Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance (2018) by Alex Hutchinson
Theory
A traditional view of endurance is that the body is a ‘machine’, limited by the muscles’ ability to use energy and oxygen.
However, more recently, researchers such as Tim Noakes and Samuele Marcora have asserted that human limits are defined by the brain’s functions. Conscious or not, our mind senses the dangers of exerting ourselves too much and so guides our body’s ‘pace’ (otherwise known as ‘anticipatory regulation’).
Our sense of effort and ability to overcome our instincts to stop once we feel pain are crucial elements if we are to perform at our best. Researchers point to the finishing ‘sprint’ during a marathon as proof that our bodies always have a reserve of energy.
Practice
Pain is unavoidable, a complex and situation-dependant sensation, but, if we seek pain in training (e.g. run harder, faster workouts) our pain tolerance will increase.
The more hours we spend physically training our bodies, the better we can alter our minds to push ourselves faster and further.
Muscles
Brain fatigue and muscle fatigue are inseparable, but lactic acid isn’t the feeling of acid dissolving our muscles. It’s a cautionary signal created in the brain by nerve endings triggered only in the presence of certain metabolites.
Caffeine is an effective performance enhancer because it disables brain receptors that detect muscle fatigue.
Oxygen
The advantage that East African runners have originates from being born at altitude and having active childhoods. This means they can better maintain their brain’s oxygen supply due to possessing a greater number of thicker blood vessels that connect to the brain.
Heat
For every 100 calories we consume, it’s estimated we will generate at least 75 calories of heat. This means that to fully adapt to bodily heat, we should exercise repeatedly in hot conditions.
We will sweat more heavily and our blood volume will increase, resulting in our heart rate staying lower during exercise.
Thirst
If thirsty we should drink when we have the chance, but we shouldn’t obsess about it when we don’t, because any losses of less than 4% are unlikely to impair our endurance performance.
Fuel
We should never be under-fuelled at the start of a race, otherwise this will be a limiting factor in our performance. The brain uses fuel, and so having larger stores of glycogen is optimal.
An example is it only helps to consume a sports drink in runs shorter than 90 minutes if our body is low on fuel to begin with.
Brain Training
Ultimately, as athletes we need to better monitor our body’s reactions to training loads. The more we can predict pain, the more likely we are to feel impartial to it, and push through that feeling to make better micro-decisions during a race.
Hutchinson’s own views as a runner, after completing his first marathon in a time of 2:44:48, are useful to ensure we best implement the advice from the countless studies he compiled. He wishes he implemented more positive self-talk. Over many years, this will inevitably translate into greater self-belief.
More than anything else, running lots and holding greater faith in achieving personal goals will give us the best chance of athletic success.
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