Running on Stupor

It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse.

- Ann Trason 

Sometime between three and twenty three hours into a run, we fall into a state of semi-upright stupor. What does that mean?

According to the Wikipedia definition, stupor, from Latin stupere, "be stunned or amazed") is the lack of critical mental function and a level of consciousness wherein a sufferer is almost entirely unresponsive and only responds to base stimuli such as pain. Those in a stuporous state are rigid, mute and only appear to be conscious, as the eyes are open and follow surrounding objects.

What the heck does that mean? I think basically it means that we walk around like zombies.

We may even get into a gelastic state, uncontrollably laughing or crying, or both. In A Case of Unusual Ictal Stupor and Gelastic Running Seizure, the author describes "An unusual case of epilepsy is described here showing episodic stupor lasting for half an hour and frequent short lapses of consciousness of 10 to 20 seconds in duration in which she runs about, laughs and has urinary incontinence." Of course, during an ultrarun, I don't need to be in ictal stupor to have urinary incontinence, but it helps.

My first experience with endurance sport induced stupor was at the age of 14 on the Sea-to-Summit century bike ride. After climbing up the first mountain, I experienced my first bonk. I don't remember much about the second ascent, but I'd recovered by the end of it. I finished the final ascent, 14k ft total, in decent spirits. I only saw years later on a drive what a steep and massive mountain range the second climb covered. I'd completely blacked it out.

Years later, I hit the dreaded 20 mile wall on my first marathon. That wasn't planned for but also not totally unexpected. 2,000 calories in your glycogen stores. That's 3 hours of running or cycling. I hobbled, limped, sat, walked and willed myself to finish, depleting the final few calories I had to run the finish. Where were those calories when I needed them? I think my brain was hoarding for itself, although it's hard to imagine it is really large enough to hold that many calories. It'd be like expecting to drive a Tesla 20 miles on a AAA battery. 

I somehow figured out how to run shorter ultras, 50km to 50 miles without getting into too much trouble. Fatigued, yes, but stupor, not really. But somehow that first 100km was different. After finishing the first 50 miles of the Quicksilver 100k, my stomach couldn't handle any more food. I thought I could push through the last 12 miles, but the wall hit me, probably no more than a mile past the 50 mile aid staton. Yes, I still managed to finish but I couldn't walk up a speed bump without my head spinning.

I started to manage my stomach with steady doses of Tailwind. I wouldn't catch a serious case of the sleepies again until Rio Del Lago 100. After 70+ miles and 20 or so hours, cramps reduced my running to a walk, and the slower pace of the run slowed my brain to a crawl. It took me over an hour to cover my last mile up to Auburn. I nearly tripped navigating over large pebbles on the trail. Unfortunately, I sat on a chair, promptly fell asleep and woke up to frozen legs. Quads and glutes so tight I couldn't even squeeze out a fart out if my life depended on it.

My more recent experience with upright stupor was at the San Diego 100. The wall hit sooner. Maybe helped by the 100F summer heat. You think? My stomach stopped working after 12 hours, even for Tailwind. I zombie shuffled through the night, stopping periodically to dry heave and stare at the stars. It was a fun evening, if not memorable, because I honestly can't remember much of it. Much like my first experience, I only remember bits and pieces of it. At Headlands 100, I powered through the stupor, walking like a drunken Irishman for what must have been an hour before being revitalized by a long downhill stretch. But in my best recollection, I can't seem to remember more than a a few minutes of it.

Perhaps that why I keep putting myself through it. I remember the fun parts and only keep bits of the miserable parts. After a few weeks, I have fond memories the stupor I went through. I can't wait to do that again!