Top Training Tips

1. Find Circular Running Routes

Find circular running routes when you are training, it’s much easier psychologically then running from a point and back. (check out www.mapmyrun.com for routes in your area or download the app from itunes - it's free!)

2. Vary the Distance

Try and have as many different lengths training routes as you can, then you can change your programme around which helps fitness and alleviates boredom.

3. When You Hit A Wall...

If you are hitting walls and cannot go for longer or do the same route in a shorter time, run with weights for 2 weeks, then take them off and I can guarantee you will beat previous performance. They are readily available in nearly all sports stores and can be very light and still be effective. They are also designed to comfortably Velcro onto your wrists and if you are very brave your ankles also.

4. Do Hill Work

Use hill work for all races. Walk as fast as you can up the hill, your heartbeat should be as fast as your normal training run.

5. Hill Running

When coming down a hill fast try and remember 2 things. One put all the weight in your heel as you place each step and two try to relax. If you can relax (this goes for any sport) your balance is immediately better. Plus make sure that your runners have a good grip in them as this allows you to go faster on wet slippy sections.

6. Weekend Plan

Plan ahead if you can for one day of the weekend to be completely different in your training plan. For example if you live in Dublin, drive to the Sugar Loaf and see how fast you can go up and down. Basically think outside the box and try and persuade some friends to make a day of it, if you live in the midlands put an hour driving time to the nearest hill/mountain so the weekend becomes a training day that you can look forward to. If you live in the west get out to Connemara and explore the wealth of mountains.

7. Too busy to train???

If you are too busy at the weekends try to fit training into your commute - cycle/run to work or else drive home in your running gear and go straight from the car and before you succumb to the warm charms of the home

8. Do Practice Races

Go online and find the next 10km fun run in your area and enter it. This is especially useful if you have never raced before, anyone can run/walk 10km and it will also show you how much more you are capable on race day due to the atmosphere of a race.

9. Benchmarking

If you are new to Adventure racing a very rough guide as to what level of fitness you need would be to able to run 10km in one hour 5min for a woman and 55mins for a man. This does not mean you cannot complete the race if you cannot make these times but it would be a recommended level of fitness for you to be able to enjoy the day

10. Avoid Hard Surfaces

If you can try and do all your running off hard surfaces. Even if you have no knee damage presently, any long term training can be very hard on knees. Even running in the middle of very quite rural roads (where there is grass) can help. Any surface basically that has a bit of give.

11. Make a Plan

Have a plan as to what you are going to do every week and try to stick to it as much as possible. If you can get into a routine of training it gets a lot easier to keep going out on those wet and cold days.
 

12. Find A Training Partner

Try and find a training partner, if you organise to meet someone else to go for a run it is easier to go out sometimes as it is a shared pain rather than solo, depends on what motivates you.

13. Refuel

Before going on any race take a look at nutrition, what you are eating and drinking. There are numerous energy bars on the market. Also hydration in vital, water is fine but if you want an energy boost half way through a race it’s a good idea to have a glucose based drink.

14. Know what works for you.

First and foremost, for a one day race is to know what works for you in terms of nutrition, hydration and clothing. Assuming you have done the physical training, on the day preparation will make the difference to finishing with a smile or a death stare grimace of inhumansuffering. It's worth spending time trying different combinations of foods, liquids and clothing until you find the best one for you.

15. Enjoy it

It will be a challenge but when you find it tough and you want to give up, just tell yourself how lucky you actually are to be able to do it (works for me anyway!).