March 2010
Training Programme for Comrades 2010
WESTERN PROVINCE PROGRAMME
Where are we now? This is the beginning of Stage 2 of the Comrades training programme and is entitled “The Hard Training Period” or “Into the Ultras”. There are now only a bare 89 days to go to Comrades. Less than 3 months and at this stage we are all feeling elated but slightly tired after the qualifying marathon at Peninsula. Some have delayed the pleasure and will be going away to Cango on February 27th. Either way, we all arrive at the beginning of the Hard Training Period of nine weeks until May 3rd 2010. In this session we enter the world of the ultras, which is just for you. To become a successful Comrades runner. You have to adjust to the longer time on the road for the training runs which will now go up to 50kms compared with the 36kms you did in January. This follows the careful plan of going further by biteable bits and chewable chunks. You have gradually built up your long runs in almost imperceptible increases from 21km - 30kms - 36kms - 42kms and now heading for another small step to 50kms. The other feature of the programme has been the time span used, to avoid doing too much too soon. You spent a very wise and cautious 8 weeks building up to the 42km standard marathon and now you will get to a king sized 56km at Two Oceans ultra marathon on Saturday April 3rd 2010. The gap between Peninsula (February 21st 2010) and Two Oceans (April 3rd 2010) is a sensible 6 weeks. What will we be doing for the first 4 weeks during March? First
of all as we build up to an ultra, you must avoid at all costs suddenly
making big increases in weekly kms or the length of the weekend
runs. Furthermore we say the P.B. season is over now until
September 2010. The golden rule to become a successful ultra
marathoner is: "As the distance increases, the speed decreases”.
What a welcome relief to run slower at all the runs. You build up
endurance and stamina by running regularly and slowly. In the 9
week heavy training period you must follow the guideline of “easy week”
followed by "hard week”. It is up to you to slightly adjust the
effort you put in each week. Each and every week is different;
for example after Peninsula 42km you have a slow gentle week to recover
while still running each day and the week of the weekend of March 6th
or 7th you pick up to a 42km or 50km. You follow that again by an
easy week. It is not difficult to do because naturally the body gets
tired and automatically slows you down. The total weekly kms
during March of 286km/296km will not be much different from February
which was 254 km. This programme does not ask for huge build up
in kms each month but rather how you allocate those kms. Look at
the March programme and you will see that the long runs are now 42km to
50km compared with 30km to 36km in January. My experience has
been that the ideal preparation for Two Oceans is a standard marathon
and one ultra of 50km. The
other aspect of March training is the weather change and the onset of
tiredness. The days are getting shorter and cooler. The training is
increasing. Put the two together and you might start feeling a
bit tired during the training runs and even during the day. This
is what Comrades is all about. You must expect some hard effort
and discomfort to get the reward of a Comrades medal. Adjust your
mind to enjoy the involvement. Take some type of supplement of
multivitamins, recovery drinks and carbohydrate rich diet to help you
along. You may well have to get to bed earlier for a couple of
months to rest thoroughly. Be more aware when running in the dark
to avoid falling over and accidents from motor cars. Dress
warmly and have reflective clothing and belts and even a flashing light
will help. The heavy training period is accompanied by a bigger load on your running shoes. Regularly check for wear and loss of support and cushioning. Worn shoes lead to an injury which is one thing you are trying to avoid at all costs. The FHAC committee has asked me to emphasise that the 50km Smitswinkel training run on March 6th 2010 will be limited to FHAC members only because the Annual Navy Festival takes place in Simonstown over that weekend which attracts 10's of thousands of visitors. There is a potential danger to runners with the additional traffic to the area. There is of course the very attractive Weskus 42km marathon at Langebaan on Saturday March 6th 2010. Here is your training programme for March 2010. Objective. To run a 50km training run in less than 6hours.
Total km for March 2010 = 288km/296km Notes: March 6th 2010 - Seeff Weskus Marathon 42km Langebaan. Thought for the month. "Beyond the marathon - that’s my country”. Don Oliver Cape Town February 2010 Internal link: Running shoes, External links: Official Comrades Marathon website |
Copyright
Don Oliver 2010