'Listen' to your body
Train weekly and gradually increase the distance. Listen to your body and slow your pace if necessary. If you have any doubts at all about your health and/or physical condition, consult a doctor!

Start slowly
When you set out on a challenge event, start slowly so that your muscles can warm up gradually. Increase your pace once your muscles have warmed up.

Eat and drink sufficiently
If you are going to walk, run or cycle more intensively, you must make sure to eat enough. People often eat too little and it is important to have enough energy to be able to enjoy the challenge. Eating a high energy snack during the challenge will also boost your energy levels for a while. It is also important to drink sufficiently. The amount depends on the weather (temperature and moisture), but you cannot walk, run or cycle a couple of hours on just two cups of coffee. Take water with you and drink regularly. In extreme heat, one litre per hour is quite normal.

Walk or run at different speeds and try to find an inner rhythm
If you already go for walks or runs and you want to improve your fitness, try to regularly walk at a faster speed before resuming your normal pace. If you do this more often, you'll see your normal pace speed up. If you feel tired, don't stop but instead simply slow your speed. You'll notice that you will start to feel better after a while. When you are walking or running alone, allow your thoughts to wander freely. You might also take some music (walkman or mp3-player) with you. Singing or thinking about music can set up a good rhythm as well.

Find a partner, but ignore pressure from other participants
It can be very pleasant to walk or run with a friend (provided he or she enjoys the same pace). This can help you to walk or run in a more relaxed way. Being in a group is highly convivial, but everyone has his or her own pace. If the group is too fast for you, don't feel pressurised to adopt this pace. After all, if you are going too fast, you will start to suffer after a few miles.

Look for attractive and varied routes: choose a winding road
Select a different route each time. For instance, try training in another area that you are not used to. You can also alternate between surfaced and unsurfaced roads, or between flat and undulating terrain. The big advantage of a winding road is that you won't have to stare down a long straight track that seems to go on forever, which can be very discouraging.

Take your time
Take your time for the challenge. Wearing a watch can make you feel pressurized to complete the event within a certain time span. This can have a negative influence on your pace. In any case, consciously take your time and if possible do without a watch.

Make a schedule
Jot down in your diary when and where you intend to train, who with, at what speed and over what distance. You can then look back at the distances you have done and see your improvement. It will also help you judge whether the amount of training miles you have done already will suffice.

Walk with a backpack and small ball or stick
Wear a backpack as this improves your posture when walking. You may prevent the swelling of your fingers during the walk by walking with a small ball or stick in your hands.

Rest in due time
When you start walking or running, it is wise to take rests in due time. However, don't sit down on the cold ground. Your muscles will cool down too quickly, causing stiffness. If your legs are feeling heavy, take time to stretch all your leg muscles. This will rest your muscles and once they have been stretched, your legs will feel better.

Last but not least
Make sure you get enough mileage into your training. If you want to vary your training and increase your distances try participating in other organised walks. Other national walking associations also have organized walks and routes on their websites. You may also inquire with the local walking association in your neighbourhood.

Training scheme
Walking, running or cycling a marathon challenge event like the Great Barrow Challenge requires thorough preparation. It makes good sense to build this up systematically to allow your body to get used to the exertion. This will help to avoid injuries and disappointment and makes training far more enjoyable.

Below you can find a suggested training schedule to help you build up gradually to the four days of the event. A recommended distance is suggested for every second week. However, you are advised to train every week. You can keep to the schedule below in terms of distance in the weeks that are mentioned. For the weeks in between you can decide for yourself how far to train.

Choose a distance that you feel comfortable with. For instance: if you found the last walk hard going and the final miles painful, it would be better to choose a shorter distance next time. This will help to prevent injuries. If, on the other hand, you found the last distance easy, then you can train the same distance again or perhaps even add an extra five miles.

Listen carefully to your body. If you think your body is asking you to go slower, then do so. Wait until your body has recovered before continuing the schedule. Remember, training should be fun!

