ASICS FrontRunner Wandisile Nongodlwana recently ran 212km in the Big Backyard Ultra (full race report to follow shortly). Now, racing and personal-challenge goals may be slightly different these days to how they may have been in the past, but the way to train for those goals, the way Wandi prepared for this, remains very similar.
Wandi filled us in on the basics:
"Whether your goal could is weight loss, weight gain, general fitness or a specific race it is critical to have a measurable goal," he says. For the purpose of this article though, he will I will look at training for a marathon.
"As a rule of thumb, it takes about 12 weeks to prepare for a race," Wandi explains.
According to him, it is important to pick a race and a distance well in advance. "After choosing the race, learn the route profile. The route is critical to your preparation. For example, if the route profile is hilly, most of your training must be on hills. If it is a flat route, one must do more of track or flat-route training."
Learn more about GOAL setting.
"Training for a marathon should always be a combination of long runs, speed work, hills, recovery and rest." Wandi splits recovery and rest, however some people do combine the two.
For Wandi a recovery run is normally a day after a long run, on tired legs. Rest is non-run day which includes 'active' rest.
Wandi's speed work could be tempo/fartleks or sprint intervals (200m, 400m, 800m, 1000m) with rests in between. Hills work will be short hill sprints (400m – 500m) or long slower hill run (1 – 2km).
Learn more about TEMPO work and INTERVALS.
"While the above is physical, the why is very important," Wandi says. "The 'why' will be what will make you committed and motivated to reach your goal. Write down that 'why' and keep it as reminder when the going gets tough. Remember you are your own competitor. Strive to be your better self."
