‘I made the transition from overweight (40kgs) smoker/non-runner to ultra-runner and here’s what I learnt along the way.’ – By Justin Ducler Des Rauches

So you have made the commitment to toe the starting line of an ultra. You have decided to venture into the realm of your personal unknown.

I made the transition from overweight (40kgs) smoker/non-runner to ultra-runner and here are the pivotal lessons I learnt from the proverbial University of Hard Knocks (the infamous 52km Chatsworth Freedom Ultra Marathon in Durban which was my longest run to date and nothing but a “training run” before my first Comrades).

1. Ultras… they hurt

Ultras become more about pain management than actual running. They hurt, end of story. But the pain never pushes past the running discomfort threshold unless you are injured. Feel it, embrace it and (dare I say) enjoy it. You will grow from it.

2. Feel like giving up? Run a few more kilometres!

You read that right. And I don’t mean it in an all out Type A determination. A low point in an ultra is exactly that, just a low point. Embrace it and understand what it is. It’s not game over, just give it a few more kays and you will surprise yourself as to how fresh you can feel 50kms into a run!

3. You write your own story

Social media becomes the yardstick of comparison watching sub-elites clocking up 2000kms+ mileage before the big day. As long as you have trained to the best of your ability in relation to your current stress load in other facets of your life, then that is what counts. Believe me here, I tried to clock up the miles way too quickly for a novice (bearing in mind I work a full-time job, whilst studying at least 20 hours a week towards my CA qualification and training for Comrades), and paid the price through injuries!

4. Shoes

In an industry worth billions of rands per year, my philosophy is quite simple and can save you a ton of money (I learnt this hard way)… Ask for the most expensive shoe in the shop, and then make very sure you stay as far away from it as possible! You don’t need it, they want you to need it. Forget the looks of the shoe, try it on and listen to your feet, if the shoe feels right then take it! Remember any minuscule level of discomfort you feel in the shops is amplified every time you run. So keep it simple and make sure they feel amazing before you leave the shop. Humans have been running since the dawn of time, you don’t need modern technology to make your run more enjoyable.

5. Rather arrive at the finish line slightly dehydrated than over-hydrated

Neither is an advisable tactic from a medical standpoint and I am sure there are some professionals out there who are going to be cursing me for saying this, and in an ideal world you would be sufficiently hydrated throughout, but us runners are not the most sensible at the best of times. Having experienced both sides of the coin, I would go with the dehydration, the latter is not a pleasant experience.

6. It comes down to how bad you want it

No matter who you are, it is never necessarily the fastest, strongest or most experienced runners who finish. A finish is obtained by those with the mental tenacity to do so. It is those with the ability to search deep within your soul and conjure the courage necessary to triumph over your struggle. Train your mind and your body will follow.

Never lose sight of why you are running in the first place. By challenging yourself and setting a goal which seems beyond your capacity, and then conquering that goal leaves one with a sense of confidence that few other endeavours are able to provide in our highly convenient and fast paced age that we live in.

7. Relax and enjoy

Although no easy feat, the cathartic release provided by finishing an ultra is incomparable to anything else I have ever experienced. Ultra-runners are some of the most humble and welcoming people I have encountered. Enjoy your time on the road with them and learn from them, you will be amazed what you just might learn or who you might meet!

And so five arduous months of being a student, coupled with a full time job and over 1100kms of training and contracting more injuries than I care to mention, is coming to the pinnacle. Literal blood, sweat and tears have gone into this journey and now it’s time to tackle the “Big C!”

We never feel fully prepared for big events, in many ways it is the very real possibility of failure that keeps us going as runners. I’ll see you all on the road, where we shall breed transformation in the face of adversity. 04 June 2017, Zinikele!

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