2 Out of 5 runners hit the wall: here’s how I’m planning to avoid it
Whenever I Google tips to better prepare myself for my upcoming marathon and avoid hitting the wall, I always get the same boring responses.
Hydrate well during the last two weeks leading up to the marathon,
gradually increase your food intake,
get enough high-quality sleep,
avoid alcohol as much as possible,
prioritise recovery as much as the training,
focus on getting a good balance of electrolytes, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats,
replenish your glycogen stores during the race at the right times,
drink small sips of water frequently…
yada yada yada yada.
It’s all the same advice. I’m following it all.
Yet, no one seems to be talking about how we can improve the mental strength it takes to break through the hurdles of hitting the “dreaded wall.”
While ‘hitting the wall’ refers to a point in a race where your body simply runs out of energy, I personal believe it’s more a psychological barrier that hits many runners anything between the 18–23 miles mark (that is, 28–37km).
According to (another) quick search, more than two in five marathon runners experience this phenomenon during a race, so I’m baffled to see so few people talking about it.
*If you’re a runner and have attempted a marathon or two in your life, you probably know what I’m talking about and or have experienced it yourself already.
Personally, I have hit the wall twice and DNF’ed both times.
In my first attempt, I fell at the 30km mark, but if I’m brutally honest with myself, it was just a “wall” in disguise.
During my second attempt, I cramped up due to dehydration from a ‘hotter than usual’ day and again; looking back it was just another convenient excuse to hide behind the mental barriers I cannot seem to break through.
My third marathon attempt is less than three weeks away and it’s safe to say I’m feeling a little scared. Scared to hit that wall and DNF again.
How to Avoid Hitting the Wall
Let’s be honest.
If you’ve been consistently training and gradually increasing your running load leading up to a marathon, chances are, you’re already fit enough to run the 26 mile dreaded distance.
Your legs know the drill. They’ve done the hard work for you.
But your mind?
Your mind needs a little more convincing after a while on the road.
That said, breaking through mental barriers is not something you can achieve by following some cookie-cutter advice from your therapist friend or the latest 7-step program Google’s algorithm is spitting out at you.
From my personal experience so far, preventing yourself from “hitting the wall” takes deep inner work.
I’m probably bold in saying this – but I believe it takes more work to break through those mental barriers than the running itself.
Fortunately, I’m recognising this phenomenon for what it is.
Having done the training (for the most part) that my coach has scheduled in my program during this training block, my Strava data reveals and reflects my fitness improvement, while my Garmin watch already predicts my finishing times.
But; —
It doesn’t predict, nor does it prepare me to prevent stumbling again, despite all the effort I have put in this time around.
So, without looking for external advice, I am taking matters into my own hands and over the last couple of days I discovered three main techniques I believe might help me (and you) improve my mental strength in a major way on race day.
My 3 Key Mental Strength Techniques to Avoid Hitting The Wall on Marathon Day
1. Look outward
Traditional meditation is not a practice I naturally gravitate toward. Not because I don’t believe in the countless benefits it offers, but simply because I haven’t prioritised it in my routine yet.
I have tried it once — maybe twice. So, if you had to ask me how it works or how it feels, I’d have to lie.
But, the little that I do know is that, meditation gives your mind a little break from the constant stream of thoughts and worries and instead helps you focus on something simple.
And through years of practising, these little ‘breaks’ get easier to crack through and maintain for longer periods.
Often during a long run, with each mile feeling longer than the next, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by thoughts.
However, whenever I manage to catch myself spiralling down into negative self-talk, I find snippets of moments to course correct, clear my thoughts and instead; —
only focus on the trees.
The cars driving past me.
The smell in the air.
The birds singing.
Billboards I haven’t recognised before.
To me, that feels a little bit like meditation.
And if I can find more snippets of clarity during the marathon or hold onto them for longer, then perhaps my race will feel slightly less dreadful and a little more manageable towards the end.
2. Focusing on my breathing
Focusing on breathing may feel like a cliché tip that is probably closely connected to meditation, but it’s a different game while running.
Our heart rates naturally increase as we move faster and fatigue starts to creep in, so finding a way to manage it early on without our rhythm completely falling apart in the later miles, could ease up the mental fatigue.
To do this, I have started incorporating rhythmic breathing — finding a tempo that aligns with my steps. Usually it’s two steps for an inhale and two for an exhale, or sometimes three, depending on my pace.
The trick?
Syncing breath with stride.
Whenever I lose control of my breathing, everything falls apart. My pace slows down drastically, my concentration dips, and the ‘wall’ starts to take the front seat.
But, when I can find a way to pull myself back to my breath, it’s like my mind has a reason to stop obsessing over every mile that’s left to run.
Hopefully, breath by breath, I’ll manage to reframe the pain and strain into smaller bits I can handle on the day. And as long as I’m breathing well, I’ll know I’m still in the game and closer to the finish line.
3. Positive Mantras
This one I’m still working on, but it is said to power you through the tough moments during a race.
Positive mantras are like little boosts of energy for the brain. When I hit a tough patch or start doubting myself, having something steady to repeat — “I’ve trained for this,” or “Every step is closer” — can turn into an anchor.
It’s a way to override the mental negativity with a small dose of self-encouragement.
Even if it sounds a little cheesy, I imagine these mantras as my personal cheerleaders reminding me that every step counts and that I’ve prepared for this day.
My new goal is to have a mental playlist of these positive phrases, like having a song in my head, but quieter and more personal.
With this practice, hopefully, I’ll be able to flip my own mindset switch.
So that’s my game-plan.
Look outward, focus on breathing, and build up a set of positive mantras.
Each one might seem small alone, but together, I believe they’ll help me reach that finish line — this time, without hitting the wall.
