Running AMUK

AMUK - 4 Iconic Ultra Trail Races in seven months. This is an interview with Riana Henning, Justin Oelofsen and Marius van Rensberg,  three of the five people to complete the Challenge in 2021

The AMUK races are : Addo Elephant Trail Run, Ultra Trail Drakensberg, Mac Mac Ultra, Karkloof 100

You can find more on AMUK on their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/324601295048662

Check out our website at https://www.mindfulrunner.co.za

Transcript

Fred Richardson  0:01  
So I'm here talking with Riana Henning Justin Oelofsen and Maurice van Rensburg.  Three of five people who completed the AMUK challenge in 2021. Now, AMUK is four South African 100 mile ultra trail races finished off in one calendar year, four by 100 miles or 640 kilometers minimum. So I mean, the most obvious question is that just sounds insane. So let's put this out to you guys. Why, why did you sign up for this challenge? Marius, you may go first.

Marius van Rensberg  0:37  
I got inspired by Rene Volgraaf, as I think most of us did. In 2019, when she did it, I didn't even know about AMUK I didn't even know is was a challenge. And yes, it seemed like an epic challenge, and I want to find out, will I be able to do it? I think the furthest I did at that stage was 100 kilometers, which was S kyrun. And I started playing around with the idea of running 100 miles, which obviously seems impossible. Everything just everything is impossible until someone does it. The four minute mile. The stuff that Courtney is doing at the moment on the international level, all those things. And I thought, Okay, well, you know, let me see what I can do. Can I run 100 miles. And once I did the miles, which was Karkloof last year, I thought, Okay, well, let me fall into this four times 100 mile race and see if I can do it and, you know, see if I could push my body and my mind to get to that level and see if it kills me. Our friend Ilze always says, you know, it takes more to kill you than you think. And it's so true. So, yeah, I guess that's the reason why I did it.

Fred Richardson  2:08  
It's interesting, because I think all three of you are relative newcomers 100 mile racing, right? You've done one before you started AMUK Riana. You done two am I , right? Yeah,

Riana  2:21  
I did. I did Karkloof. And then I had an attempt at ADDO the year that it was so extremely hot. And I've got to 100 kilometers, and I was totally fed up with it. So I had one, one completed and one attempt.

Fred Richardson  2:39  
And then your very next race in AMUK is Addo. Again, and you've had this experience of having to pull out of it. How did that make you feel going into the start of this next one?

Riana  2:53  
I think for me, I really needed to complete that one, I think I was in a sense, it prepared me I knew at least 100 kilometers of of the 160 kilometres. And so it was really important for me to finish it. So I think my my mind and my body at that stage was quite strong. And you know, I had good company during the Addo during the night with Karsten Volmer  which was really a great experience. And I never thought that I would get to the you know, Valley of Tears. Like at nine o'clock in the morning, I thought I will hit it in the afternoon. So for me Addo was was just the perfect race. So you know, that was that was a good one for me.

Fred Richardson  3:50  
Justin, what? What's your motivation for having taken this challenge on?

Justin  3:56  
Fred? I think one of the big motivations to go back 100 mile running was af ter my first Karkloof experience, which didn't exactly go to plan I think I was a complete newbie to, to ultra running. In fact, I went and underprepared and I've got an absolute hiding in that race. And then afterwards, I just decided, you know, this can't be what 100 mile running is all about. And I think that's where my part with with at mindful runner, and we sort of crossed and that's where the starting off with mindful runner sort of motivated me to become a better runner. And then I started looking for things that could challenge me. And yeah, I think coming from a sporting background, I think the alure of what the AMUK was all about. And the challenge in itself was something that I thought you know what I need to give this a go and I've got to test myself and see if this ultra running is something that I'd like to do and ya after each race, it was just such an enjoyment and and a real celebration. Of of coming back from 2019 at Karkloof and just proving to myself that you know, this can be done. So I had to take on the AMUK challenge to prove a point to myself because I knew I would be racing against myself primarily as my goal. And ya that was my motivation to get stuck in

Fred Richardson  5:18  
Your your time times between 2019 on Karkloof. This last one 2021 was there was almost a 10 hour difference, wasn't it?

