Supplements Two Oceans Marathon Training Guide 2018 | Page 49

TRAINING
3 Practice running downhill: Training to run downhill often gets overlooked, but if you are comfortable running
technical downhills, you can gain a lot of time on your competitors. Useful advice is to relax your legs and focus on
choosing your best line down the hill. Look three to five metres down the trail so your body can adjust for any rocks,
roots or obstacles, and try and run the straightest line possible… and don’t forget to enjoy yourself!
4 Hit the gym: Your legs and glutes will need to be strong to tackle the big mountain climbs. Weighted squats,
pezzi ball hamstring curls, weighted step-ups, and single leg squats are four excellent exercises for runners. When
starting any strength training programme, it is advisable to get professional advice from a trained biokineticist.
5 Be prepared for any type of weather conditions: Table Mountain can be moody and throw four seasons at you
in one day, so be prepared for hot, cold, windy, rainy, all in the same race. Proper layering and a waterproof jacket
are essential, and if it is raining, beware that the rocks will be slippery.
6 Take note of the compulsory equipment: Trail runs require more equipment than road runs, so that you will
be prepared for the mountain. Equipment includes things such as a minimum amount of water to carry, food,
waterproof jacket, space blanket, whistle, cell phone and hat. The race organisers will not let you start the race
without the full list of equipment. The easiest way to carry all the necessary gear is with a hydration pack. It is
essential you do training runs with the hydration pack filled with the required gear so you get used to the weight and
to ensure your pack is comfortable.
Now, grab your shoes, find a training buddy (essential on the mountains), plan your routes, and hit the trails! You will
love soaking up all that Table Mountain has to offer, and after running her trails, you will never look at the mountain
in the same way again. Best of luck for your training journey!
About the Author
Rebecca Johansson is a Sports Performance Consultant at the Sports Science Institute of SA.
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