As the Namosi Challenge slowly approaches, and participants are preparing for the event, seasoned athlete and coach Ed Hawkes has urged athletes to not buckle under pressure leading up to it.
Hawkes, a running coach and a member of the Suva Marathon Club who is from Melbourne, Australia says athletes should ease in the final week of training before the race.
“You don’t want to be tired before you start! This is called a ‘taper’; you run a lower distance than you did in previous weeks training so you are fresh for the day,” Hawkes advised.
“Avoid any leg strengthening exercises in the final week before the race. It’s also important to get a good meal the night before, drink plenty of water and stretch beforehand.”
First-timers especially could take a leaf out of Hawkes’ page since the coach won the men’s individual 10km challenge in last year’s race, and preparing for that required full devotion to his training regimen.
“I normally run four times a week during winter and three times a week during summer, plus weekly leg strengthening throughout the year,” he said.
“Two of my weekly runs are slow easy jogs under 10km, then once per week I have a long run which goes up to 20km. I also host interval trainings on Thursday at the Suva track, where we run intervals between 200m – 800m.”
He added training sessions as such were free and open to all ages and abilities.
Every year, hundreds of participants gather at the starting line and when the race begins, it is a varying level of competition that unfolds for all to see, especially in first-time participants.
For them in particular, Hawkes urged them to revel in the experience of the event and ensure they kept each other in check.
“Signing up in a team means you can bring others with you and share in a team experience and keep each other accountable,” he emphasised.
“Walking is okay, provided you love the great outdoors and the beautiful Namosi!”
Getting around the winding terrain in the Namosi area can be a trying task for some participants, but he said the scenery and community spirit helped make the race a fun one.
“Know that everybody is here to support each other, so don’t worry about the time. Try to talk up the hills and jog on the flatter terrain,” he said.
When the intensity of the competition wears off and the finish line is where the community spirit livens, he noted how everyone having their medals and the vibrant atmosphere culminated in the chance to head down to the Namosi Eco Retreat for a dip in the river.
Meanwhile, the Namosi Challenge will take place on June 7.
