'The Wall'

EdTheGinge

Right guys for the first time since I've been running I hit 'The Wall'. I think this was down to dehydration, running with old aches and pains and the question I wanted to ask not enough food.

So if I'm planning in doing say 18-26.2miles, how much should I really be eating before hand and how long before the race should i consume my last bit of food. Any thoughts, advice or whatever on this would be greatly appreciated. Not sure my crunchy nut cornflakes, banana and 2 glasses of water were enough lol.

If I sort all this out by my reckoning 'The Wall' shouldn't make an appearance.

ContraryMaryMary

I'm no expert but I would imagine what you eat the night before has the biggest impact on your energy levels during a long run - and how much you drink the day prior too. It's pretty hard to eat enough in the morning to fuel such a big effort without bloating, stitch and generally feeling sick. On a run of that length I will eat my regular everyday breakfast but then take a gel or something similar every 40 minutes during the run to keep my enegy levels up, and follow ithe run up with a decent meal that is protein rich.

As for the gap between eating and running - leave about an hour or more, although something small and light, like a banana or a gel, can be consumed just as you head out. Basically I'd try a few things and see how your body responds.

My guess is you hit the wall because your body was simply fatigued - when was the last time you gave yourself a decent break (and I'm talking a week or two without running, not just your regular rest day. You'll be amazed how your body will respond to a holiday from intense cardio - you'll come back faster and feel amazing.

The few times I've hit the wall I had gone out too hard and simply couldn't continue - most memorably was at the 19km mark during a half marathon. Ti was so frustrating as there only a short way to go and my legs just say 'no'. Learning to pace myself properly has prevented it ever happening again

MissMormie

Look into energy gels and such. If you're running marathon length distances you need something for during the run. It sounds like your pre run meal was good though.

EdTheGinge

Cheers u2, good points Mary and Mormie I took 2 gel packs but I hear they're not overly effective without water to help them get through the body. Ah well practice run sunday with a half.

PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot

Being only 30 days out from my first 26.2, I've found that aside from healthy carb loading the night before, being able to take frequent sips of water every mile or so in conjunction with gels seems to work well. The downside is that for my 16+ mile training runs, I broke down and got a hydration belt. 4x 4oz water bottles.

ContraryMaryMary

Yup, you'll definitely need water to wash them down. I plan my training runs so I hit a water fountain or public loo or petrol station (anywhere with a tap basically) every five km (take a small plastic bag to use as a cup). On race day, take your gel about 200-300 metres before a drinks stop.