Some thoughts on training, why we should listen to our body etc.

I'm not really all that big a fan of the word 'functional' when talking about training. Too often it's meaning is confused and misled. On the one hand we have a large mass of people believing the pinnacle of functional training is stability balls, bands and medicine balls. A whole other cleek of trainers believe functional training is the advocation of bodyweight exercises only, or weighted overhead squats and lunges.

Running in trainers is functional, running barefoot is even more functional (more on that later). Rarely do I see running as an advertised product, probably because there is little to sell, if there is something to sell which is running related, you can count on it being anti-functional.

If you have a car, it needs maintainance. Improving a car by putting a bigger engine it might make it go faster... for a while. That is until some other component explodes because you haven't considered the result of your improvements.
Our body is no different, it needs maintainance. However we require less maintainance and repairs if we treat ourselves with respect. If a nut or bolt is loose, improving the component is not going to address the weak point in the structure.

If you are not correcting problems that arise in your training, you are not training efficiently. You are stacking more problems on top of dysfunction. I recently discovered that I am substituting hip extension for back extension, which might explain why I always get so tight after a few sets of deadlifts. My glutes aren't firing when they should be doing so. This is a problem area I am addressing by including a correction in every single warmup I do. Talking of warmups, here is mine now in chronological order:

1. Foam roll and stretch.
2. The 'Cook' hip lift (basically a one leg bridge with the other knee pulled to chest to prevent back extension, tiny range of motion, massive benefit). Followed by psoas stretch and repeated 2 or 3 times.
3. Goblet squat.
4. Hips high get-up.
5. Pump stretch.

This warmup is good for me, and is oriented around the hips, and general mobility.

Unfortunately I think there is a lot of misguidance in the fitness industry. Money fuels everything. We have exercise machines, gadgets and even shoes that advertise that you can get toned up without any effort.
Talking of shoes, I hate running shoes, wearing a pair just doesn't feel right anymore. Since going minimalist I officially no longer have any bother with shin splints, yet I run further and longer. Although it flared up in the rugby season when I was running around in cleats. Oh and my calves are looking more 'toned'.
I find it amusing how if someone is discovered to have a problem with their running the solution is not to fix that form but to provide a pair of shoes which will 'correct' the issue. Is this fixing the problem or just covering something up? The problem may not be muscular, but neuromuscular. The problem might not be tightness, but stability.
If somebody can't squat properly and to depth does that justify raising their heel with blocks of wood or sending them over to the leg press machine? No it means they should practice until they can do it properly. It's the same with all skills, and running is no different.

Explore all possible areas, try all things. Dare to be different.