The Marathon wall: psychological techniques to beat it

Every runner who faces the mythical distance of the 42 km exerts before a both physical and psychological preparation. Everyone has heard about what “running against the wall” is, they have heard a thousand and one anecdotes of runners who have come face to face with that concrete wall, some of whom have been able to face it and others by On the contrary, they stayed on the road, finding no shortcut to skirt the WALL. Our friends from lovelyrunners they explain to us what the wall is.

What is the wall, what is the cause? Why at km 30? 

The wall can be defined as the physical fatigue y mental which makes us have to slow down the race and even abandon it in the last ten kilometers. The reason for this is that the glycogen reserves in the body come to an end and the body, in order to continue functioning, uses fat reserves, which cannot be burned as efficiently. That is to say, it is due to the transformation of carbohydrates, which are consumed quickly and as an average runner can store more or less about 2.000 kilocalories in his body, these kilocalories are depleted around kilometer 30. Note that not every runner You necessarily have to go through this experience, as there are multiple factors that influence it, such as the percentage of body fat, weight, speed and physical condition.

Because without a doubt prepare psychologically (as well as physically) for the possible collision with the wall increases the guarantee of being able to beat him, here are some tips on how to train the mind and that psychological techniques you can use to go out airencounter bear.
Without a doubt, just as we train the physique we also have to train the mind, and a strategy for this is  anticipate the consequences, so that if you manage to familiarize yourself and adequately handle the various sensations that you will have to deal with during the marathon, the satisfaction you will experience will make it easier for you to cross the finish line. For example, you should not fall into the trap of believing that the feeling of freshness that accompanies you during the first kilometers of the race will be eternal, or when due to the pelotions, you accelerate your pace and find yourself more tired than expected.
You must pay special attention to the last 10 kilometers of the race, you have to avoid falling into self-criticism and self-reproaches; the only thing you will achieve is that you sink more easily. If you feel fatigue, if a stabbing pain accompanies you from km X, if your helmets have run out of battery, if you go at a much lower rate than desired ... if you focus your attention on it, the wall will appear for sure and your performance will be drastically affected.
Then, what can you do? Well, in the situations described above, it will be useful to use some of the following sports psychological techniques in order to achieve mantener your level of concentration during the race.

• Breathing techniques which are essential to reduce anxiety levels.
• Relaxation techniques like Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Technique (one of my favorites) that will help you control the level of activation.
• Visualization techniques like imagining crossing the finish line in good physical and psychological condition.
• Elaboration of thoughts positive, control of thoughts.
• Meditation Techniques where positive thoughts will increase your confidence to finish the marathon.
• Crafting of a career strategy.

Finally, note that you have to have Trust in oneself, but be careful, you have to know how to find the balance so that this self-confidence does not turn against yourself, and in this way let's overestimate our possibilities which opens the way to failure and abandonment.
Remember prepare your mental level It is one of the factors that will determine to a great extent whether you travel those 42 km or not, especially in the face of the dreaded wall of km 30; the self-assertion and willpower they are a guarantee of success.