First, let’s define the dreaded “wall”. Runners know it all too well. It’s the feeling of utter impossibility to go on. It doesn’t actually mean you can’t go on but it feels that way. The perceived effort at this point is enormous and you feel like an idiot for putting yourself through this torturous experience. Your body is screaming at you to stop, lie down, sit down, just no more moving. You’re done physically and mentally. So, basically what I’ve described is the thing you want to avoid at any cost. If this sounds awful to you, it’s because it is.
Now let’s analyze why this happens and what’s actually going on inside your body when you’ve hit this point of no return. One of the possible reasons this happened to you is you didn’t train properly or enough. Whatever the distance your race is, you should go over that distance in training with the exception of a marathon (due to too much stress on the body). So for example, if you are running a 10k race , do one or two 15ks as your long runs to ensure you’ll be well conditioned physically and ready mentally for the needed distance. Not going over the distance may be one of the reasons you’re completely spent during those last miles.
Another reason “wall” hits you hard is if you didn’t run enough. You can’t just wing it. Put in your dues. It’s like studying for a test. If you put in the time, you’ll do fine. But not studying enough almost guarantees sub par results. Same with running. It requires a very specific adaptation that can only be achieved if you run. Not bike, or swim, or walk. In order to run well, you need to run and run often.
Marathon running and hitting “the wall” experience is in its own category however. The reason is, most people who run marathons usually do train properly and run often so “the wall” culprit in this case is different and actually is a lot trickier. I would say the biggest challenge with marathon running is lack of proper fuel. For all other distances, you don’t need to worry about your pre race fuel carrying you through the entire race. If you had your normal dinner the night before and topped yourself off in the morning, there’s literally no reason for this not lasting you through the entire race, even a half marathon. Our bodies store about 20 miles worth of glycogen if you properly carb loaded (and don’t over do it or you’ll experience the negative side effects such as bloating, side stitches and heavy legs).
The issue with marathon distance is that it’s 26.2 miles, not 20. There’s just not enough stored energy no matter how much you’ve carb loaded. So, during the race some people supplement with gels, gummies, carb drinks, etc and if this works for you and you don’t experience any bonking at mile 18-20, then keep doing what you’re doing. However, many times what I’ve heard from runners is once they start taking in these supplements, they have to keep on taking them or they feel awful. Others get stomach upsets from taking in too many carbs while running. Water dilutes it so it is recommended to consume them with plenty of water. Again, some people just don’t respond well to any introduction of carbs, sugar and water while the furnace is very hot and you’re in constant motion. At the same time you need to be careful that you are not completely depleted of glycogen since it also affects your brain which needs glycogen to function. Many runners experience brain fog, confusion, feeling of being disoriented when glycogen is running very low.
There’s a better way. Your body already has the fuel it needs to survive those last miles. You just need to tap into it. Let me introduce you to the concept of fat as fuel. Please do not confuse this with keto type diets (which I think are horrendous) and please don’t start adding butter to your coffee. It’s just ridiculous.
This is how it works. Include early morning runs in your training where you run on empty. Some coffee and water is ok. By running on empty, you will train your body to utilize fat as fuel. These runs will be slow at first but the more you do them, the easier they’ll feel. Make sure you are not hungry by eating a good big meal the night before. Fat burns at low intensity and requires the presence of oxygen (aerobic). This actually presents an ideal situation for marathon running. I consider marathon pace low intensity (comparatively speaking). If you are running a pace you know you can hold for the entire race, the intensity should be low enough to be burning a mixture of glycogen and fat. The higher the intensity, the more glycogen is being used as fuel.
The biggest mistake that causes bonking in the later miles is to go out at a higher intensity than your optimal fat burning pace. If you run wisely, you will burning fat throughout your whole race, thus preserving your limited supply of glycogen. Former Olympic runner turned trainer, Jeff Golloway, has introduced his famous run/walk method which is a perfect low intensity scenario for fat burning especially for beginner marathoners who just want to finish and not feel horrible on that last 10k stretch. Yes, it’s possible to not bonk! You can still chose to eat something if you feel hungry or weak but remember your body prefers glycogen over fat and if you are constantly giving it sugar, it will be expecting it. It’s a temporary high that your body will constantly demand in order to perform. So, put your unlimited fat supply to work and avoid that wall once and for all!
Bonus: your recovery will be much quicker and a lot less painful!