THE ULTRA GURUS

TAKING ON AN ULTRA requires both dedication and expertise. Here are three world-class experts to help you maximise your training, form and race-day mindset - and unleash the long-distance runner in you.

THE COACH

LINDSEY PARRY

Head coach at coachparry.com, Official Comrades Marathon coach.

Lindsey Parry has coached some of South Africa's top ultra competitors, and many hundreds more who were simply out to finish. Coach Parry - as he's known to many, through his work as official coach for the Comrades Marathon - has spent 15 years training, encouraging and supporting runners preparing for marathons and beyond.

And he has the running CV to back up his expertise: a marathon best of 2:45, 10 Two Oceans Marathons (including two silvers), six Comrades Marathon finishes (including three silvers) and multiple marathon finishes, including twice in Boston.

Since he began his role as coach for the Comrades Marathon in 2009, Parry has slowly changed the way South African runners train for long-distance events. But he was up against a lot of tradition.

In the past, distance and more distance was the not-so-secret solution for ultra success. But Parry, through his own experience and his background as a biokineticist, has learned that running more doesn't always equate to running better.

"The biggest mistake most runners make when training for an ultra is that they think they have to do so much more than they do for a marathon," Parry says. "A big jump in volume is simply not necessary." Parry keeps the training for both marathon and ultra-distance events very similar, except for a couple of slightly longer runs, since he believes consistency is way more beneficial than overdoing the distance.

Mileage of between 40 and 70km a week should be enough for most runners to ensure that they can finish an ultra marathon. "When you train for a marathon, your stock standard long run will be around 25km. That's the same for ultra-distance events, with maybe two or three runs in the build-up that are longer."