How To Avoid Hitting The Wall During Your Marathon

You can be stopped dead in your tracks by the wall during a marathon. Your legs feel like concrete and you're running/walking to reach the finish line.

Some runners may hit the wall at half-way, while most talk about the dreaded 20-mile point where most find themselves in trouble.

However, if you have trained adequately, the only thing that will be responsible for the wall is a lack of carbohydrates and fluids.

Fuelling to avoid the wall

In the days before a race, you should focus on carbs. You could start drinking a carbohydrate sports drink throughout the day to top up your liver and muscle glycogen levels and maintain hydration. However, you should also make sure to include carbohydrates in your meals, potatoes, oats and pasta are easily digested.

Also, trial and error is key. This is something you should do in training. Does using a gel once every 30 minutes really work? Does it last a bit longer? Have you got a favourite flavour?

Or do you prefer to nibble on something solid like flapjack or sweets? Top tip - Haribo Tangfastics are contain the most carbohydrates that I have found so far.

Plan your long runs just as you would a race

Avoid overloading your stomach with fluids and nutrients all at once. Spread out your gels or drinks over a few hundred metres.

In some cases it may be better to walk whilst you take on your fuel, this can help regulate breathing and stop you from choking. It may also mean that you're consuming all of the sachet rather than losing most of it down your chin.

I have seen so many runners take a bottle of water from an aid station, take a couple of sips then throw it to the floor. Ideally, if you slowed to a walking pace you could drink more, and this will prevent the negative effect of dehydration on your performance.

Whilst we hate the idea of walking during a race or run, it can sometimes be faster to go slower during the fuelling session.

Keep a positive attitude and smile while you run. Everything is easier when it's fun. You'll have some tough times, but you will get through them if you think of something you enjoy.

I often get myself in the mindset of thinking, "This is a nice day out doing some sport or fitness alongside like-minded people". It shouldn't be a chore.

However, trust the training, and have confidence in the hours and weeks of training.

Marathon Race Day

Okay, so it's race day, usually a Sunday. The reality has set in, and you're possibly going to be on your feet for a few hours.

Aat the end of the day it is a run, if you have to slow down, always maintain where possible forward movement. Try to walk if you cannot run, and avoid stopping. Every step counts.

Pre-race

The use of carbohydrate loading to improve marathon performance is important.

The marathon runner can run at his or her optimal pace for a longer period before fatigue sets in.

Between each training session, runners should consume enough carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores.

Intake of 10-12 grams/kg/day of carbohydrates is recommended 36-48 hours prior to the race to an article published by the Journal of Sports Medicine and authored by Louise M. Burke.

Choose something that you eat regularly in the morning before the race. Cereals, bagels and toast with jam, for example, are easy to digest and simple.

Breakfast should be eaten 1-3 hours before the race. This will give you time to digest and reduce the risk of GI issues.

Avoid any foods that are high in fats, protein or fibre as these take a lot of time to digest.

Consider taking caffeine, you could use our beEnergy Nitrate Plus+ supplement that contains red spinach extract and 235mg of caffeine. This is a great way to reduce fatigue before a race.

Fuelling during the race

Fuelling should start immediately during the race. Research shows that 60-70g of carbohydrates should be consumed per hour for maximal benefit.

Gels can range from 20-40 grams, therefore, you may need 3 sachets per hour.

It is important to stay hydrated, especially on a hot day. Exercise can cause sweat rates to vary from 0.3 to 2.4L/hr, depending on intensity, duration and the environment. While racing, it is vital to replenish sweat loss.

You could use water, or you may wish to opt for a sports drink to still keep topping up the carbs, many sports drinks also contain electrolytes.

If your chosen drink doesn't, you could take beFit Performance Plus+ which contains electrolytes before and after the race.

Recovery

That's it, you've finished your race, if you've followed our advice you shouldn't have 'hit the wall' and lost all energy to carry on to the finish line. Hopefully you have a medal and tee-shirt for your efforts.

Now is the time to replenish and recover.

Your glycogen stores will be depleted by training and running a race. This can cause muscle damage, and fluid loss.

Studies involving sports nutrition show that athletes need to take on carbohydrates to replenish their glycogen stores and get enough protein to promote muscle repair and protein synthesis.

A great source of carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes and fluids for hydration is the humble-flavoured milk.

Yes, chocolate-flavoured milk has a near-perfect carbohydrate-to-protein ratio that has been proven to improve recovery rates after exercise.

Conclusion

Proper preparation and fueling strategies are essential for marathon runners to avoid hitting the wall, emphasizing the importance of carbohydrate loading, hydration, and effective recovery techniques to maintain performance and enhance recovery post-race.

By trusting your training and adopting a positive mindset alongside our tips, you can navigate the challenges of the marathon experience more effectively.