SWEAT v Steam competitors have been given a leg-up ahead of this year’s race with high-profile Echuca running coach Laurie Edmondstone again offering a helping hand with his training program.
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On October 6 runners — from beginners to professionals — will compete in the race that has Echuca-Moama written all over it.
Young and old, serious runners and those out for a bit of fun, will pit their skills against a paddlesteamer across 5km — or the new distance of 10km (which is down from the 12.5km of previous years).
And thanks to Laurie and his careful planning, competitors don’t have to do it alone.
‘‘Many of us dream of being fit enough, to either complete a physical challenge, or being competitive in one,’’ Laurie said.
‘‘Well it is not too late to start,’’ he said.
This year the Echuca-Moama Triathlon Club has jumped on board and is organising the annual fun run.
‘‘Providing you have a reasonable degree of fitness, there is still time to condition yourself to compete in either event,’’ Laurie explained.
‘‘In the coming 10 weeks we will provide two training programs.
‘‘One is for those of you wishing to advance from walking to jogging and complete the 5km event and another for those who are currently jogging about 10km a week and wish to complete the longer event.’’
Before getting started Laurie said it was important to have a couple of essentials in place.
This includes consulting your medical practitioner to explain your intentions and getting a medical clearance.
It is also critical to have proper running shoes.
‘‘There are many variations with different qualities to suit people with different running gait or abilities,’’ Edmondstone said.
‘‘A good sports store should be able to offer some valuable advice and some can test your gait to determine the most suitable shoes for you.’’
There’s also clothing to consider.
‘‘There is a vast range of clothing available today, but generally lightweight and breathable is best for running as some can get quite heavy when wet from perspiration and/or rain,’’ Laurie added.
‘‘As you may be doing some of these sessions on quite cold mornings you may also require some lightweight gloves and/or a beanie.
‘‘And remember to wear visible clothing if running on roads during darkness.’’
Week one of the program will be published in the Riverine Herald — online and in print — on Monday.
