Why Do Runners “Hit the Wall” During Races? Running Coach Sofia Danielsson Answers
For Sofia Danielsson, training is about much more than times and performance. It is a way to recharge, connect with her inner strength and bring people together. Here, she talks about her own training, her online running sessions and what she does to avoid hitting the dreaded wall during a race.
What is the goal of your training?
I train because it makes me feel so good. Exercise is my way of recharging and reconnecting with the power and strength within me. I enjoy pushing myself through a hard interval session just as much as going for a run in the woods without tracking my time or distance.
What does being a Power Woman mean to you?
To me, being a Power Woman means courage, strength and power. It is about having the courage to prioritise yourself and treat yourself with kindness. Training helps me build that feeling of power within me.
What are your favourite Power Woman pieces – and why?
My favourite pieces are the Run Hot Shorts and Run Hot Top. They look amazing together, and wearing them really makes me feel like a Power Woman.
Tell us about your coaching and your 50-day challenge
Once a week, I lead an interval session that anyone can join. I coach through an app, so people can train with me wherever they are. The session lasts 30 minutes, and I spend the entire workout guiding, encouraging and cheering everyone on. It is so much fun!
In May, I started the Instagram challenge #runstreaktillmidsommar. There were 50 days left until Midsummer’s Eve when we began. The challenge grew to more than 40 participants, all running every day. The goal was simply to complete the run streak – pace and distance did not matter.
We kept a shared document where everyone recorded their distances. Following one another’s progress and offering encouragement created a wonderful sense of community and gave us all a real motivation boost.
Why do runners hit the wall during a race?
When it has happened to me, it has usually been because I have run low on readily available energy or developed stomach problems. I think it often happens when you set off too fast or wait too long to refuel. Your available carbohydrate can then become too low for your body to maintain the same pace.
Anyone who has ever hit the wall knows how sudden and difficult it can feel.
My best tips for avoiding the wall
- Start the race under control. It is easy to get carried away by the atmosphere and run faster than planned. A pace that almost feels too easy at the beginning may be what allows you to stay strong until the finish.
- Start fuelling before you feel tired. I carry energy that I know my stomach can tolerate. I love salty sweets and often bring salted pretzel sticks. Gels, sports drinks and ordinary sweets are other readily available sources of carbohydrate. I often use every fifth kilometre as a reminder to eat something.
- Take on small amounts regularly. This is usually easier on the stomach than trying to consume a large amount once your energy has already dropped.
- Practise your race-day fuelling. Test the same food, drinks, gels or sweets during your long training runs that you intend to use on race day. Your gut needs training too.
- Stick to familiar food. I eat more or less as usual on the day before the race and on race day. Suddenly changing your diet or eating much more fibre than usual may upset your stomach.
- Find a hydration routine that works for you. I sometimes use Resorb on the day before a race and three to four hours before the start, particularly when hot weather is expected. This is my personal routine, not a solution that works for everyone. Fluid and sodium needs vary, so I test my routine in training, follow the instructions on the packaging and avoid drinking more than my body needs.
What should you do if you hit the wall anyway?
Slow down immediately and walk for a while if necessary. Do not try to make up the time you have lost. Take small amounts of easily digested carbohydrate, such as a sports drink, gel or sweets, with a little water if your stomach can tolerate it. Give your body a few minutes before deciding how to continue.
Pay attention to your body’s warning signs before the situation becomes worse. If you become confused, faint, experience chest pain, develop a severe headache or keep vomiting, stop and seek help from the race’s medical team. These symptoms should not be dismissed as simply hitting the wall.
What happens when you hit the wall?
During prolonged running, the body relies heavily on carbohydrates stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. These stores are limited. If your pace and energy demands exceed what your stored energy and race-day fuelling can provide, glycogen and blood glucose availability may become too low to maintain the same intensity.
The effort may suddenly feel much harder, your legs can become heavy and your pace may drop sharply. The body can continue to use fat as fuel, but fat cannot normally provide energy quickly enough to sustain the same high race intensity.
For longer events, approximately 30–60 grams of carbohydrate per hour is a commonly used guideline. During events lasting longer than around 2.5 hours, some well-trained athletes may use up to 90 grams per hour. This is not a target that everyone needs to reach – intake should be personalised and practised gradually.
Setting off too fast and taking in too little energy increase the risk of hitting the wall. Heat, dehydration and stomach problems can make the situation worse or cause a similar drop in performance, but the classic wall is primarily associated with carbohydrate availability becoming insufficient for the pace you are trying to maintain.
You can follow Sofia on Instagram @sofia_danielsson