General Training Tips

These tips have been prepared to provide an idea of the risks involved in the Upstream Challenge, and to provide information to assist in your preparation for the event, particularly the 50km option. The information is for general guidance only.

• It is definitely an advantage to train on the event course

• Wear a good pair of walking or running shoes and make absolutely sure they are well broken in before the event by wearing them on practice walks. DO NOT wear new shoes for the event or just prior!

• Many energy foods are available and it is up to individual choice and what works best. Examples are energy bars, bananas, jelly babies. Also trial different drinks, including electrolyte drinks, and different methods of carrying water (water bottles or camel packs). Training is about getting food and drink quantities and frequencies right as well as doing the miles.

• As with shoes, check out different clothes and gear for carrying fluids, and food. Don’t try anything new during the event and remember the weather could be much different on the day than the days you train! Good reason to walk when it is wet and cold or hot and humid.

• It is useful to log training sessions to retain information about distances covered, section of trail covered and total time taken. This lets you track what training works best for you and will provide arrival estimates for your support crew during the event. As you tick off the kilometres, it also gives a great sense of accomplishment.

• Don’t take big jumps in your training distances from one week to the next. It’s an easy way to cause injuries (exactly what we don’t want) so try to stick to increasing your total weekly distance covered or the distance of your long walk by no more than 12 percent.

• It’s a good idea to have a survival kit with you whenever you’re training. Always take maps and make sure you know how to use them, together with a torch and a simple compass (if training out of the suburbs). It is a good idea to take some money too – not enough for a cab ride, but enough for some food/drink or at least a few phone calls.

• Muscles that have been working hard can become stiff during long stops. More frequent shorter rest periods are more advisable during the event and training.