May 2010
Training Programme for Comrades 2010
CENTRAL GAUTENG PROGRAMME
NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW Where are we now? I
don’t want to frighten you but the countdown is now down to only 29
days to go. The favourite expression at the beginning of May, with the
Long Club Run out of the way and the 9 week hard training period put to
bed, is ”the die Is cast”. Whatever had to be done is done and what was
not done is forgotten. It we look at the training you have done it is very impressive. At the end of May your credentials will look like this.
This
is what we set out to do which was: 1400km of different programmes and
in the end they all met their target. In the total are two
standards and three ultras. I can assure you that you are well
prepared for Comrades and better equipped to get a medal than most of
the entrants lining up at the start. The die is cast in respect of the hard training runs but the important and frustrating wind down has to be controlled and trimmed to a safe landing in Pietermaritzburg at the end of May. The objective for this last stage of the training programme is simple, "To arrive at the start line at Comrades full of confidence, supremely fit and carrying no injuries and illnesses". At this stage it is worth repeating the objective for the finish of Comrades: “To finish Comrades tired but proud and feeling that you will do it again next year”. Depending when you did the Long Club Run you will all enter the wind down on Monday May 3rd. The wind down is to recuperate after 9 weeks of hard training during which time the body repairs all the worn and slightly damaged parts and restores all systems to a new never-attained-before state of superfitness. We have learned how to do the wind down by reducing the distance of the weekly kms run and also reducing the distance of the longest run each week. Whereas your peak training week was about 107kms that figure will diminish slowly to 66km to 57km to 39km and finally 16km over 4 weeks. The distance of the weekly long weekend run shrinks from 32km to 10km. Finally we always rest for at least three days before Comrades. The problem of handling the wind down is that as you start to reduce the training load it is replaced by abundant energy, absence of any ache or pain and a sudden disappearance of that abject tiredness that you have borne so bravely for over two hard months. The discipline needed is to follow the wind down and not to yield to the temptation of just going out to do a long hard run. Not all the wind down is so simple. Some runners are still battling with an injury and they must get expert professional advice at any expense and urgently. Any sign of a new niggle must be treated with rest, ice and physio assistance. It is not necessary to suddenly start running short hard speed work or track sessions. That is a sure way of getting a new injury. You just have to pamper yourself, miss a training run if you feel it might just start a cold or flu. There is a saying created by Bruce Fordyce that sums it all up: ”If in doubt-don’t”. There
are a lot of positive and creative things to do during wind down. All
your logistics for travel, accommodation and race plans must be
declared and discussed with all the interested parties like bosses at
work, wives and husbands, running mates and the family members who in
fact are your staunchest supporters. You have to design a race plan
which starts off with a sensible finishing time base solely on the
times at official races and accurately recorded kms in your log book.
There is no such thing as a lucky Comrades run. You will get precisely
what you are entitled to. The entitlement is based solely on your
preparedness before the race and your handling of the actual run on
Race Day. May Training Programme.The wind down is compiled for you in the May training programme. How you handle Race Day is based on your racing experience that you have developed from the races in your last 5 months. Only you can judge now how to judge your race pace early on in the event. It will be the longest distance you will have covered ever and therefore you must start off slowly to conserve your energy. Walk early for short distances at drinks stations for example. Walk part of the uphills and in the second half you can comfortably walk part of the downs. This must be part of the plan you make with your partner for the day. Secondly you must download your Pacing Chart from this site and laminate it. Pin it on the front of your shorts to act as a useful guide of your progress throughout a very long day. These charts are made from my Comrades experience and allows for the hills, both up and down and most important, a fatigue factor for the second half. You will need it! Here is your May training programme. Objective. To complete the 4 week wind down programme to allow you to start Comrades confident, well rested and fully fit. Total for May 2010 = 178km
Notes. 1. May 9th 2010 Colgate 32km, Boksburg 2. May 16th 2010 Gauteng Striders 21km, Johannesburg Thought for the month: "I have worked hard for this medal and I will make sure I get it” Click here for Don's Final tips for Comrades 2010 Reminder for all the C.G.Comrades runners. Comrades Panel Talks.2010. ”How to run the Down Run”. Monday May 3rd 2010 at 7.00 pm. Zoo Lake Sports Club,Westwold Way Parkview. Entry fee R40 Speakers: Bruce Fordyce - 9 wins Don Oliver - 19 medals. Dave Dixon - Chairman C.M.A. Barry Varty - 26 medals and Comrades Historian You will get Pacing Charts; Race day tips; History of the race and pictures of the course; Final information from Pietermaritzburg; Motivation for a successful run. Don Oliver Cape Town April 2010 Internal links: Pacing Charts; final tips; External links: Official Comrades Marathon website |
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Copyright
Nikki
Campbell 2010