When #TeamRed athlete and Biogen Face of Fitness finalist Gloria Ngcobo isn’t in the gym, you’ll likely find her running the streets around Cape Town, training to complete her second Comrades Marathon.
While simply finishing the world’s longest and oldest ultramarathon is a significant feat, Gloria is chasing an even more auspicious distinction this year – the coveted back-to-back medal.
Established in 2005, the medal is awarded to novice runners who complete a race in both directions in consecutive years – the race direction alternates between the 87km uphill course starting in Durban and the 90km downhill course starting in Pietermaritzburg .
What makes it special is that runners only have one chance to win the medal, which means the pressure is on to complete the daunting course.
In pursuit of this rare achievement, Gloria will join 20,000 other passionate runners as they set off from Durban at 05:30am. on June 9, 2024.
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Hooked on running
Only Gloria started running in 2023 as part of her “new year, new me” resolution.. “I jumped into running with a 10K race, and boy, I didn’t die! That’s when I started training with runners who were preparing for the Comrades.”
Gloria’s enjoyment and passion for the sport has grown as it creates a positive mental space for her and allows her to focus on her fitness rather than obsessing over her physique. “I love that aspect of the sport!”
Since completing her first 10km race, Gloria has developed a love for the distance. “Just enough to keep me going without those voices in my head asking me, why am I doing this?” She has since lowered her PB to an impressive 54 minutes.
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Conquering Companions
As her training progressed and her confidence grew, Gloria decided to enter the 2023 Comrades marathon. “The community and the challenge of reaching the goal drew me to the race.”
Running in the colors of the Kearsney Striders, Gloria overcame the toughest physical challenge of her life to win her first medal.
“My first Comrades marathon was life changing and my biggest running achievement. Enduring pain and succeeding created so much growth for me. Running has changed my life in so many ways. It showed me how capable I am and taught me to stand up for myself and study the desires of my heart.”
With this as motivation, Gloria is determined to conquer the up run in 2024. “Completing my first run and chasing my back-to-back medal means more growth for me, which is why I committed to achieving this ambitious goal.”
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Match preparation
In preparation, Gloria does two 10km training runs during the week and one longer run on the weekends, aiming to exceed 20km. She increases her weekly mileage as race day approaches.
“I follow the training program provided by the Comrades marathon when you join and Combine this with strength training and electro-muscular stimulation (EMS) to strengthen my legsrehabilitate an old knee injury and reduce my risk of future injuries.”
Gloria also includes upper body strength training to maintain balance in her physique and rest her tired legs.
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Powered for success
Gloria fuels her training with a diet that contains lots of protein to support recovery and carbs for energy.
She supports her diet with a comprehensive supplement program that includes a range of Biogen health and athletic performance products, using Biogen Carbogen on the carbo load before the races and Biogen Electrolyte+ to support optimal hydration and Biogen Cytogen for energy during training and matches.
“Biogen Carbogen carbo loader is my favorite supplement. It’s a slow release fuel that sustains me like I’ve had a meal, I love it!” says Gloria.
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Gloria’s Daily Biogen Supplement Stack:
Current wisdom
Since starting her running journey, Gloria has learned a few things from her training and the races and runners she meets along the way.
“The important factors for successful running are: get enough rest and slowly increase your mileage,“, she explains.
“However, the most important lesson I have learned is to literally do it! I ran my first race in lifestyle sneakers because I had no running shoes. If I had let that stop me from running this race, I wouldn’t have started my journey to medal back to back Comrades! So, just start with what you have and don’t let excuses stop you from achieving your goals.“
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sports or health and fitness, Pedro is most likely out training for his next marathon or ultramarathon. Worked as a fitness professional and marketing and comms specialist. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
