the wall

[marc_read]

we don't need no education. We don't need no thought control!

Seriously though, my understanding of the wall is not very great. I understand that I am likely to experience the wall running a marathon. Want to know people's experience of hitting the wall and how they got through it!

[ju-ju- Marathon]

I think it's when your body is so tired and mental resilience has run out!! I had it once on C25k week 8 I think. I just stopped and I knew I just couldn't carry on. I have had it on runs too when my emotional resilience is low. I stop and give myself a talking to!!!

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

I have read that people hit the wall as a consequence of running down their energy stores. With that in mind I enjoyed a few days of "carb-loading" before my marathon I was pleased also to take advantage of the chunks of Mars Bar provided at the checkpoints on the day. I can't say for sure that all this was the cause, but I didn't really hit a wall - I was taking things pretty slowly, that probably helped! I did find myself struggling slightly near the end, I was tired and the scenery at that stage was a bit boring. But because I knew there wasn't far to go I just ploughed on. It was helpful that I also knew the last bit was downhill, and that a lovely woman told us we only had a mile left to go

Not really a proper answer I'm afraid. But as far as I know the best weapons against the wall are: food, knowledge, talking to people, and a bit of sheer pig-headedness!

[benwill Marathon]

I guess you could say i hit the wall with about 5km to go of the 43km's. My sector times where a constant 6/km then dropped to 8/km. My legs where stinging and very hard to put one in front of the other, the road we where running along had speed bumps that felt more like mountains. I had been taking on water and energy, but I guess it was just where i had never ran this far before and I did'nt have the energy reserves any more.

Did i stop running? did i ever think i wouldnt finish? No i didn't, i just swore alot and kept reminding myself just a parkrun to go, only a parkrun whats a parkrun, you can do a parkrun in your sleep. Also a few high fives with family just before the finish certainly helps as well.

So i disagree with ju-ju- its not mental at all, it's your mental strength that will you help you through it when your body is just screaming it at you to stop.

[ju-ju- Marathon in reply to benwill]

Maybe I'm wrong, that's my personal experience though... this is a good article about it runnersworld.com/running-ti...

[benwill Marathon in reply to ju-ju-]

I would never say you where wrong! (please dont ban me)

[marc_read Marathon in reply to ju-ju-]

Thanks lots of helpful ideas in article

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to benwill]

Ben, I always think of you when I go past those speed bumps! I wonder what I'll think when I'm actually running the Brighton Mara in 2017?

I'm not so sure that the mental and physical are separate...

[benwill Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Your be fine, you did beachy head marathon with no problems and thats mountainous compared to brighton.

[Tomas Marathon]

James Adams describes an unpleasant moment in his wonderful book "running" (ok, so sue him, he's a long distance runner, not a book title inventor). He is participating in a run across USA, and for days he has suffered from diahorrea, he has wounds on his feet, the race director has been talking about pulling him out of the race for medicinal reasons, and as he's jogging along a dog comes rushing up to him, barking and jumping and appearing very aggressive. He shits his pants, it's running down his legs, he is miles from anywhere, all alone, physically and mentally more than run down, and he just wants to lie down and give up. I think that's the wall.

(It's been a couple of years since I read the book, so forgive me if some of the details are mixed with other bits of the story)