The Stress Effect, Week 1: Head & Heart

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we kicked off our Stress Month series with a deep dive into how stress affects the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Stress isn’t just in your head—it hijacks your body, too.

We break down how constant tension can make runners feel overtrained without the miles, why recovery slows when your nervous system won’t shut down, and how elevated heart rates can sabotage both training and daily life. From poor reaction time on the trails to pounding hearts during morning meetings, we show how stress hits everyone, not just athletes.

If you’ve ever wondered why your easy runs feel hard, or why your heart pounds at the wrong times, this episode unpacks the physical toll stress takes on your head and heart.