I saw an ELI5 post about “the zone” in marathon running and it got me thinking.Is it really just about endorphins masking pain, or is there more to the science than that? I mean, we all know about runner’s high, and the endorphin release makes sense, but “the zone” feels different, at least anecdotally.Are we talking about some kind of flow state specific to intense endurance activity? Maybe it’s a combination of optimized oxygen utilization, glycogen depletion forcing the body to tap into fat reserves efficiently, and a hyper-focused mental state developed from months of training. I wonder if studies have been done looking at brainwave patterns or hormone levels outside of just endorphins to really pinpoint what’s going on physically and neurologically when someone enters that state during a marathon.
It would be interesting to see if there are measurable differences between someone who consciously tries to “get in the zone” versus someone who just runs and it happens organically. What do you all think? Is it a purely physical phenomenon, a mental trick, or a complex interplay of both?