When we run, we constantly need to move and this could cause muscular fatigue. One of the reason is the steady accumulation of lactic acids and other by-products. The depletion of glycogen, which is the immediate source of energy can also cause weaknesses. Without enough glycogen and the presence of various by-products, it won’t be possible for runners to maintain the desired speed. When fatigue has overwhelmed them, runners will need to cease running immediately, because injuries can happen. It is important for runners to understand their limitations. As an example, it won’t be possible for runners to spring all the way to the finish line during long-distance race. Before running, it is also important for runners to determine which route that requires the highest amount of energy to complete. Runners should also know when the should pick up speed and when to slow down. Muscle fatigue is something that they need to manage and it could also affect experienced runners. It is important that runners are able to maintain a consistent pace. They should have all the available resources to achieve positive goals. It is also important to know that fatigue could also be derived by our mental conditioning.
Perceptions related to often originate from our brain. Fatigue is essentially a sensation from our brain and we should avoid to overreach ourselves. Our brain is an amazing organ and it is sensitive to the environment. We should also know that our brain tends to look for the easiest ways to conserve energy and survive. Our brain is really worried that we will run out of energy and based on our current physical activity, our brain will act accordingly. It will try to tell us to slow down. In this case, our brain may actually act like a parent figure. It wants us to slow down and stop running, so we won’t harm ourselves. Running for more than a couple hours is something that’s considered unusual. Our brain will become more worried if we have improper emotional and mental state. It is important that runners are able to “calm” their brain by resting properly and feel optimistic about the upcoming race. If we lack the confidence, our brain will wonder whether we can sustain the physical activity. Our brain should sense that the sum of input is generally positive. This will allow our brain to sense that we have an optimal performance.
Many runners want to preserve their energy resources and maintain proper mental condition, so they can sprint in the last few hundreds meters of the race. Many runners spring at the end of the race, so they are able to get a few higher positions in a short time. Proper training should allow runners to condition their brain, so fatigue won’t set in too quickly. If we have been used to intense long-distance running, our brain will know that it’s something that we commonly do. In order to prevent fatigue, it is important for runners to train both their muscle fibers and brain matter.