Many runners who have finished in a marathon know what a marathon wall is. And if before that you can run very easily, then after the onset of the "wall" your pace drops sharply, you feel tired, your legs stop obeying. And then the torment begins, 10 km long, to the very finish. It is no longer possible to maintain the pace.
Causes of the Marathon Wall
The main reason is hypoglycemia. That is, a decrease in the concentration of glucose in the blood. This is because the runner has depleted all glycogen stores.
The body uses carbohydrates and fats as a source of energy. And under certain conditions, even proteins. The most effective and convenient source of energy for the body is glycogen. Unfortunately, glycogen stores are limited. Therefore, you have to switch and additionally use fats.
Fats, although more energy-intensive, are much more difficult to break down for energy.
And just when the body switches from a predominantly carbohydrate energy supply to a fat one, the "marathon wall" sets in.
The second reason for the wall is damage to a critical amount of muscle fibers in the leg muscles.
What to do to prevent the marathon wall from appearing
First of all, you need to eat properly at a distance. Plan your meal points in advance so you can replenish your carbohydrate stores in time. These stocks can be replenished with special gels, bars, and even sweet gingerbread or bread. The main thing is that the product you eat is rich in carbohydrates.
The second thing to do is to correctly distribute the forces by distance. If you start too quickly, faster than the rate at which your body is capable, then you will deplete carbohydrate stores too quickly and even replenishing them will not help. Therefore, it is extremely important to accurately determine the tactics for the marathon.
The third is to train the body to break down fats more efficiently. The fact is that even when the body has enough carbohydrates, it still partially uses fat reserves as energy, albeit to a lesser extent. Accordingly, the more efficiently he does this, the less carbohydrates will be spent. And with the right nutrition and tactics, the "wall" is less likely.
Fat, which is also called lipid, metabolism is trained by running on an empty stomach. These trainings are not the easiest ones. And you can't use them right away. Since you can get severe overwork. In addition, even experienced runners should not regularly run on an empty stomach. Start with small runs. Feel the body. Train him for such a load. Try not to take food with you during long workouts. So that the body also trains to use fats. You can even experience the same marathon wall effect in such workouts. Even if the distance is significantly less than the marathon. Ideal when you learn to run for long periods without food without problems. But you need to start carefully and still do not run absolutely everything long in this way. Since in this case it will take longer to recover from them.
And one more interesting point. When you run, certain muscle fibers work for you. They are damaged, "clogged" as they say. And closer to the finish line, new ones begin to turn on, which were usually not used before. And if these new muscle fibers are not developed, then this switch will not help you much. If they also developed during the training process, then such a switch can give you a kind of second wind.
One of the important elements in the training process that will help these fibers develop is uphill running.
What to do if the "wall" has already appeared
When the wall comes, the only true thing is to slow down. It doesn't hurt to eat something high in fast carbs. The same cola, for example. It won't save you, but it can improve your condition.
If you realize that you are covered by a wall, do not try your best to maintain the set pace. This will not lead to anything other than complete overwork and a high probability of retirement. If you want to get to the finish line, then it's better not to resist and slow down. You will have to do it very soon anyway.
But at the same time, do not bring yourself to critical moments. When your legs already refuse to run or even walk. The muscles begin to constrict. There is no energy and the head starts spinning. Better get out of the way. These signs can negatively affect your health later. Moreover, if the "wall" is characterized by fatigue and pain in the legs. But there is no dizziness, it does not darken in the eyes, then you can continue to move.
