6 ms·
Reminds me of a time-honored aphorism in running: A marathon consists of two halves: the first 20 miles, and then the last 10k (6.2mi) when you're more sore an
by fair_enough 1y ago
Reminds me of a time-honored aphorism in running:
A marathon consists of two halves: the first 20 miles, and then the last 10k (6.2mi) when you're more sore and tired than you've ever been in your life.
- tylerflick 1y agoI think I hated life most after 20 miles. Especially in training.
- jakeydus 1y agoThis is 100% unrelated to the original article but I feel like there's an underreported additional first half. As a bigger runner who still loves to run, the first two or three miles before I have enough endorphins to get into the zen state that makes me love running is the first half, then it's 17 miles of this amazing meditative mindset. Then the last 10k sucks.
- awesome_dude 1y agoJust, ftr, endorphins cannot pass the blood brain barrier http://hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running http://hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/th...
- lovecg 1y agoSo a runner’s high is more like a literal high then? Interesting
- awesome_dude 1y agoHa! Endorphins are "endogenous opioid peptides produced by the pituitary and hypothalamus glands that function as the body's natural painkillers and mood regulators". "They are part of the endogenous opioid system", so either way was talking about literal highs. The endocannabinoid system (I hope that I have the spelling correct) is a relatively recent discovery (1980s on), and is quite fascinating on how integral to the human body it is
- sarchertech 1y agoWhy just run 20 miles then?
- rootusrootus 1y agoBecause then it wouldn't be a challenge and nobody would care about the achievement.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- sarchertech 1y agoI’m curious do ultramarathoners feel the same way about the rest of the race past 20 miles?
- rootusrootus 1y agoI've heard it claimed that an ultramarathon is fundamentally a different experience because while it definitely requires excellent physical stamina, it has a large mental component to it, as well as a much bigger focus on nutrition. Very different sort of race, I guess.
- justinwp 1y agothere are multiple cycles from highs to lows and back and then typically a larger dominant split similar what was discussed here for the marathon but scaled to the distance.
- justinwp 1y agothe split would be first 80 and las t 20 miles +-10 miles.
- jebarker 1y agoYes. I've run numerous 50Ks, 50 milers, 100ks and 100 milers. I felt like crap after 20 miles in almost all of them. Most of getting better at ultramarathons is learning to keep going when feeling like crap. Oddly, the one race that was an exception is probably the hardest one of them I did on paper - in that case I was going so slowly from the beginning that I never really hit a 20 mile wall.
- rootusrootus 1y agoI suspect that is true for many difficult physical goals. My dad told me that the first time you climb a mountain, there will likely be a moment not too distant from the top when you would be willing to just sit down and never move again, even at the risk to your own life. Even as you can see the goal not far away. He also said that it was a dangerous enough situation that as a climb leader he'd start kicking you if he had to, if you sat down like that and refused to keep climbing. I'm not a climber myself, though, so this is hearsay, and my dad is long dead and unable to remind me of what details I've forgotten.