Justin  5:29  
Yeah, it was a significant difference. And I think for me, that is definitely one of the highlights of the AMUK. And I think I went back to Karkloof with a with a clear target. And I said to myself, you know what, you've got a bit of a score to settle here. And being more prepared, I've got a far better experience of what Karkloof 100 miler is all about. And what a great race it is. And yeah no I was just really pleased. And with a good result at Karkloof , and then , obviously, you're to knock about 10 hours of your time. I mean, that was, that was fantastic.

Fred Richardson  6:01  
Yeah. Riana, you've you've told us what your favorite race was. Right? You You're on record as saying Addo, your your favorite of the four? Marius what was your favorite of the four.

Marius van Rensberg  6:16  
I was telling someone yesterday that it's like picking your least and most favorite child. I think the other two Riana and Justin would also agree that there's, there's so many good experiences during a single race. And obviously, th ose those deep holes as well that you hit so it's so difficult. Say, but I think Mac MacMac Mac. I had an amazing run at Mac Mac. It's one of my favorite areas in South Africa. My mom took me there as a child to go and hike there in Mpumalanga, ag I'd just go there on holidays and, and go and scout. So just getting there to Pilgrims Rest for the start. That was already, I just felt this in this race is going to be an amazing, an amazing race. And yeah, we had a good run, and I got to run with you as well Fred for a while and always get to run some sections with Justin. And, you know, the bus always comes off at a stage as well, sadly which, which happened then that Justin had a, Justin and I had a quick chat. There like Hey, man, how's it going I said to him I'm hitting , a bit of a slump. And he continued on his merry way. And I couldn't catch him again. So I missed the last few hours with him. But it was it was just one of those races that the mist and running at night and making new friends. I got to run with Rhys Forster for a long section of the evening. It was magical.

Fred Richardson  8:06  
Yeah. favorite moments? Riana, what was your favorite moment from the whole experience through all four events?

Riana  8:14  
I think collectively, that really stands out for me is the people. I think the support I think maybe what comes up in my mind is I had a very, very tough Mac Mac. I started my body seized up already at 80 kilometers so I was in severe pain. And there was this angel standing at Graskop aid station Otter. Lots of people know him this absolute giant Angel of a man and just just having people on, you know, on the different races people at standing at at aid stations and people alongside the road for me. You need the support of people? I agree with Marius? I think I don't think for me there's one specific moment or one specific race that that is just totally, totally my favorite. I would say that people definitely.

Fred Richardson  9:25  
Yeah, yeah, it is the community, isn't it? Justin anything that stands out for you as a favorite moment.

Justin  9:34  
I'm going to go back to the first 100 miles a day. And you know, my last 20 kilometers at Addo, were I think that's where the belief that I could run these things a little bit better than what I thought that sort of really started. I had a really good good finish at Addo. I think that's what helped me get under the target that I'd set at 28 hours with you and it was just such a strong finish and you know being able to run through the pain and to push your body a little bit harder when you've already done 148 Ks It was just that that moment that just started off the journey on the right foot so I think the last 20 kilometers for me at at Addo definitely stood out from from a running perspective I think that was that was by far my favorite moment in this whole A MUK  series and yeah that's where all the self belief really started,

Fred Richardson  10:31  
yeah yeah we've got this expression if you're feeling good during an ultra just wait it'll go away darkest moments guys What was your darkest moment Riana you've had some dark ones

