Ultra tips from the experts
We asked a few of our runners to share some of their ultramarathon preparation and race experience with us. Take a listen below.
Namibia Ultra Trails: Johan, do you have some motivational tips for ultra newbies?
Johan Bronkhorst:
You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.
Jy val nooit oor n berg nie , dit is altyd die klein klippies wat jou laat val, en as jy verby die klein klippies kom het jy die berg geklim.
Maak nie saak hoe goed jy voorberei vir n race nie , daar sal altyd die klein klippies wees… hitte, sand, klippe, bulte, wind of reën … hoe jy dit mentally hanteer gaan bepaal hoe jy die race ervaar.
Ja , daar gaan son wees , dit gaan warm wees , dalk wind en koue! Daar gaan klippe wees (hallo, dis Uis!) Daar is n rivier so daar is sagte sand. Deal with it.
Every Runner has to fight his own demons, but I learned not to fight them, befriend them!
Dit help nie om te stress nie. What will happen will happen.
The easy day was yesterday.
NUTs: Hannes Smit, in your experience, what is the hardest part of competing in an all-day-all-night race?
Hannes Smit: Listen to his response below.
NUTs: Keletso, you have loads of experience with multi-days and hundred milers. Being a medical doctor with your own practice, where do you find the time to train and can you give our Brandberg Backyard Ultra runners some ultra tips?
Keletso Nyathi: Listen to his responses below.
NUTs: Faghan Pocsi, please give our runners some tips on nutrition and fueling during an ultramarathon.
Faghan Pocsi: Listen to his response below.
NUTs: Kirsty Brits, you recently organised and ran the Gondwana 7, which involved running 7 marathons in 7 days. Please tell us more about this, and also about the mindset you need to restart and push on when you are already tired and hurting (much of which will be happening at the Brandberg Backyard Ultra)
Kirsty Brits: Listen to her response below.
NUTs: PC, when you think about a point-to-point ultra race such as the Cederderberg Traverse that you recently completed, how do you think a backyard ultra differs, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the later format, if any?
PC Visser: Listen to his response below.