Paddling to victory: Christie McKenzie's Dusi secrets
Stacey, J Sbu and Nick Tatham caught up with three-time Dusi champ Christie McKenzie.
The Dusi Canoe Marathon is just around the corner, and we're getting pumped!
To give us the lowdown on this epic sporting event, we invited three-time K1 women's Dusi champ Christie McKenzie to join Stacey, J Sbu, and Nick Tatham in studio.
McKenzie dished out the dirt on how she prepares for this gruelling race.
"I train twice a day," she revealed. Yep, you read that right – twice!
"It really helps with the stamina part of things," she added.
McKenzie also spilt the beans on her heat training secrets.
”There’s lots of heat training. Obviously, it is absolutely sweltering hot in Tuzi Valley. Training with thermals on, keeping really warm,” she explained.
She also does a lot of cross-training, which includes running and paddling to boost her stamina.
What's the most challenging part of the Dusi?
For McKenzie, it's Inanda Dam – her arch-nemesis.
"Day two is a 46km race. You've already raced day one, so you're tired, your legs are sore... it's mentally challenging," she admitted.
In terms of keeping it all together and ensuring she gets through the race, McKenzie's got a secret motivator – her little brother Hamish.
"He shows so much grit, so much tenacity. I draw a lot of inspiration from him," she gushed.
What about advice for first-timers?
"Do your pre-races!" McKenzie said. "Your pre-races are your 50 milers, Inanda Dam to Durban. They're basically shorter races on the Dusi route that allow you the opportunity to see the river. You can get incredibly lost in the Dusi valley if you don't know where you're going."
The Dusi Canoe Marathon is set to take place from 20 to 22 February this year.
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