Riana  10:46  
Yeah, we can write a whole book we get I can keep you busy for a very long time and a dark moment for me was when my brand new Fenix 6 x died at Mac Mac and I had a powerbank everything was ready and I plugged it in and it just didn't want to go on and at that moment I was in a group of men Tobie Reyneke, Dalu, Peter Koedyk think of the 200 miler we were just this nice big group of men I was the only ladyand I thought yeah I've got my group I've got my pack and we were there we were there right at before you go down into the fairy forest. And the sweepers were there at that moment because we were the last group and I said I want to go and they said no, you can't go you you don't have a GPS and you have to wait for us and I was cold I was fed up and as we went down they said to me, are you okay? And I said no, of course I'm not okay. My GPS is dead my pack just leave me I am not okay and I remember it started poring poring poring . And as you go down theres this bridge that you get just this wooden bridge that you have to cross and in in normal circumstances it's easy to just run over it I'm sure you you two Marius and Justin ran over it and I had to go down my hands and knees. I literally crawled over that bridge I crawled over it and I remember lying down at moments there that I talked to Mother Earth and said I need strength I need I need help. So it was for me although it was a very dark moment it was also very spiritual

Fred Richardson  12:47  
yeah yeah you're getting a bit of a reputation as the Iron Lady of South African ultra and you're able to just keep on going when most people would have quit

Riana  12:57  
well I run so slow so at least something must be strong

Fred Richardson  13:03  
Justin dark moments for you

Justin  13:08  
I think you know where I'm going with this one Fred that I think yeah my navigation area at Mac Mac me and I think I wouldn't look at it as being a dark moment I'd say a disappointing moment from my side I thought I was really running so well at that stage and it was just being the perfect race and then yeah it was just it was a combination of factors and things just went wrong and for at that point and I got lost I did extra kilometers it cost me time It was just that moment where I actually just sat down on a rock and said to myself you know what? You in that moment and you've hit it you need to get up and you need to go over it and you need to move on from it. So what was the dark moments I think turned out to be a lesson and then you're still to just pick yourself up from that and move on from that dark place was also quite cool. But yeah, it was definitely that that navigation area on my Mac Mac that broke the spirits a little bit and But hey, that's, that's that's part of life. Sometimes things don't go according to plan.

Marius van Rensberg  14:14  
I just want to say add to that that that's actually where you proved to me that you're an outstanding runner because you've had a couple of amazing runs and everything went right and that was the first time that something went wrong during one of the AMUK races and the way you came back there was listen bud that was absolutely amazing.

Fred Richardson  14:35  
Yeah not once but twice

Justin  14:39  
Yeah, it's no thanks, Marius. So I think just to add to that, Fred I think you know, we gain inspiration from each and every one of us I think, gained inspiration from from one another. I mean, when I saw Marius on Addo with the blisters on his feet, and I thought this is going to be very difficult and you know, sort of To get through and, and he just he kept soldiering on. And when he got over the finish line, just showing that you can also push and you can also go, you can get over the line no matter what. And yeah, I think that's the moment where I took some inspiration from Marius as well. And then I think for Riana through this entire series, I mean, yas, Riana has been in situations there that that we haven't been in and she's got over the line and just her absolute fighting spirit that she showed, and getting over the line with so much gratitude and just being so grateful for what she can do. You know, you take those little moments with you into each run and you know, at times you run kilometers for each other because you know, that everybody's in the same boat together. So, yeah, the three of us. Yeah, it's been a It's been an amazing journey together as well. And yeah, thanks for the inspiration that everyone's parted my way. It's it hasn't gone unfelt at all.

Riana  15:57  
One day, one day, I also want to race 100 miler one day, when I race it, I want to run it.

