The Weekly Wrap – 13/1/25
Your Weekly Dose of Running Highlights, Insights, and Tips for 2025!
Hey there,
Welcome to 2025 and a brand-new year of the Weekly Wrap! I’ve just returned from an incredible week of mountaineering in the Mount Cook region, following a restful Christmas and New Year break. It was a fantastic opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, push my limits, and learn valuable skills that can be applied to running. I hope you’ve all had an amazing few weeks as well and are excited for the year ahead. Let’s dive into Week 1 of 2025!
Over the Break Highlights
Over the break, we saw Peter Baines successfully complete his Run to Remember, a 1,400km journey across Thailand. Pete finished on Boxing Day, December 26th, marking exactly 20 years since the Boxing Day tsunami. A massive congratulations to Pete for completing this incredible feat and for raising vital awareness and funds for his Hands Across the Water Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to raise $1 million to support housing and education for children in need across Thailand.
Meanwhile, Caleb is continuing his fast-packing mission along the Te Araroa Trail, stretching from the north to the south of New Zealand. Caleb is nearing a significant milestone as he approaches the end of North Island and then heads onto the South Island. An amazing accomplishment already!
January Focus
As we kick off a new year filled with new goals and excitement, one area I often see runners overlook is the importance of nutrition, specifically, breaking down your macronutrients. If we aren’t fuelling ourselves properly, it will have a direct impact on our recovery and performance.
This month, I recommend using ChatGPT to log a couple of days of your nutrition. Track not just your total calorie intake, but more importantly, your carbohydrate, protein, and fat consumption. I did this myself throughout December and realised I was falling short on protein intake. I used ChatGPT’s voice command feature on my phone to keep a tally throughout the day and get a daily total at the end. It was also helpful to check in at lunchtime to see where I was and gauge what I needed to hit my targets for the rest of the day.
I also combined this with the calorie output from my Garmin and Whoop devices to make sure I was fuelling myself correctly. I encourage you to give it a try and let me know if you have any questions.
Tip of the Week
As we dive deeper into 2025, it’s easy to feel inspired by the fresh energy that comes with new goals.. However, it’s important to remember that your training should align with the specific demands of your upcoming race.
For example, if you’re training for a hilly half marathon, your weekly runs should incorporate hills to build that specific strength and stamina. The same applies if you’re preparing for a technical mountain trail race, like the Shotover Mountain Marathon. You’ll need to include runs on technical terrain as well as steep, mountainous ascents and descents. This way, you’ll not only improve your climbing ability but also condition your legs for the long, challenging descents that come with such races.
Client Spotlight: Chloe-Amanda Bailey
1. What is your go-to nutrition for long runs?
It has to be Maruten gels - caffeine and non-caffeine. After trying out a heap of different brands I realised the maltodextrin in most gels was not so good on the tummy, so I made the switch to Maurten. Served me well. It's important to work out what works for you and what doesn't. Also chuck me a couple snack size Twirls and a jam sandwich on a super longy (if not racing) and I don't mind that.
2. What is your favourite training session?
I love trail running. Love it. Long trail runs. But, I must say, right now it is intervals (sue me). The sessions go fast because you're constantly counting down. It's also nice to do some speedwork following Kosci. Mind you, why does 2 minutes at speed feel like 5 minutes, while 2 minutes at rest feels like 30 seconds? Weird, ha.
3. Which race are you currently training for, and what motivates you to run it?
I am still undecided on which race I will do in May but I still have a couple weeks to decide but it is likely the Bali Hope Ultra. 84kms on the road, up over a volcano, ran overnight. Sounds fun, no? Regardless we have five months to get me there so I am so keen to see what I can achieve in this next training block.
Final Note
Thank you for tuning in to our first Weekly Wrap of 2025. I’m truly grateful you’re here! If you ever have feedback or questions, feel free to reach out via email or Instagram.
Remember, comparison is the thief of joy. Stay focused on your journey and don’t get caught up in what others are doing, especially Strava. Running is a long game, and that requires time, patience, and consistency.
Enjoy your week ahead and most importantly, make sure to have some fun with it!
Cheers,
Coach Matty Abel