Recently you may have heard the news of Kenyan marathon runner, Hyvon Ngetich, collapse before the finish line and crawl to the end. She was leading at the 23 mile mark before her body gave out and she could no longer walk, let alone run.

Refusing a wheel chair from volunteers, Ngetich won the hearts of many as she scrambled across the finish line.

But this hasn’t been the first time something like this has happened, nor will it be the last. Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham both had a spectacular end to the 1997 Ironman.

While Brian Morrison felt similar effects when reaching the finish line for the Western States 100.

However, it doesn’t just happen to professionals, it can happen to your average runner too.


There is a very common theme that runs deep in all the above scenarios, but we’ll get to that in just a second.

It’s plain to see that there are clear physical effects going on. Firstly, these could be a mixture of heat stroke and dehydration.

If it’s a particularly hot day, you will be losing large amounts of bodily fluid, this can lead to dehydration, and dehydration can lead to heat stroke. Take the bottles when they hand them out. If you start to feel dizzy or sick, seek medical attention immediately.

The other physical effect is good old fatigue. Your body is so tired from the extreme running and conditions you’ve put it through, it’s screaming out for you to stop.

This can be because of a lack of glycogen. Your body has expended all it’s resources and there’s nothing left, so by shutting your body down, it thinks it’s protecting itself. This is why preparing for your race is so crucial. Plenty of sleep and the right nutrition, as well as training!

There are of course, more notable physical reasons for collapsing, such as heart problems, these symptoms may become evident at any stage of a race, and must be brought to medical attention immediately.

However, there is also a completely different side to collapsing, and it is linked with that very same common theme mentioned earlier.

They’re all within touching distance of the finish line.

It is possible, and somewhat argued through theory, that when you’re literally touching distance from the finish line, your body feels that it is ok to give out.

Suggesting that this could be mental. Much to the grievance of all the runners above who we’re sure would strongly argue that it’s not.

Professor Tim Noakes of the University of Cape Town stands firmly behind a theory known as the ‘Central Governor Theory’.

He argues that the brain wants to protect the body, and by doing so slowly shuts down skeletal muscle motor units.

Many know this as fatigue, but Professor Noakes suggests that this is more emotion than physical endurance. Therefore meaning that is something that can be overcome.

Men’s Running’s resident running guru and running coach, Martin Yelling, said: “The best way to mentally get past the wall is to avoid hitting it in the first place. Effective and adequate training, optimum and appropriate nutrition and a brilliantly paced race learned in training, will mean that when you reach the latter stages of the marathon, the wall simply isn’t there.”

As well as all of this, it can come down to something as simple as pacing. If you’ve burned yourself out at the start and let the adrenaline get the better of you, which can be common in many a marathon runner, then you’re going to pay for it later. You know your times, keep to them.

So there you have it guys, be as prepared as you can be, but if it does strike make sure you seek medical attention immediately.