Fred Richardson  16:08  
The one thing people who don't live in South Africa, kind of imagine we're always seeing wild animals in the streets and we know that that's not true except that both Marius and Riana you both had some pretty hectic wildlife experiences out on the trail have'nt you Marius you want to tell us he was first

Marius van Rensberg  16:30  
Yeah, it was at Addo the first 100 miler and with all the trail races that I've done before Addo I've never really encountered anything you may see the odd girrafe or a buck or something somewhere but at Addo during night nighttime running. I heard some weird noises ahead of me. And obviously I have to keep on going forward you can't just you know imagine it's Halloween or Friday 13th and run the other way so I soldiered on and for some reason I had the presence of mind to take out my cell phone and start recording it as well, walked around the corner and you must imagine it was the funniest sounds I think who is the organizer Sean from from Addo I think he actually posted it on their website on Facebook as well where five jackals killed a baby kudu and the kill was  so fresh the kudu was still breathing when I passed and the jackals thought I was stealing the kill so they charged me and I actually looked at the video the other day yeah I was just like shoo no shoo

Fred Richardson  17:56  
yeah, that's pretty wild. Riana think yours may have been the scariest moment

Riana  18:03  
It was because so so this fairy forests of Mac Mac definitely has a reputation so we are going down but really very technical path and look I'm with my two sweepers and I smell something and I know Liezl Koch she's she's really good with nature and she told us that the smell of the leopard and I said to the two sweepers I'm sure heres a leopard and as we look up we see these two gleaming eyes and we are  like also making noise and and Neil Stander he was at the back I said okay guys, I'm not afraid but I'm definitely in the middle of the two of you now. And he looked back and the leopard was actually sitting right in the path and when we got back to the to Maritzbos the aid station we we said to the medic that we've seen we've seen a leopard and quite a funny story and said oh john Carter another runner. He said he also saw the leopard It was also in the path it jumped into the tree and he was extremely scared to to run underneath the tree and they thought he was hallucinating  so it must not be a new hallucination it's definitely true if three other people also saw the leopard

Fred Richardson  19:33  
yeah wow Justin you you haven't had Can you match the leopard

Justin  19:38  
I probably he would have just another would have motivated me just to run a little bit faster I guess. Yeah that's that's a scary story. But Mac Mac is so wild when you're out that night. It's just it's it's quite an experience running at Mac Mac at night. As Marius said. It's it's really there's so many eyes around there and you feel like you're constantly being watched it's it's a lot of fun running in nature like we like we are and we're privileged to be able to do it on these routes

Fred Richardson  20:09  
Yeah we certainly are,  so night running I mean we all we all love to run at night up to a point right? And obviously everybody who hasn't been through this the most common question we get is how do you deal with a lack of sleep Justin, you're up. How do you do it

Justin  20:26  
I think it's just I think you get used to it Fred. I think it's something where you your mind goes into shift when you wake up the morning before that ultra and you sort of get to the point where you have said to yourself listen  I'm going to be running at night now and and if your mindset is in the right place I think you can just get going at night and you take it from there so your your day starts basically from when the when the race continues, I think that's the mindset side of it. I also think you know getting your caffeine in at the right times as well is also very important and making sure that your nutrition is on point because if you're not fueling yourself enough at night and you're not hydrating enough then you can sometimes feel that the tiredness is going to set in so i think you know attention to things like hydration overnight it's also very important because obviously cooler overnight and sometimes people think you don't have to drink and fuel as much but you have to keep yourself on point there and I think it's good if you I mean running with a good headlamp is obviously the ideal thing to have and then just learning certain techniques like like carry a torch with you if the mist sets in so you know it doesn't impact your sight as much and small little tricks like that that you learn along the way and but yeah the nighttime running itself I actually enjoy it and I think you need to embrace it and accept that that's that's part of of most ultras you're going to be spending time in the dark

Fred Richardson  21:52  
Riana I think you probably the queen of spending time in the dark amongst the three four guys here . What advice have you got for people?

