Feels like the body, doesn't it? When your stride gets choppy on the running trail or your form goes wobbly in the gym, you tell yourself to go a bit more, but your body won't let you. So your mind drifts to a hot shower and a cold beer. It's quittin' time.
There it is: Your mind drifts. Your body's got plenty more, and scientists have proved it. Researchers at the University of Cape Town in South Africa have pinpointed where the stop order comes from. It has to do with receptors in the brain called interleukin-6.
"Our brains turn on the pain before we actually run out of fuel," says Timothy Noakes, M.D., a professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Cape Town. It's a safety measure—the brain tells the body to shut down to protect it from injury.
In short, our brains screw with us. They stop us from getting the most out of our workouts, and from losing that last 10 pounds. Guys like Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps have figured out how to fool the brain and body into giving more. It's a bit more than "I think I can." But not much. Here's what the experts say.
Run Another Mile
Why you stop: You're running low on glycogen, the primary fuel source for your muscles. But it's not the only one. Any body fat you have is available. Your brain knows this, but it's not telling you.
Keep going: Try this trick from Jane Hahn, a senior editor at Runner's World magazine. If a runner is in sight, slowly reel him in. "Imagine there's a magnet attached to him," says Hahn, "and it's pulling you toward him." (Or her. Imagining it's Scarlett Johansson works well.)
Some practical preparation: Include long runs in your training, no matter how short your races are. Long runs teach the body to run more efficiently and to use energy stores more effectively.
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