Only one month to go until the start of the 2022 K-Way MaxiRace Cape Winelands presented by Banhoek Chilli Oil in association with On Shoes and Yenn Health, trail running super couple, Landie and Christiaan Greyling shared their training tips to help runners get the most out of their race.
âThe K-Way MaxiRace Cape Winelands presented by Banhoek Chilli Oil is going to be an incredible event for everyone to take part in!â says Landie and Christiaan Greyling. âWith all 6 of the route options runners can look forward to traversing the most beautiful single tracks in and around Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.
Tips:
The 75km route is a unique route and since most of the climbing is done in the first 24km, you have to be very cautious with your pacing as the race only really starts at 30km!
The 45km route is a runnable route with stunning views, so make sure you enjoy them. The aid stations along this route are well spaced out to ensure you get in enough nutrition and hydration throughout the race.
If this is your first trail run, I remember in my first 12km run I definitely started too fast and I was paying the price later. You have to pace yourself into the run and after 3km your true potential will tell whether you can keep up the pace.
For those doing the longer distance be sure to incorporate a couple of back-to-back long 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.
It is very important to stay healthy and strong. Eat and sleep well, foam roll or go for regular massages, 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 â it simply means less mileage and less intensity. Begin your taper two weeks before race day by reducing your mileage to 60% of what youâve 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, including hydration can be the make or break of your race, so make sure you get it right. If youâre doing the 40k and 75k, make sure you:
Eat from the first hour, donât 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, as it can be very hot in October. Especially with electrolytes and/or carbs drinks. Donât simply drink water, it will only further dilute your system.
If youâre doing the 20k route, a couple of gels and water (with electrolytes) should do the trick
Most important, train with all the nutrition (and know what will be available at the aid stations) 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 â some foods react differently in different temperatures.
Unexpected things can happen â be flexible about your fuelling and have a back-up plan in place if things go wrong.
Carefully test your kit and gear before race day. Wear it on a few long runs in good time before the event to test its comfort, thermal qualities, where it might chafe you, etc.
Choose what works for you, rather than simply opting for the latest craze.
Familiarise yourself with the raceâs compulsory kit list, and ensure you have everything!
Train with all your gear beforehand to get comfortable with it.
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 â blisters, chafing, sunburn, hydration, heat and cold are examples of factors youâll need to self-manage
The K-Way MaxiRace Cape Winelands presented by Banhoek Chilli Oil takes place on 1st and 2nd of October 2022 in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. A few entries for each of the distances are still available at http://maxirace.co.za/
