What I Discovered by Testing My Body
We need energy to live. The human body is not that different to a battery cell in that it is continually charging and discharging as we go about everyday life. Generally, food, water and sleep are the requirements needed to recharge. As a rule, the human body needs 1,200 calories per day. That is the equivalent of about four hamburgers per day. Each of us may have a specific formula suited to our personal needs to get those calories. Some may favour protein, while others prefer a more plant-based option. Of course, let’s not forget the carbs. The key is to find out what works best for you.
I recently tested my body on a trail run where I burnt as much as 3,000 calories before lunchtime over four consecutive days. I would say that I ran my batteries flat each day. Perhaps not to zero but at least below the 20% mark where your cell phone gives you a “low battery” warning.
I don’t need any liquids or foods on any normal Sunday run of about 20km or 2 hours of exercise. After the run, I don’t hold back. Water, coffee, sometimes even coke to get some fast sugar, and all is good. But during my recent 4-day trail excursion, I was very aware of the impact of longer distances and times, combined with the multi-day impact.
What I enjoy the most about testing the physical endurance capability of my body by taking it to places it doesn’t often go is what I learn about myself when I get there. There is so much to find out. I am most aware of my mental state of mind and the conversation I have with myself when fatigued and under strain. That conversation is largely driven by the status of my physical strength or battery level. There is a constant mental algorithm running that balances distance with energy levels and muscle fatigue. The output of the algorithm translates into running speed. Fortunately, I didn’t find myself in any level of pain or discomfort that required me to make significant adjustments to my regular operating programme. However, past experiences have taught me that slowing down doesn’t make the pain go away; it just makes it last longer. Unless, of course, you chose to stop and quit. But that induces a whole other type of mental pain.
On this occasion, I was able to stay within my comfort zone. But I did discover something that got me thinking. Each day I was very aware of my refuelling, resting and recovery process. I needed to be able to perform the next day. At no stage did I run my battery completely flat, so I had the mental capacity to remain alert to what my body needed.
At the end of last year, I finished the year with what I can only describe as a flat battery. A challenging year that resulted in a level of mental fatigue that I had never experienced before and a feeling of being burnt out. I didn’t apply my running algorithm to my work/life race. The conversation that I was having with myself was about quitting the race (nothing dramatic) rather than about how to refuel myself to race better. The irony is that the time taken to test my body on a multi-day trail run has been the fuel that I needed to race better in the work/life race.
Justin Spencer-Young
