Martin splits up his training week by doing an easy walk followed by strength training on Mondays and Thursdays, a workout on Tuesdays and Saturdays and a long walk on Sundays and Wednesdays.<\/p>\n
He said it can be difficult to manage while studying, but the university is understanding.<\/p>\n
Martin, 21, is completing an internship in Whanganui for his civil engineering degree. Photo \/ Fin Ocheduszko Brown<\/p>\n
Martin enjoys the technical challenge of race walking the most, referencing the difficulty in making sure one foot is on the ground at all times, with the leading leg straightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the later stage of a 20km, your knees might feel like they are not completely rocking, but what is actually happening and what you are feeling is completely different,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you lose feeling, you have just got to hope that what you\u2019re doing is what you\u2019ve trained.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin returns home to Whanganui for semester breaks, helping Athletics Whanganui with officiating.<\/p>\n
He said the sport of race walking has a small community where everyone knows everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got good depth at the moment; there are definitely a lot more young walkers nowadays,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe times we walked at New Zealand Champs was the first time in 25 years that more than two walkers had gone under 1h 40m for the 20km in one race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin is the oldest of the three senior men\u2019s half-marathon team, with Cropp aged 20 and O\u2019Rorke, 19.<\/p>\n
Martin will focus on adapting to the heat over the next 10 weeks \u2013 Brasilia in April averages 25-30C.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m feeling pretty good; the heat is something that I\u2019ve never raced well in, so I\u2019m going to focus on heat adaptation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be really good, I like a challenge because it\u2019s something to knuckle down on and work on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin hopes to promote the sport and follow in the footsteps of New Zealand race walkers Alana Barber<\/a> and Quentin Rew<\/a> on the world stage.<\/p>\n \u201cMy goal is totally to qualify for the Olympic Games \u2013 if I work hard enough, then surely it is on the cards,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to get my degree, and then I can focus solely on it.\u201d<\/p>\n Martin needs to self-fund his trip to Brazil, which is expected to cost around $6500.<\/p>\n