distribute load across different tissues. The key is gradual exposure—sudden changes (like going all-in on hills or trails) can spike load just as much as increasing distance.

Incorporate a consistent strength program

Strength work is one of the biggest pieces for improving tissue capacity. Focus on key areas like calves, quads, glutes, and single-leg control. Tendons in particular respond well to progressive loading- you don’t just rest them, you build their tolerance.

Consider your shoes (but don’t expect them to fix everything)

Footwear can influence load distribution. If you’re getting new shoes with a different drop, cushion, or support, treat that as a load change and transition gradually. There’s no perfect shoe, but the wrong change at the wrong time can contribute to overload.

Watch your progression week to week and your overall capacity

A general guideline is to progress gradually, but more importantly, pay attention to how your body is responding. Load tolerance isn’t just about running- things like poor sleep, increased life stress, illness, travel, or even changes in nutrition can all reduce your ability to recover and adapt. If symptoms are trending up, that’s your cue to adjust, even if the plan says otherwise.

The goal isn’t to avoid all discomfort—it’s to stay in that zone where your body can adapt, not react. Catching these early signs and making small adjustments is what keeps a small issue from turning into time off running.

If you want more information on your running pattern, running specific strengthening exercises, footwear or a running program, book in a Running Gait Analysis Assessment with one of our Physiotherapists.