As the Totalsports Two Oceans Half-Marathon & Ultra-Marathon draws near on April 5th & 6th, there are only 30 days left to get your mind and body in peak condition. Whether you’re aiming for the Half or the Ultra-Marathon, these final weeks are crucial for ensuring you’re physically prepared and mentally confident. The last month of training is a delicate balance of pushing your limits, tapering your workload, and staying focused on your race-day strategy. Let’s break down what you should be doing week by week to ensure you’re race-ready.
Week 1: Peak Training & Fine-Tuning
Focus: Long Runs, Speed Work, and Strength Training
During the first week of your 30-day countdown, your training is still very much in the peak phase. You should be logging your longest runs, focusing on building both endurance and speed. Long runs will continue to be the centrepiece of your weekly schedule, but this week also brings opportunities for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or speed workouts. These sessions will help improve your cardiovascular capacity and your ability to sustain a faster pace over the course of the race.
Tip: Try to simulate race conditions in at least one of your long runs. This might include practicing your race-day gear, such as shoes, socks, and clothing, or training on terrain similar to what you’ll encounter on the race route. The more familiar you can make race day feel, the more confident you’ll be when the time comes.
Week 2: Maintain Intensity, But Start Decreasing Volume
Focus: Maintain Speed but Reduce Mileage
By the second week of your countdown, the focus shifts slightly from increasing endurance to maintaining your fitness. This is still an active phase, but you will reduce the volume of your training. That means shorter, more intense runs at your target race pace. Tempo runs will be helpful, as will strides and interval sessions. These workouts will keep your body sharp without adding unnecessary fatigue.
In addition to running, this is also the perfect time to continue strengthening the muscles you’ll need on race day. Core workouts and lower-body strength training should remain part of your routine. These exercises will help improve your running form and prevent injury as you begin to taper in the coming weeks.
Tip: Don’t shy away from hill workouts this week. Running on hills helps develop strength in your legs and improves your overall running form, which can be especially helpful in the later stages of a race when fatigue sets in.
Week 3: The Taper Begins
Focus: Reducing Mileage and Increasing Recovery
As you enter the third week, you’ll start to officially taper your training. This means reducing your mileage by about 20-30%. You should still be running, but these runs will be much shorter and less intense. Instead of long runs, you might focus on maintaining your race pace for shorter intervals and doing an occasional easy recovery run to keep your legs fresh.
The tapering phase is just as crucial mentally as it is physically. While it can feel strange to reduce your training volume, trust that you’ve built the endurance you need and that rest is equally important to performance as your training.
Tip: Mental preparation becomes key in the final few weeks. Take time each day to visualise the race and mentally rehearse your strategy. Visualise yourself crossing the finish line, feeling strong, and executing your race plan with confidence.
Week 4: Race Week — Rest & Ready
Focus: Recovery and Finalising Your Race Strategy
The final week is about rest and recovery. At this point, there’s nothing new you can do to increase your fitness, so the focus shifts to keeping your legs loose and staying mentally sharp. Your runs this week should be very light and short, just to keep your muscles activated. You may also want to add a few strides to maintain your speed and ensure you’re feeling good.
Tip: Take time this week to go over your race strategy. This includes thinking about pacing, hydration, and fuelling. You should also finalise all logistical aspects of your race — figure out your transportation, where you’ll stay, and how you’ll get to the start line.
In terms of recovery, prioritise rest and sleep. The more rest you get, the more your body will have the chance to fully repair itself. Aim for 8+ hours of sleep each night, and use relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation to help with any pre-race anxiety.
These final weeks can set you up for race-day success if you stick to your plan and trust in your training. So, take a deep breath, stay focused, and get ready to cross that finish line strong.
