If it can be raced, John O’Regan has run it. The North Pole, Mount Everest, the Sahara Desert and the steps of the Empire State Building have all been tread by the Kildare man. He’s also sent himself into hallucinations while completing the historic 153 miles Spartathlon between Athens and Sparta in Greece.
Last year he outlasted the competition to win the Wings for Life World Run in Co. Kerry, meaning he has his pick of where to race in the competition this year. Always with a plan in mind, O’Regan will be at the starting line in India so he can knock the Taj Mahal off his list as he aims to run past all the seven wonders of the world.
Before then the 45 year old will represent Ireland at the 24-hour world championships in Turin, Italy, but here he gives us some advices on how to gear up for our lone exertions.
The biggest challenge
“The most important thing with any race is getting to the starting line in good shape,” he says. “There’s no point trying to do more than you can in training or going at anybody’s pace other than your own, in training as well as in the race. If you are unlucky enough to get an injury, allow time for the injury to heal and remember injuries heal not just through rest but also by eating a healthy balanced diet. Wait until you feel that the injury has healed before you start moving on again.”
Take a breather“Do make sure to enjoy your days off. If you are starting back training after a lay off, bear in mind that chances are you’re going to be a little bit out of shape and have lost some fitness. So don’t try to start back where you left off, do a short easy recovery run first. Treat it like a race where you pace yourself from the start but do stay at a reduced rate before you start thinking about picking it up again.”
Enjoy it“Running is fun. It’s also a challenge for each individual so you have to strike the right balance between pushing yourself and enjoying it. You don’t want to be dreading putting on your shoes before your session. When you are training you should try finish with something left in the tank. No single session will do the work of two so don’t push yourself so hard that you can’t have another good session the next time out."
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