"Hitting the wall" is a common phenomenon that occurs at around 30 kilometres in a full marathon or at around 16–18 kilometres in a half-marathon. At that point in time, a runner can suddenly experience devastating fatigue and as a result severely slow down. It’s an awful feeling; one that can make you think that you have lost control of your own muscles. This breakdown is probably caused by a drastic loss of energy, with your brain trying to signal to the body that your energy levels are not high enough to sustain you through to the finish line.

To prevent “hitting the wall” try eating high-carbohydrate meals a few days before the marathon, so as to pack your muscles with energy. Also, on race day itself, try having food with a low GI (glycemic index) which helps energy stored in your body to be released progressively.