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CENTRAL GAUTENG PROGRAMME
Where are we now?
There
are 181 days to go for Comrades 2010. Just about 6 months. Hope you had
a hard but successful run at The RAC Tough One and reached the target
of 3 hours 12 mins.
December
is always a difficult month for Comrades runners. It is holiday time
and either you do too much or too little. If you do too much you
will arrive tired at the start of your serious training programme in
January 2010. If you do too little and lose a bit of fitness and put on
a little weight you will start January 2010 very much out of shape to
start a serious training programme. My advice is clear. Keep up
regular running as detailed in the programme. If you go away on holiday
don’t fall into the trap of using your extra free time to run excessive
mileage on tough unfamiliar routes. December is holiday month to enjoy
and relax with family and friends and start up in January rejuvenated
and eager.
It is the time of the year also to share with you the overall plan for Comrades training.
Overall run 1400km from January 1st 2010 to May 29th 2010. Include two standard marathons and three ultras in that total.
The timing schedule is: Phase 1. Build up to a standard marathon and qualify at Deloitte Pretoria Marathon 42km on Saturday February 27th 2010. = 8 weeks.
Phase 2. Hard training into the ultras (including Two Oceans 56km) until May 2nd 2010 = 9 weeks.
Phase 3. Wind Down untl May 29th 2010 = 4 weeks.
Total Comrades training = 21 weeks.
The
importance of sharing the overall plan with you is to give you
direction and to know where you are going. This assists you in
making all those many decisions that you have to face on a personal,
family and work basis.
In
December you must maintain your level of fitness which is currently
very high after the 32km race. You must have two weeks recovery running
which will be low kms and low speed running. This month the longest run
must be 25km and you can run two training runs like that at a gentle
club running speed of about 6,5mins/km. Have frequent stops on
these two long runs this month and drink well in the heat wherever you
are. You
are heading for a 21km race in January at a relatively fast speed plus
a run of 30kms to prepare for the 32kms in early February as part of
the qualifying build in Phase 1.
December
is the time to book accommodation for Comrades and I advise you stay in
Pietermartzburg the night before Comrades. The road trip up from
Durban very early on race day can be nerve wracking. Book air flights
for those going that way and remember World Cup fever will be building
up at the end of May. Those of you who are lucky enough to get a
Christmas bonus should buy another pair of their long distance running
shoes to carry you through the heavy distances in April and May.
Look ahead and plan to have a just run–in pair ready for end of
May.
This
is the time to make your official commitment to running Comrades.
Here is the commitment card for you to sign, cut out and display
at home to remind you, when you have any fleeting thoughts of missing a
training run or not go to a road race. Show your family and
colleagues at work.
Comrades 2010 Commitment card
I am fully committed to run and finish the 2010 Comrades marathon.
Signed…………………………………………
Date………………..
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Here is your December training programme:
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | w/c | 30/11/09 | 07/12/09 | 14/12/09 | 21/12/09 | 28/12/09 | Monday | REST | REST | REST | REST | REST | Tuesday | 8km | 8km | 8km | 8km | 8km | Wednesday | 8km | 8km | 8km | 8km | 8km | Thursday | 10km | 10km | 12km | 10km | 5km | Friday | 8km | 8km | 8km | Christmas Day | New Years Day | Saturday | REST | REST | REST | REST | REST | Sunday | 15km | 25km | 25km | 15km | 15km | Total | 49km | 59km | 61km | 41km | 36km |
Total monthly kilometres for December 2009 = 246km (5 week month equivalent to 197km for a 4 week month.)
Note. December 16th 2009. Wobblers and Wigglers Hat Race. 8km Pirates. Greenside. Thought for the month “I will enjoy Christmas and look forward to the New Year”
Don Oliver Cape Town November 2009
External links: Official Comrades Marathon
website
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