Riana  22:02  
I have to be honest, I haven't figured it out I think it has definitely had an impact on my running Mac Mac because I mean I you spent I was over 44 hours both UTD and Mac Mac I was out there and for me I I do not hallucinate which I'm really grateful for I stay quite intact in terms of reality but I do get extremely tired and I haven't really figured it out so that's something that I need to sort out and it's interesting Justin what you say in terms of nutrition? I do think that that's definitely related. Yeah, so I do take I do also take medicinal mushrooms which sometimes help sometimes not. There are really nice medicinal mushrooms out there things like cordiseps and Lion's Mane which really worked well and then a good old just pure pure caffeine would would I think at this stage of what I have been using I would say that it's the best and that's also thanks to Toby Reyneker you know running with him from time to time on these races I get a lot of good advice from him and he really helped me with Karkloof if he gave me three caffeine pills that really pulled me through so I have I have lots of people and I definitely did not do this on my own. There's lots of amazing people out there supporting and helping me so yeah, helped me this time around at Karkloof run

Fred Richardson  23:49  
Yeah, he's a he's a legend the ultra community in South Africa. Guys so none of you are professional athletes. You all got lives we've got an OT, a Biochineticist  and an IT consultant. You have busy lives going on around you and you've managed to fit in the training for these events. I think possibly Marius you may have had the most challenges leading up to Karkloof. You want to run us through the sequence of events have you between Mac Mac and Karkloof for you?

Marius van Rensberg  24:20  
Yeah, it was probably one of one of the most difficult times when you decide to go for AMUK you prep yourself ok well you're going to run 4 100 miles it's going to be tough, you're gonna go through amazing times and difficult times but then the four months in between Mac Mac which was as I said earlier, the most amazing race and Karkloof, which is then at the end of September. No one really prepped you for that you think that oh, you know you just think to train and obviously train a bit harder. And work on speed as we did Fred. I think that only happened for maybe three weeks or four weeks. And then disaster struck. I went up for training run with Ilze and Riana in Soutpansberg, and then I said to them listen, something doesn't feel right in my body. And well, you know, I thought to go, I'm an ultra runner I'm soldiering on through this training run and completed it with them. And when I got home that night, all of a sudden felt like someone shot me in the lower back. And I've got a chronic condition as well. which people in my inner circles and some of my stomach. So I, I was very good about with staying away from people with COVID. And, and all those things. So didn't want to to go to hospital. And once again, you get that ultra runner, or man mentality, saying, Well, I'm not going to the hospital. And I struggled with that pain for two days. Eventually it was kidney stones. And I went to the hospital, I checked myself into the ER room, and so on, and yeah  they had  to remove the kidney stones and somewhere in that process. I got COVID. Now, I started to wonder, you know, will you be able to run again, you've got difficulty breathing. There's just so many unknowns because no one you know, they still busy with the status of our COVID recovery . And yeah you and I and you and Rhys Foster and myself and Rhys Foster we all worked closely together once I was able to start running again. But I think it was. So I think this happened on the 17th of July Yes, I was I was I actually on my way to my dad's birthday. And I didn't feel good. So. So I said to him, listen, I'm not coming over again. And I probably started a bit too early with the training again. But I mean, you've got Karkloof coming up you you've run three quarters of AMUK already. Even if you walk it's that it was something that I finished so we did start prepping slowly and and checking heart rates and everything that we could. And all the rest is history. I guess. I finished the race. I think

Fred Richardson  27:40  
Piece  you left out Marius , the piece you left out was the fact that the one of the antibiotics that used on you also has the side effect of tendon ruptures over a space of the next six months. Yeah, so we had a bit of a tendon scare as well. Right?

