Hitting the Proverbial Wall Much too Early

by John
(Phoenix, AZ, USA)

Hello

I'm 59 year old male. Currently I consider myself in decent shape having been running 22-23 miles per week. For the shorter runs of 3-4 miles, I usually run 9:30 per mile pace, longer runs 8-10 miles I average 10:15-10:45 per mile. Sometimes early in a run between 1-2 miles, I seem to "hit the wall" where I have pressure in the chest area and breathe much faster. I then need too to walk for a short time before running again. In this scenario, my work out is basically ruined as I can't finish the run and call it quits. Cant figure out how to combat this. Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you

Nicole's reply:
Hi John, thanks for your question. What you are describing does not sound like hitting the wall. Hitting the wall is when your body runs out of stored glycogen in your muscles and liver. This usually happens in longer races or runs such as the marathon and if you have not taken in enough glycogen to replace what is being used up.
In your case, I would strongly suggest that you get yourself checked by a doctor just to eliminate any cardiac or lung problems. It might well be nothing, but it is always best to be on the safe side.