It might sound like fun, but bonking, otherwise known as hitting the wall, is dreaded by runners.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, bonking describes the point at which the body’s glycogen stores are depleted, your blood glucose level drops, muscles tire and the body starts to fatigue and burn fat, making each stride towards the finish line a battle of mind over body.
Bonking hurts - your legs feel like lead, your form begins to fail and your running economy and pace takes a nosedive.
So, what strategies should you take to bonk-proof your run?
Chris White is a Running Coach and the founder of Go Run Australia, which helps runners, especially beginners, tackle their running fears and achieve their goals.
He knows plenty of runners, including him, who have hit the wall hard.
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“From my experience, runners tend to bonk at around the three-quarter mark of a half, full or ultra marathon,” says White. “People call it dropping off a cliff because some runners can easily drop three or four minutes per kilometre once fatigue sets in.”
White says all runners, including professional athletes, can experience late-race fatigue that affects their performance. He recommends the following strategies to help you prepare mentally and physically, and power through to the finish line.
Strong is the new skinny
White says people used to put a lot of stock in being a light and lean runner, but in recent years there’s been a shift towards being a strong runner.
“Supplementing running with strength training makes you a stronger, faster and more efficient runner,” says White.
“Body weight exercises, high intensity interval training, yoga and Pilates are all good options to strengthen the running muscles that do most of the work. They’ll also improve your posture, breathing and form, which can help stave off a breakdown on longer runs.
“Performing exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups and planks will strengthen the muscles in the lower back, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, abdomen and glutes and help prevent muscle burnt out.”
Perfect your pacing
Pacing yourself in training and on race day can ward off late-race fatigue. Pacing is both an art and a science, and is something that runners sometimes get wrong.
White says a lot of runners start out too fast, which can come back to haunt them later in the run.
“In the excitement of race day, it’s easy to get caught up in the euphoria and sprint out of the start line. Unfortunately, once you realise you’ve been setting a cracking pace early in the race, the damage may have already been done,” he says.
“Having a pace plan and training at the right pace can help make sure you’re race ready, but sticking to the plan in the excitement of race day is the real skill.”
Run walk
Both seasoned and beginner runners often view walking as a sign of failure, but incorporating walking into your race can help you run better and faster.
White says periodic walking reduces pressure on the muscles, joints, and tendons, and helps lower breathing rate and heart rate - meaning runners are able to cover more distance with better form and alignment, and a reduced risk of fatigue.
“If it’s good enough for Ironman athletes to walk through hydration and transition stations, then it’s good enough for recreational runners,” says White.
“People feel a lot of pressure to run the whole distance, but walking even for one minute every half hour, can help prevent blowing up in the later stages of the race.”
Sensible nutrition
Did you know that eating too much in the lead up to race day can be detrimental to your performance?
“Loading up on heavy carb rich foods can make you feel lethargic for the race,” says White.
“There’s a lot of misunderstanding around carb loading. If you’ve done the relevant training volume and eaten appropriate to that training throughout the preparation period, then there isn’t a need to dramatically increase your carb intake in the final week before the race.
“It's a matter of timing those heavier meals and figuring out what works best for you on race day,” adds White.
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'Bonking' when you run? Here's how to know if you are - and how to avoid it - Body and Soul
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