Marius van Rensberg  27:56  
That as well. Yeah. So I think in the month and a half going into Karkloof, I did not do a lot of running, we went for training camp to Drakensberg at the end, when was the beginning of September, two weeks, two weeks before Karkloof . And we did 50 kilometers. And that was the furthest I've run in prep for Karkloof since Mac Mac, and I think two weeks going into Karkloof I maybe ran 10 kilometers, because I just had this Achilles tendon pain the whole time. And our friend Ilze came up with this idea that I should run with heel raises. And I got it. Got it from the Thabang at the Solomon shop. Ah what two days before the race Riana left a package. For me, Ilze left a package for me. And it was I went into race. That was the first time I ran with heel raises. And well the Achilles was still sore for the first 50 kilometers or so I think 

Fred Richardson  29:07  
the 100

mile problem solving then doesn't happen only during the event. It also happens in between the events you've got to problem solve your way through training and keeping going and and that was the most difficult thing for you is just trying to maintain some level of fitness while you struggle through those things. It's not the easiest thing to do that. Here's the big question. Would you do it again? Riana

Riana  29:30  
Well,

I said to Andrew, AMUK is which I cannot say out loud. And then you then you rest and you really reflect on on your journey and what you do. at the moment I'm not sure I think what I definitely will do is to keep running and maybe a nice challenge will be to see You know, how many 100 milers can one do? For me? Running 100 milers there is definitely something to it, I think it it gets into your blood it gets into your psyche it gets into your being. And I think when when you do something like an AMUK challenge because it is very dimensional to me in terms of the challenge that it is. The challenge is on different levels. And I think that intrigues me and that makes me as a human tick and why I would like to just continue running. But I'm not doing it next year they definitely that's a no no. Some other people have got very amazing in, you know, challenges that they want to continue with me, but for me, I'm not doing it next year. or the year after that.

Fred Richardson  31:05  
Marius

Marius van Rensberg  31:06  
Fred yeah, like Riana says, think once you've done 100 miler, it just you get hooked to it. I love the experience. I love the friends that I've made those dark holes that you that you tend to dig yourself into. And funnily enough, Fred you and Riana are both part of the deepest, darkest hole, and a checkpoint and Riana passing me at the next aid station. and running with Riana . And I caught up with her this was at UTD catching up with her I think, round about 90 kilometers. And then we decided to mission together. I think we definitely formed a bond there to yeah to run 100 miles. I'll do AMUK again you think I should say when

Fred Richardson  31:15  
Are was hearing it first, here . Now Marius are you going to commit to this right now.

Marius van Rensberg  32:12  
Yeah, I'm going to attempt it again next year. And, you know, it's, it's for myself, it's for the bonds that I've made with friends to, you know, make new bonds to enhance other ones to work further with you Fred, to maybe I'll see Justin, I'll see Justin there

Justin  32:35  
I'll pace you. If you want me to hey 

Marius van Rensberg  32:38  
perfect, yes.

You did say we did run together so well. You know, when I was fit, and I could kind of keep up with you in those sections or so it could be amazing. Now, there are so many lessons that I've learned during each one of these 100 miles. And I think there's so many more that I can learn. And I'll you know. I'm not getting anything young any younger, so might as well go for it while I can still run.

Fred Richardson  33:07  
Yeah. I hear you there. Justin, what about you? Next year?

Justin  33:14  
Fred I'm not running AMUK next year. I think what I'd actually like to do, I think I'm still quite fresh in my running career at the moment, I think there'll be time for that later, to maybe go back and better my times, or somebody beats the times that I've run or, I mean, the way that the ultra running is going in South Africa, there's so many good runners out there that my times will definitely be be knocked off. And then that might be something for me to go and chase again a little bit later on. I'd actually like to take on each 100 miler independently first and in a year and really just go and go all out for those for those 100 milers. And then yeah I'd still like to race 100k race. I haven't been down that road yet. So I'd like to go and do you know it's a couple other races as well. But I will definitely do AMUK again, when I'll do it. That depends on where the running journey takes us and a few of the decisions made with with Mindful Runner, I suppose.

Fred Richardson  34:09  
Yes, actually, that's a. You raise an interesting point. What is the other than 100 miles? What's the longest other run distance you've run?

Justin  34:18  
66 Ks I think I did that in 2019. I think. I think did it with Lola and I ran the UTD 66 I think or the 62.

