How to train for an endurance challenge - Women's Agenda

How to train for an endurance challenge

Whether you are a novice or seasoned athlete, there is no greater exhilaration than the feeling of conquering a personal challenge. I am currently preparing for CARE’s Walk In Her Shoes Challenge, which raises money for women and girls in poor countries. Whether you choose to walk 25km, 50km or 100km over one week, the sense of personal satisfaction in having joined thousands of other Australians in walking such a long distance is potentially immense. And in addition to the physical achievement you’ll be supporting CARE’s work and making a genuine difference to the lives of women and girls in poor countries

Tips for staying on track when training for a significant endurance challenge:

  1. Buddy up or join a team: Whether with a friend, work colleagues or even a professional trainer, preparing for Walk In Her Shoes alongside some friends may appeal to your competitive nature and can be a welcome change to your regular routine.
  2. The right footwear: Walking 25, 50 and 100 kilometers equals around 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 steps each day for a week. That’s a lot of steps in one week, and a lot of pressure on your feet. It’s very important that you have the right footwear to ensure minimal pressure on our joints and avoid pressure sores and blisters. If you’re unsure, there are several places you can go to be professionally fitted with the most appropriate shoes for your feet.
  3. Take care not to over train: A combination of enthusiasm, impatience and panic often result in over-doing it – too much, too frequently. Symptoms of overtraining include excessive muscle/joint soreness, increased recovery time, recurring illness, exhaustion, lack of energy/drive, increased resting heart rate, inflammation and increased risk of injury.
  4. Keep a diary: Any physical endurance challenge is as much about the journey as the goal, and by getting involved, you’ll experience walking in the shoes of women and girls Cambodia Tanzania and experience their lives throughout the walk. By keeping a diary of your experiences – your mood, food intake, energy levels and progression – you can reflect on your own experience while learning about the challenge faced by girls and women in poor countries.
  5. Schedule your weekly routine in advance: Book your walking around your schedule at least a week ahead of time. This way, your exercise will be given the same priority as your other commitments. This will also give you peace of mind that you are not falling behind schedule.
  6. Develop milestones to monitor your progress on various levels: As you prepare for the 25, 50 or 100 kilometre Challenge, use a pedometer (provided to everyone who registers) to monitor and record the distances you’re walking in the lead up to the Challenge. By doing so, you can track your progress, and get a sense of how you’re fairing ahead of the event.
  7. Know your limits: if you feel down and lethargic, it may be time to pull back for a day or two. You could be headed towards overtraining. Don’t fall into a big heap and simply stop walking, but just slow the pace and stick to a ‘mini-regime’ for a few days to recharge the batteries.
  8. Get it done while energy levels are high: I tend to find it helps to train earlier in the day, before the pressures and commitments of daily life start to accumulate. Your mind will be fresh, your body will be rested after a good nights’ sleep and you will feel energised to tackle the day ahead.
  9. Sleep: Our immune system is at its most active during sleep, so it is of utmost importance to allow our body optimum levels of the three R’s – Relax, Repair, Recover. Our immune system is like a suit of armour that protects us from the external environment and the invasion of harmful organisms. But these functions can be severely compromised by lack of sleep, making us vulnerable to becoming run down and/or injured while we crank up the steps.
  10. Eat clean and avoid processed foods: While you may feel that walking is burning off excess kilojoules and giving you a license to overindulge, an active body requires recovery, slow burning fuel, constant blood sugar levels and a higher demand for nutrients. Be kind to your body and nourish it with a variety of clean, unprocessed foods. Each main meal should consist of lean protein, loads of colourful plant food and some healthy fats such as avocado or raw nuts.

Finally – enjoy the experience and savour the moment when you reach the end of the challenge!

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