Question: Why do I slow down at a certain point (usually 20 miles) in the marathon? Is this “The Wall”?

Answer: “The Wall” is the point where the leg muscles acquire such a level of fatigue that they don’t work very well. Runners often reach the state very suddenly. One can expect this to occur within a mile or so of the longest distance run in the past 4 weeks. For example, if you have run 20 miles as your longest run, you can expect to get very tired and slow down after you pass this mileage point in the marathon itself. The wall can be avoided by 1) increasing the length of the long run to at least 26 miles, 3-4 weeks before race day, 2) slowing your pace during the first part of the race, and 3) inserting walk breaks more frequently from mile 1 until mile 20 or so during the marathon. Note: Time goal runners will find successful pacing and training schedules to their goals in my book: “Running – A Year Round Plan”.

Jeff Galloway Resources: www.jeffgalloway.com Visit the E-Shop where you will find “Running-A Year Round Plan” and other books for your running library. 

Jeff Galloway smiling near a lake with city skyline in the distance.
Jeff Galloway

Jeff Galloway, US Olympian and creator of the Run-Walk-Run method, has helped over 350,000 runners achieve their goals through his innovative training programs. As Runner's World's monthly columnist and author of North America's best-selling running book, Jeff has spent over 50 years sharing his expertise and continues to conduct running seminars worldwide as runDisney's Official Training Consultant.

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