Top tips from Rotorua Marathon champion, Michael Voss

17 November 2021

The 2020 and 2021 Rotorua Marathon champion Michael Voss shares his tips to all participants planning to compete in this year’s event.

Beginner tips

“My advice to anyone starting out on their Rotorua Marathon journey is first and foremost to find a group to train with. To have company on your run/walk helps with motivation and is more fun. I’d suggest doing this through an athletics club or through a local running group on Facebook.

“When training I’d also suggest finding interesting places to run. Don’t always just run from your house around the same block. Try to keep it interesting by finding a forest to run through or a lakeside or other waterfront location.”

Equipment tips

“For any Rotorua Marathon participant I’d say finding the right footwear is key. There are many speciality running shops out there, so I’d advise accessing them and getting a proper analysis on your running style to help identify the right shoe.

“It is important not to be guided by the colour or look of the shoe and far more on the feel of the shoe. I’ve been in store and recommended a pair of shoes, but if they don’t feel right don’t be tempted or pressured to buy them.

“Another important consideration is to wear the right socks. I’ve previously been caught out by running in heavier work socks which has caused blisters. Lighter more comfortable socks can help avoid this.”

Michael Voss crossing the finish line at the 2021 Rotorua Marathon

Summer training tips

“A large percentage of training time in preparation for the Rotorua Marathon will be done in the summer. With this in mind, hydrating well ahead of training sessions is vital. I try to drink heaps during the day and even take on board some electrolytes. During the summer I even plan my training routes around the water fountains so I can stop for a drink.

“Training in the summer I sometimes push back my evening run from 5pm to 7-8pm when the temperature is a few degrees cooler. It is also useful to try and train in more shady areas. I train a lot in the forest.”

Injury avoidance

“To help avoid injury it is important to be on top of shoe wear. As soon as your shoes feel a bit sloppy or worn out replace them. Running in old shoes can easily lead to injury.

“For any Rotorua Marathon participant it is important to build up training gradually. Don’t just commit to running 10km every day to begin with as racking up the miles too quickly can lead to body stress and potentially lead to injury.  To also reduce stress, try and mix up the training terrain to include a combination of road, trail and grass. Also, should you feel an injury coming on it is important to quickly address the issue. Don’t try and train through an injury as this will only make it worse.”

Pacing tips

“If you run every day at the same speed, you are simply using the same muscles and the same parts of the muscles and this can put a great stress on the body. Try mixing up the training speeds on and also introduce tempo and interval training into your regime. By training at different paces, it offers not only more variety in training but gives your body greater all-round conditioning. Training at different speed can then also work well during a race. You may be cruising in a race but if another athlete puts in a burst of speed, having trained your body to run at different speeds can help you react to this.”

Tapering tips

“It is important over the final week or so before race day to taper and rein in the mileage in order to be as fresh as possible for race day. I tend to knock 20 per cent off my weekly mileage in the final week or so of training. I find this can leave me feeling lethargic but by continuing to eat the same amount of food I typically would by race day I find I have the amount of energy to perform at my best.”

Race weekend tips

“If you are heading to the race venue the day before the race, I’d recommend grabbing your race pack and number on that day. If travelling on the day make sure you get there early to do this. The last thing you want is to be picking up your race number in a stressed state close to race time. For me, feeling relaxed on race day helps. I like to listen to listen to music and to see a familiar face to chat to.

“In terms of nutritional advice, it is important to do what works for you. I wouldn’t advise experimenting with new gels on race day, just continue to do what you have implemented as part of your training.

“During the race itself I’d say stick to the plan. In the marathon, for example, you might feel you are running too slowly to 20km but don’t become too excited. Remain committed to your pre-race plan because you want to still be feeling good when reaching 30-32km into the race.

“And most importantly have fun. The best races I’ve run is when I’ve felt relaxed and I was enjoying the experience.”