Don Oliver's September 2009 training programme for Comrades 2010

“Where are we now?” It is 271 days to go. Spring has arrived bringing in another road racing season and the beginning of the long road for you to a Comrades medal in 2010. It will be a special year and a special race. It is the 85th anniversary of Comrades marathon and it is in World Cup year, which all adds up to a place all ultra distance road runners will want to be. Those runners who already have run Comrades can enter this month starting 1st September until 31st October but the novices have to wait until November 1st to enter. Those entries close on 30th November. At this stage it is the time to think about entering and looking at the commitment required. The training and time requirements from January 2010 add up to 6 days/week and starts off with about an hour a day and 2 hours on the weekend for a race. You will get more details next month, October, and that will be the time to make your decision to run without any further delays or “waiting to see until….”

I have always been a believer in doing mini races for the big races are that are coming up later. Your first big race will be the RAC Tough One 32km on November 22nd 2009. To do that the mini races will be a couple of 21kms races where you will practice the race preparation and the tactics on the race day. This month September we will be only running a 10km race followed by a 15km race. Both of these races will have a target time: 60mins for the10kms and 93mins for the longer 15km race. A target is a target and it is just as bad to be too fast as too slow. You must get familiar with pacing your races. The 10kms is right on 6,0mins/km and the 15km race will be 6, 2 mins/km. Get used to your pace in the mid week training runs where you must use your stopwatch and a route measured by your motor car odometer.

Last month you were training 2 days/week plus a long run on the Sunday. This month you must fit in first of all 3days/week plus Sunday for a longer run or race moving up to 4days/week plus the long run on Sunday. Last month your longest run was 10km and this month you build up to 15km. This is the secret of training for Comrades, a gradual increase each month so that you hardly notice the increase in distance. It is kind and friendly to your body this way and avoids injuries and sickness. You don’t have to look for special routes because most of the suburbs have their fair measure of hills. It is getting warmer now so have a water stop along the route at a garage or garden tap. You have to drink in the races so get used to it on the training runs. The pattern for the week includes a slightly longer run on a Thursday which is the right way to train for Comrades. Get into this habit which will stay with you until Comrades in May next year.