The Weekly Wrap – 24/2/25
Your Weekly Dose of Running Highlights, Tips, and Motivation
Hey everyone,
Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Wrap!
I hope you’re having a great weekend, feeling strong in your training, and making time for recovery. It’s been awesome to see so many of you staying consistent and pushing towards your goals.
I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has sent me a message, Instagram DM, or even an email reply to share their appreciation for the Weekly Wrap. It means a lot to hear that you’re finding value in these updates, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to read and reach out each week.
As we edge closer to upcoming events like Buffalo Stampede, Sydney Hoka Half Marathon, and Ultra Trail Australia, it’s great to see everyone locking in their training. Many of you are getting out for specific course training, which is key for tackling steep mountainous terrain and hilly road efforts.
This week, we’re also kicking off programs for a number of runners targeting the Gold Coast Half and Full Marathon. With just under 20 weeks to go, now is the time to build a solid foundation and dial in race-specific prep.
Another hot weekend here in Sydney made long runs that bit tougher. I personally headed up to the Blue Mountains for my second run to the Mount Solitary Logbook and back, continuing to chase elevation as I built toward TDS in August.
Let’s get into this week’s highlights.
Hitting Mt Solitary log book on Saturday
Highlights
A great week of racing and adventures across the Academy:
Caleb has officially completed his Te Araroa Fast Pack mission, covering the entire length of New Zealand. A huge effort and an incredible journey!
Erwin completed the Old Ghost Ultra over in New Zealand, putting in a strong performance on a challenging course.
Tim took on a multi-day hike in Kosciuszko National Park, trekking down to the Opera House Hut.
Joe Bailey got out for an overnight hike just outside of Wanaka, making the most of the beautiful trails in the area.
Caleb finishing the Te Araroa trail
February Focus
This month, we’re dialling in race-specific terrain, heat adaptation, and baseline assessments. However, this week, I really want you to zero in on your race-specific terrain.
If you're training for a mountain ultra, it’s ideal to get up to mountainous terrain, such as the Blue Mountains, at least three to four times during your preparation. This ensures you're starting to meet the demands not only of elevation gain (ascending) but also conditioning your body for long descents. Descending places a high load on your muscles, leading to eccentric loading and neural fatigue, which you need to prepare for.
On top of this, work on your technical running skills, footwork, agility, and coordination. These aspects will help you navigate technical terrain more efficiently on race day.
If you're training for a flat road race, ensure you're regularly running on flat terrain to match the race conditions. However, if you’re preparing for an event like the Sydney Hoka Half Marathon, incorporating hills into your long runs is essential. The course has significant elevation changes, and preparing for those now will pay off on race day.
Climb at the Buffalo Stampede
Prompt of the week
What’s your strategy for nailing your weekend long run?
Think about:
Preparation: Are you fuelling properly before, during, and after the run?
Pacing: Are you running at the right effort to get the most out of it? What is the purpose of this run, building aerobic conditioning or adding intensity to meet the demands of your race?
For example this coming weekend my goal is to run very easy and controlled to ensure maximum aerobic benefits.
Recovery: How are you setting yourself up to bounce back strong for the next session?
Tip of the Week
Optimise Your Nutrition for Longer Runs
If you’re heading out for anything over 90 minutes, proper fuelling is non-negotiable.
Aim for 40-80g of carbs per hour, with some athletes successfully pushing up to 100g per hour.
Practice your race-day nutrition in training, don’t leave it to chance.
Carbohydrates and hydration are extremely important, not just for fueling success during your long run but also for reducing the risk of injury post-run. Studies are starting to show that those who fuel well during long runs experience better recovery and lower injury rates.
What’s been working for you on long runs? Any new strategies or tweaks? Let me know!
Client Spotlight: Alex Bate
1. What is your go-to nutrition for long runs?
I use Precision Fuel and Hydration for training and racing. I like there Drink mixes which contains carbs and electrolytes in one and then mix up between their 30 and flow gels. For the extra long ones where I plan to take food, I’ll try have some salt and vinegar chips.
2. What is your favourite training session?
Favourite session has to be a long run in the mountains. I love getting out to beautiful places and spending hours in the bush.
3. Which race are you currently training for, and what motivates you to run it?
I’m currently training for UTA100 with buffalo stampede grand slam in the lead up. Im a pretty competitive person and I love to race to bring out the best in me so I get motivated a lot by trying to be the best I can be on race day.
Final Note
Great work to everyone who raced and stayed consistent with their training. Keep showing up, keep learning, and keep enjoying the process.
If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to reach out. See you next week!
Cheers,
Coach Matty Abel