2009 Comrades
Training Programme
 |
NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW Where are we now? Click link below for DON'S MAY 2009 TRAINING PROGRAMME “MAKE SURE OF YOUR MEDAL” An Introduction BY DON OLIVER - 19 MEDALS Nothing
can be worse than training 6 months for Comrades and failing
to finish.
Not quite so bad but close to a failure is missing your target Comrades
finishing time. Selecting a training
programme is a traumatic
experience because you are not always able to determine the success
rate of the particular programme.
The programmes
shown here have been
used with huge success over more than 20 years, coming from the well
known Comrades Panel Talks in Johannesburg. It has been estimated that
more than 6000 runners have earned their first medal as graduates of
these talks and a few hundred Bill Rowan medals more recently.
The programme uses a technique of achieving reasonable monthly targets and progressing to only a slightly higher target the next month. “Success breeds success” and once the runner enjoys the satisfaction of achieving each fresh target, they easily reach their target time at the longest race of the year at Comrades. Although the programme is presented primarily for a first time finishers of Comrades, notes are attached at the end of each section of the faster times required for a Bill Rowan medal. The programme starts in November 2008. A Comrades training programme starting in January each year falls into 3 distinct phases. For this year 2009: Phase 1: To
qualify in a standard marathon (8 weeks) on 22nd February
Phase 2: Hard training period of Ultra marathons. (10 weeks) until Long Club Run. (4 Hills for Lindsay 56km) on May 3rd. Phase 3: The wind down or taper to Race Day (May 24th). (3 weeks) Total training time: 21 weeks. Basic design. The fundamental principal used throughout the whole programme is to proceed gradually by “biteable bits” and “chewable chunks”. The progression at each stage is so small that it is almost insignificant but over the weeks it adds up to incredible steps. The small increments are the basis of the training to avoid injury and illness which can bring vital preparations to a complete halt for various lengths of time, depending on the severity of the problem. To avoid setbacks is probably the foundation of any programme. Secondly because the time spent training for the big event is a long period of 6 months it is vital to know how progress is being made. At any particular time within the programme, be it half way through or even only four weeks before the race, you must know where you stand. "Am I on schedule?” is the burning question. To do this, there are regular “indicators” included which is normally a race performance at a shorter distance. Reach the relatively easy target and get an immediate confidence booster! Thirdly, the total distance to be run in the training and races between January 1st 2009 and May 24th 2009, is approximately 1400kms. More important is how the 1400kms is made up and it includes a qualifying standard marathon (42kms) and three ultra marathons (50kms, 56kms and another 56kms), with the longest training run being 56kms. This huge amount of running is only made possible by one important feature, "Rest Days”. You will find that although the training intensity steadily increases, the Monday rest day is never removed. The body needs some rest and it is never clever to cancel the rest day to put in some extra training or to catch up on a missed run or race. Let’s start off . . .
Don Oliver. Cape Town October 2008. ARCHIVE: Don's November 2008 Training Programme Don's December 2008 Training Programme Don's January 2009 Training Programme Don's February 2009 Training Programme Don's March 2009 Training Programme Don's April 2009 Training Programme Key words: Comrades Marathon, trainining programme, ultra marathons Internal links: Down run, qualifying marathon, External links: Official Comrades Marathon website, Four hills for Lindsay 56km long training run |
Copyright Don
Oliver 2008