Food & drinks

Food and drinks before and during a long march
- Eat a substantial breakfast around 1.5 hours before the challenge.
- Adopt a set eating pattern with enough added salt and suger. Drink regularly (water, tea or sport drinks): do not wait until you are thirsty.
- We strongly advise against the use of alcohol, stimulants and/or tranquilisers.

What to take with you?
- Food and beverages.
- Material to treat blisters.
- Vaseline, sunburn lotion and toilet paper.

Injuries?

Problems with your feet

Problems with your feet can severely limit your fun while walking or running. If your feet hurt while walking, we advise you to see a specialist. He or she can help you to prevent pain. Here are some tips:

- Take a cold foot bath every day. This will harden the skin of your feet.
- Take good care of your feet before you start training. Remove calluses, corns and dry skin. Cut the nails straight.
- If you suffer from soft feet treat them regularly with glycerine or spirits of camphor.

- If you suffer from sweaty feet, rub them with talcum or special feet powder before walking, but do not use too much powder.

Prevent injuries

- Do not start at a fast pace: your muscles should warm up slowly.
- Cramps in the calves can be cured easily by pulling the front of the foot with one hand towards the shin-bone and gently rubbing the calf with the other hand. At organised marches it is best to use the medical assistance available.
- Have regular rests but do not sit down on the cold ground. Your muscles will cool down too quickly, causing stiffness. If your legs are feeling heavy, take time to stretch all your leg muscles. This will rest your muscles and once they have been stretched, your legs will feel better.

Clothing and weather

Clothing

- Wear clothing that can be adapted to suit all weather conditions.
- If bad weather is expected (or possible) carry a spare pair of socks and other dry clothing with you.

Weather
Train in all weather conditions and take appropriate precautionary measures:

in extreme heat:

- Always cover your head and protect your neck from the sun.
- Drink a lot, between half a litre and a whole litre an hour if you can. Do not drink any alcohol.
- Take enough rest, preferably in the shade.

in the event of thunder or lightning:

- Seek shelter inside a (farm)house or other building.
- Do not stand under a tree or lamppost, as you will not be adequately protected.
- If you cannot find an overhead shelter, crouch down at the side of the road, preferably in a dry ditch or other low-lying area.
- Do not kneel or lie down at the side of the road, but sit down with your arms folded around your legs.
- When thunder and/or lightning comes closer, do not call with your mobile phone. A mobile phone may attract thunder and lightning.
- Remove iron items (such as large necklaces, bracelets or a backpack with an iron frame) from your body.

in the event of heavy rain:

- Do not walk with an umbrella. This may give cramps and is dangerous in the event of thunder and lightning.
- Wear cotton headgear in the event of heavy rain. This may somewhat prevent your body from cooling down.

Motivation

What is your motivation to do the Four Days of challenges? Think in advance about your true motivation to participate in the Four Days Challenges. This is very important in difficult times. Every person has moments in which thoughts to stop prevail. At these times, thinking back to the original motivation may help you get over it. Motivation can be:

- Task-oriented.
You want to break new ground, you are independent and do not care about other people's opinions. Your motivation is founded in improving yourself.

- Ego-oriented.
You are very competitive. You don't want to be second in anything. You tell others that you have walked the Four Days Challenges without any training (which hopefully isn't true). You are motivated by comparing your own performance with that of others.

- Group-oriented.
You are satisfied as long as you do things in your group or with your partner. Going alone, your motivation decreases. Your motivation is founded in supporting the group and being supported by it and you talk or sing each other through difficult moments.

Preferences
One way of staying motivated is to define targets. Seeing the whole Four Days Challenges as one long trek will discourage many a participant. It is a difficult and long route for which proper training is necessary.

It also helps to set yourself mini-goals during a training route, for instance places to take a rest or famous spots during the challenge. This prevents you from constantly asking yourself how long the challenge will take and how much miles you still have to go. These thoughts can cause you to feel more tired and disheartened.

What is your motivation to walk the Four Days Challenges?
Some people love to talk while walking. Other prefer to walk in silence or listen to music. Take your preferences into account before you get irritated by others. Feelings of irritation can influence your motivation negatively. They can also lessen your resistance and you will feel more pain and tiredness.