“Running pushes me to exceed my limits.”

Can you introduce yourself to our readers…

I am Tychique Ngalasssa, personal sports coach & trainer from Kinshasa.

What do you like about being a sports coach?

I like pushing my students to surpass themselves, until they achieve good results on the objective that we have set at the beginning together. This is a success for me.

What role does running play in your overall workout routine?

Running pushes me to exceed my limits, each time I run, I always set myself a new goal, f.i. to run more km. Also running allows me to strengthen my cardio.

How long have you been running?

It will now be 7 years, since I started running seriously.

What are your favorite places to run in Kinshasa?

I really like running on Boulevard Tshatshi, because it's pretty calm and I'm more concentrated.

What was your motivation to run the XXL Energy Congo River Half-Marathon in June?

Before the Half Marathon that I ran in June 2021, I collapsed and became unconscious during a 10K Run just a few meters from the finish line. This had affected me a lot, but instead of staying on the ground I got up. I learned from this failure by the way of running and this knowledge gave me courage to do the Half Marathon this year.

How are you preparing physically and mentally?

I run 3 times per week before the competition and I increase the number of KM at each race during the week. I also follow a balanced diet so that I don't get too heavy or get bloated when running. And mentally, I imagine myself running with opponents faster than me.

What's the hardest part of training for a long distance run?

It’s when you have to maintain the speed and manage the breath for minutes to keep the same level of racing or increase the speed.

What is important before, during and after the race?

Before the race, it is necessary to focus on diet, to eat foods rich in carbohydrates. During the race, it is not necessary to rush to run too fast, as the body must first adapt to follow a progressiveness. After the race you have to rest, eat and evaluate the result in relation to the objective.

What advice do you have for those starting to train for a future race?

To train every week, push the body to work harder, eat well, sleep a lot, and improve with each training session.