Road To Paris
RWA Athlete's Journey

After competing in the Marathon Relay last week, and before heading to Warsaw to continue racing next weekend I spent my time training in Antalya. This is an ancient city, known for its long beaches and long mountain ranges that extend from its coastlines. While I took some time to visit ancient ruins and natural waterfalls, I am ultimately here to train and recover. The post-race week was spent doing easy walk and run doubles, before hitting some intensity and backing up with a long walk over the weekend. As we enter the following week, we back off the training in anticipation of the 20 kilometre race coming up.

Anyone that has trained for a marathon or half-marathon will be familiar with this sort of training. You may even want to steal some of these sessions or training patterns for yourself!

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 12km walk, with a 6km run in the afternoon

Wednesday: 16km walk, with a 6km run in the afternoon

Thursday: gym workout, and a day spent sightseeing

Friday: 14km walk, with another 6km run in the afternoon

Saturday: 5k, 4k, 3k at 4:08 down to 4:02/km, fuelled by Maurten 160 Gels. I love the size of these gels, and they’re designed to be taken without water, which is essential for an unsupported solo workout. This afternoon I got another 6km run in.

Sunday: 20km long walk, with bottles and gels stored in a Salomon Active Belt, another solo training essential.

Blog Spotlight: Beta Alanine and Sodium Bicarbonate

Two products I’ve been using to enhance training and competition performance this year are Science in Sport Beta Alanine and Maurten Sodium Bicarbondate.

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that combines with histidine to form carnosine in muscles. During exercise, carnosine buffers the acidity produced by lactic acid buildup, delaying muscle fatigue and enhancing endurance. Supplementation with beta-alanine increases muscle carnosine levels, improving performance in activities requiring high-intensity efforts lasting 1-4 minutes.

Like carnosine, Sodium bicarbonate acts as a buffering agent in the body. During exercise, it helps neutralise the buildup of lactic acid, delaying fatigue and improving performance in activities requiring short bursts of high intensity. By reducing acidity in muscles, sodium bicarbonate allows athletes to sustain higher levels of exertion for longer periods. However, its effectiveness can vary among individuals, and side effects like gastrointestinal discomfort may occur with high doses.

Science in Sport Beta Alanine can be bought at runningwarehouse.com.au, and while the Maurten Bicarb system isnt available in Australia, you cna find Human AMP lotion runningwarehouse.com.au

Before sending any athletes to compete in the Marathon Relay in the Olympic Marathon Relay, Australia first had to qualify a relay team. The World Athletics Racewalking Team Championships in Antalya, Turkey was THE opportunity for 22 countries to qualify for this new Olympic event. Of these 22 countries, only five of the best would have the opportunity to qualify two teams to compete in Paris.

Rhydian Cowley and Jemima Montag, along with Rebecca Henderson and myself made up the two Australian teams good enough to qualify within this select group of five countries, placing 6th and 16th out of 67 teams to start the race. The race opened ridiculously fast: a 47:53 12.195km first leg, followed by a tactical 42:13 second 10km leg. The time between, waiting for my relay partner to complete each of her 10km segments was spent plunged into a ice bath, before laying down with my feet suspended in the air, sipping Maurten drink mix.

Time penalties and disqualifications can happen during the walk events, and our team of two faced a three minute penalty during the third leg of the race. Amazingly, we held strong over the final 10 kilometres to bring ourselves back from 22nd to 16th.

Whats next?

The next two weeks will be spent in Antalya, Turkey recovering and returning to training before travelling to Warsaw, Poland for a 20 kilometre event. Recovery after a long effort can look different for everyone, but I follow some basic principles that I’ll pass on to you here:

Nutrition: Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in aiding your body's recovery process after a race. Replenishing depleted glycogen stores, repairing muscle tissue, and reducing inflammation are among the top priorities. Aim to consume a balanced meal containing carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats within the first hour after finishing the race. This could include a mix of whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.

Hydration is also paramount. Replace lost fluids by drinking plenty of water or electrolyte-rich beverages throughout the day. Be mindful of electrolyte levels, especially if you sweated heavily during the race.

Foam Rolling: Post-race muscle soreness is inevitable, but foam rolling can be a game-changer in alleviating discomfort and enhancing recovery. Foam rolling, or self-myofascial release, involves using a foam roller to apply pressure to specific points on your body, targeting tight muscles and fascia.

Devote time to foam rolling sessions in the days following the race, focusing on areas of particular tightness or soreness. Roll slowly over each muscle group, pausing on tender spots (trigger points) for 30-60 seconds to allow the muscle to release. Areas commonly targeted include the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

I’ve been in and around athletics since I was five years old, training and competing until the senior ranks – where I discovered a talent for the racewalks.

In 2021 I scraped my way onto the Australian Olympic team in Tokyo, qualify as the 54th of 60 athletes in the Mens’ 20km event. Since then, I have climbed up the world rankings while setting new personal bests in every distance and claiming national records in the 5000 and 10000 meter events. I love the physical and technical challenge that comes with the event. The extra demands of a specific racewalking technique on top of the tactical and physical demands of an endurance event mean the walks are, in my opinion, the perfect endurance event.

What are the walks? Racewalking has been a modern Olympics event since 1908 (Men) and 1982 (Women), featuring race distances from 3500m to 50 kilometers, as well as a mixed marathon distance relay to be introduced in 2024. Racewalking demands two criteria – that the walkers leading leg be straightened, and that no observable loss of contact happens between the walkers feet and the ground. Breaking these rules can lead to time penalties and disqualification.