Coaching

We are delighted to announce Nathan Montague as GlobalLimits’ training advisor.  Nathan is our champion in GlobalLimits Sri Lanka – The Wild Elephant Trail 2016 and 4 times representative of UK in the British Championship 100k. 

If you like to contact Nathan for your personal training needs, you can reach him directly, nathanmontague@hotmail.com

Nathan’s Coaching philosophy:

  • Be clear on your reasons why. When you have a distinct purpose you have more chance of success when the seeds of doubt creep in and to help maintain motivation.
  • Specific and thorough preparation. Prepare through a structured and progressive program that builds confidence and resilience for the body but also the mind.
  • Build a detailed plan to get you to the start line and a strategy for the event. A detailed Plan that also accounts for potential minefields will increase motivation and the chances of success.
  • The commitment you will make to yourself. This pledge will help keep you on track on the hardest days or when you need to dig in deep during your goal race.
  • Strategies for adapting the plan during your training and goal races. Developing techniques to challenge your perception in the challenging situations. 
  • Pre-planned strategies for handling the tough times and managing the pain in the difficult times and where motivation may be most difficult.
  • Keeping focused on the end goal. With micro-goals building towards the persistence can be maintained.

 

Following please find some special training advise for GlobalLimits Albania:

All multi-days stage races are challenging optimizing the balance between effort, fueling and recovery for the next day’s exploits. Add in the environmental factors and the challenge seems huge but with adequate planning, controlling the controllables you have every chance of success whatever your goal for the race.

The Hidden Treasure is a gem of a route. Runable? Yes. But technical and rugged enough to take the sting out of any trail runners trail and with a mixture between glaring sun, and downpours of rain preparing specifically for the conditions is vital. As a course director and experienced every detail of the route take on board some of my top tips for a successful finish in this beautiful race:

·        Get on the trails: If you are training for a trail event, most of your training needs to be on the trails. Get some ascending and just as importantly descending into your training. It is mountainous and some challenging climbs and descents so get those quads race ready. If there a no mountains near you, find the nearest hill and do repeats. Include hills in at least 60% of your runs.

·         Race pace:  If you are pushing the pace at the sharp end you need to include faster paced sessions in your training with intervals, hill repeats and fartlek. If you know you will be walking aspects or all, get out there and power hike. Train specifically. The body uses muscles differently walking and running and you need to train appropriately.

·         Technical: The route can be technical and rocky in places, and flat fast in others. There are technical stony descents and long sweeping descents. Include some strength work in your training. Get the major muscles strong and race ready with circuits or a gym appropriate work out into your program.

·         Weather: The weather is changeable, especially other a long day. Prepare for the sun and long hot days but also rain and a chill as you hit the mountain tops.

·         Back to back:  In your cycle of training do back to back long days. You don’t have to be able to train for 6-7 days continually to race for 6-7 days as the cumulative effect of training aids this. But back to back long days are vital 15 miles upward.

·         Practice recovering:  Recovery is the most vital important aspect of any training program. It is where adaptations take place and the body repairs itself. While recovering from the training itself is vital, with stage races it is more important. Practice eating/ fueling in sessions as this aids recover for next day. Get some food / drink in within 30 minutes of finishing as this is vital regardless of how you are feeling at the end of each stage. And try your meal plans, snacks etc.. beforehand. Have a variety and have A,B,C plans. Your appetite and taste will change over the week. Prepare and practice.