Training To Run The Kokoda Track

Looking for a unique challenge? Wondering what your physical limits are? Thinking that a regular road marathon doesn’t quite cut it anymore? Whilst they’re not questions that everyone mulls over in their spare time, Precision Athletica’s head of strength and conditioning; Nils Hestermann, is not everyone. Keen to keep pushing himself and encouraged by his 360Athlete training partner, Nils is set to fly out to PNG this week to tackle the Kokoda Ultra Marathon! What’s the Kokoda Ultra Marathon? It’s the opportunity to pay your respects and follow in the footsteps of Australia’s fallen soldiers, whilst pushing your physical and mental limits racing through rainforests, up mountains and across the rivers of the Kokoda Track. So how do you train to run 96 gruelling kms in 3 days?

Nils - Ultra Marathon TrainingNils Kokoda Training

First things first you need to appreciate that it will be a tough, long and demanding test of you both physically and mentally. Giving the challenge its due amount of respect is key and to do that you need to sit down and properly plan out your approach to every aspect of the challenge. As an experienced distance runner and performance specialist, Nils has a great understanding of his body and how to peak at the correct time. From the outset Nils has been working to a strict timetable and schedule but to give you an idea, here is an overview from a recent weeks training:

  • GYM: Two sessions in the week
    • Working on a full body program with the focus on core and back strength
  • TREKKING: Before the taper I’m covering 60-100km in a week
    • Hill and stair work for climbing strength
    • Trips to the mountains to run consecutive days for a duration of 4-6 hours
    • Once a week 2 hour slow run/trek utilising a 15kg weight vest
  • MOBILITY: Daily activity for 20-30 minutes
    • Focus on hip mobility

Nils training goes hand in hand with a tailored nutrition plan that runs all the way up to and including the race itself. If you’re interested to learn more about either the Kokoda Ultra Marathon or how you can tailor your own training to make sure you peak for your next event, please feel free to contact Nils at Precision Athletica: 02 9764 5787 We all wish Nils luck for his race and we’ll update you on how he went soon!