By EDN Reporter
With a week to go until the first ever Lidwala Health Wellness Border-to-Border Walk, excitement is in the air with hundreds already showing an appetite for the five-day ultra-endurance event.
The gruelling walk will see participants starting at Lavumisa and trekking towards the Ngwenya border. But you don’t have to fear, the distance has been broken down into manageable daily walks, runs or cycle events, depending on your preference. The first leg will be 68 kms, ending in Big Bend.
The next day will see participants walking to Siphofaneni where they will lodge for the evening before tackling the journey to Manzini and then to Mbabane. The last day of the walk will see the strong men and women finishing the journey by walking, running or cycling to the Ngwenya border.
But what will it take to achieve this feat? What does one need to do to prepare for the walk which will surely test endurance, mental strength and resilience?
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Zithande Athletics Club coach Nsizwa Thwala says preparation plays a critical part in an individual being able to tackle such a mammoth undertaking. Thwala added that in running terms, a marathon is a 42.2 km distance and anything above that distance, is called an Ultra Marathon.
Using that principle, the Lidwala Health Wellness border-to-border walk can be classified as such.
“Comrades is not just a race, it is the Ultimate Human Race. In preparing for an Ultra Marathon, you need all the ingredients. The number one ingredient is mileage training. Mileage is the time spent training because the body rewards you for the effort given,” he said.
Thwala added that when you are in mileage training, you decrease your speed so that you can be able to last longer.
“Because everything starts with strength, you don’t just run. You also do your strength training plus speed endurance. When that is combined, you get a complete runner that can overcome any running challenge,” he said.
The same running principles will be required for the walk. Pacing yourself will be critical to ensure you can complete the over 200kms that lie ahead. But the preparations don’t only end with stamina and strength. Thwala said nutrition is key as you have to eat balanced meals.
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It must be food that will repair, refuel and rebuild body muscles. You also need to be mentally fit. As you train and get fit, your confidence and willpower are boosted. That gives you a psychological edge. But above all, you must be arrogant enough to believe you’ll make it,” Thwala said.
As the clock ticks closer towards the day, he said you must reduce your mileage training and start to focus more on speed work and strength training.
“You now run smart, which I say ‘run with your head, not your legs’.
You have to be at the race starting point, with a well-trained, fed and rested body muscle,” he said.
This article forms part of a series aimed at helping you prepare better for the event. Read the paper daily for new tips and ways of tackling the different aspects that go into preparations.
