4. Attend to your soft tissue
Most professional runners who lose days to training have aches and pains that alter their plans. I don't call them injuries, but they do affect training.
Soft tissue inflammation
Tender points
Sore muscles
Trigger points
Whatever we call them, they tend to be a distraction.
Hence my advice; tend to them regularly.
If you let them know that you are in charge of your body, aches and pains are less powerful!
Many options
• A foam roller is a good start. However, like anything else, it takes practice to be an expert at using one. Lying on it and rolling across it probably won't do any harm, but if it's not helping, you'll probably resign it to an inconspicuous spot in the corner of the room or tuck it under the bed. Directing your rolling to the spot of maximum discomfort through a meticulous exploratory process is worth the effort. Once you find it, let it occupy your consciousness for about half a minute. If it feels interminable, you are doing it right. Go on to the next point and once you have addressed all your spots, repeat them all. You'll stop sweating eventually.
• A good deep tissue massage therapist. It will take some effort to find one. Most people aren't runners; most massage therapists don't treat runners. Not a good business model:)
• A good manual physical therapist who treats athletes. Same trouble finding one, because most patients aren't committed athletes.
In all cases, measure the quality of the intervention by the effect on your running. If you also have less pain immediately after the intervention, bonus!
The important measure of the soft tissue intervention is on the quality of your training. Focus on the effect on your run.
Have a great run! Most people can!
Happy Running!