With the Cape Town Marathon taking place in October, running is top of mind for many sports enthusiasts. This year, in partnership with South African ultra-distance trail running legend, Ryan Sandes, the Cape Town Marathon is introducing a new marathon trail through the world-renowned Table Mountain National Park. Taking place on 15 October 2022, the trail run is a great way to soak up the beauty of Cape Town while competing in a challenging off-road race.
If you’re not quite ready for the Cape Town Marathon Trail Run in October, then the great news is, summer is trail running race season in Cape Town. There will be plenty of opportunities to lace up your trail running shoes and hit the mountain and compete. In preparation for the upcoming race season, trail running super couple, Landie and Christiaan Greyling share their best training tips for your next trail running race.
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Check out Landie and Christiaan Greylings training tips to help runners get the most out of their race.
Pace yourself
If this is your first trail run, remember you have to pace yourself into the run. After 3km your true potential will tell whether you can keep up the pace.
For those doing longer distances, be sure to incorporate a couple of back-to-back long training runs leading up to your race. A back-to-back run is a long run (e.g. 30km) followed by another long run (e.g. 20km) the following day, to teach your body to cope with running on tired legs.
Do your longer runs with friends or groups, and involve your family where you can to keep the motivation up.
Don’t forget about recovery
It is very important to stay healthy and strong. Eat and sleep well, foam roll or go for regular massages to maximise recovery time. Cross train, strengthen your core, go to the Biokeneticist and work on your mobility exercises.
Taper before your race
Tapering does not mean ‘no running’ – it simply means less mileage and less intensity. Begin your taper two weeks before race day by reducing your mileage to 60% of what you’ve been doing. With one week to go, reduce that by half. Two days before the race, have a rest day, then use the day before race day to go for a short, quick jog to wake the legs.
Nutrition is key
Nutrition, including hydration, can be the make or break of your race, so make sure you get it right.
If you’re doing longer 40km and 75km races, make sure you:
- Eat from the first hour, don’t wait until you are hungry! Start with solid foods, gels work better in the last 25% of the race, when you need that extra little kick of caffeine and sugar.
- Hydrate well, especially if it is very hot. Especially with electrolytes and/or carbs drinks. Don’t simply drink water, it will only further dilute your system. If you’re doing a shorter 20km route, then a couple of gels and water (with electrolytes) should do the trick.
- Most important, train with all the nutrition that you plan to use on race day so that your body can get used to it. Use them on long runs, and in the same conditions, you expect for your race – some foods react differently in different temperatures.
- Accept that unexpected things can happen – be flexible about your fuelling and have a backup plan in place if things go wrong.
Test your gear
Carefully test your trail running kit and trail running gear before race day. If you have invested in new trail running shoes, then wear them on a few long runs in good time before the event to test their comfort. For other trail running gear, test them prior to be aware of their thermal qualities, where the gear might chafe you, etc.
Familiarise yourself with the race’s compulsory kit list, and ensure you have everything!
On race morning, double-check that you have all the gear required, and know exactly where to find it in your pack.
Look after your body during the race – blisters, chafing, sunburn, hydration, heat and cold are examples of factors you’ll need to self-manage.
If you’re in the market for new high-performance trail running gear, check out Puma’s new outdoor footwear and apparel collection; Puma’s Seasons’. The line of elevated performance pieces are made with technical materials and innovative, stay-dry features for all seasons. Trail running isn’t a sport for the lighthearted, so it’s essential to ensure you have the best trail running gear before you hit the trails. This collection includes trail running apparel and trail running shoes for men and women.