Fred Richardson  34:28  
Giants Cup. Yeah. Okay. So you went from 60 to 160. With one step.

Justin  34:35  
Yeah, I've missed I've missed some things that so I'd like to catch up on those. I think before I go take on the AMUK again.

Fred Richardson  34:42  
Yeah that makes sense. Okay, so you guys have got the experience now. Marius, what advice have you got for anybody coming into this now, looking to do a AMUK next year or the year after, how would you advise them?

Marius van Rensberg  34:55  
Well, Justin mentioned it earlier foot care it is is so important before I ran Addo, I've never had a blister the size of a mustard seed. And then I got to Addo and it was actually quite early in the race Justin I think it was maybe what what 50 60 kilometers, all of a sudden, this this blister started or hotspot started and I tried to attend to it and this thing just grew and grew and grew. And well obviously inexperienced from my side, I had no real blister care with me, I just this makeshift thing, but I didn't even have a needle on me So eventually I used my my race numbers, safety pin, just to pop, just to pop the blister, definitely foot care, you can still you can still bounce back from malnutrition during a race. But I think once you've once your feet are stuffed, becomes so much more difficult to actually finish a race. Yeah, secondly is also nutrition. So with that chronic condition that I do have I struggle to take in the proper nutrition from, from food that I get in and it's very limited things that I that I can eat or drink during a race so I hardly ever take anything from aid stations. So yes, sort out your nutrition before the time, and hope it works and have a have a backup for it as well. And then also have a backup. So have backup batteries, have a backup headlight and have backup navigation systems. You want to attempt these things because those things tend to fail as Riana said earlier, your headlamp might not just be your batteries that fail it might be your headlamp that actually breaks and a night out in the wilderness can become really long if you if you get to technical sections and its and you have to go by by the moonlight or if it's cloudy, you can't see anything at all.

Fred Richardson  37:19  
Justin, what advice have you got?

Justin  37:22  
Fred, I think very important. I think that some some advice that I personally give to somebody is you the athlete, you're going to run the AMUK. But theres people in this process that are invested in what you are doing. So having a clear understanding with family and friends regarding the tasks that you have at hand is very very important because they are your support base through this and they're going to make it easier for you if you need to say sorry, I can't you know, have a beer with you guys tonight, I've got a big running session tomorrow and get that team to understand the task that you're doing, it's going to make it a lot easier for you. And having a clear communication channel with your coach throughout the whole process is extremely important. And so you're getting a good balance between your family life your work life and stuff like that. It's very, very important. And then your your nutrition, as Marius mentioned, is extremely important I feel it's a game changer. And I've touched on this before and I've always said that AMUK becomes your lifestyle for the year. So commit to the fact that AMUK is your lifestyle for that year that you're running it you're going to have to make lifestyle changes. So get that into your mind from the start. And then yeah the hard work starts during your training sessions. That's when the magic happens. So put all your efforts and your focus into the training then don't look too far ahead and focus on each race independently first, and focus all your training in on that race. evaluate yourself after that race, do a consolidation week and then move on to the next one. And then you're just be brave and set targets for yourself that are going to challenge you and yeah you've got to have that element of grit so if it's raining outside put on a rain jackets and go and hit that training session. Yeah,

Fred Richardson  39:20  
good advice. Riana what have you got to add for the advice you give to any newbie coming into this game, right? I'm going to take on AMUK now what would you tell them?

Riana  39:32  
Listen to your coach. They your coach knows how to get you to the start line, starting line and believing yourself. If you if you have a good base and you have good experience, don't think you should you know just decide, oh this this looks nice and maybe try it because I think it is it is a commitment and then look at your calendar. Make sure that that like Justin is saying that it will become your lifestyle, you have to be prepared to give up a lot. There's a lot of training going that's involved in training for, for something like I'm AMUK and believe in yourself. And if that's if that is what you would like to do, do the training and believe in yourself.

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