Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 119, June 2019 | Page 35

KALMER’S
CORNER
Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’s Blog
By Rene Kalmer
COMRADES TIME
I can’t believe we are almost halfway through 2019, and even though we haven’t really had winter in Gauteng yet,
I keep telling myself that the first month of winter training is done and dusted. May, June and July are the toughest
months for me to train, because it is cold, dark and lonely on the road, as most of my fellow runners are in deep post-
Comrades hibernation.
S
peaking of Comrades, it is
also that time of the year
where thousands of runners
flock down to Durban for the
annual run between Durban and
Pietermaritzburg. Congrats if you
have qualified for Comrades! You
have made the sacrifices and done
all the hard training. Now it is time to
enjoy the last bit of tapering and look
back on how far you have come.
It is also time to train your mind for
the struggle that you are going to experience en route to Pietermaritzburg. Although I
haven’t done Comrades yet – maybe in 2021, that sounds like a good idea – I would
like to share the strategies that I have used to run marathons and the shorter ultras,
now that I have completed the Om Die Dam and Two Oceans Marathons.
1. Believe in Yourself
It doesn’t matter how fit or strong you are, nor how much mileage or how many long
runs you have done, if you don’t believe in yourself you are destined to fail. I have
supported seven Comrades runs so far and I firmly believe that Comrades is all
about mental toughness on race day. I have seen so many runners wanting to give
up, but then digging really deep to reach the finish.
2. Print the Map
Print out the Comrades route map and pin it up where you can see it every day.
Memorise the place names... Cowie’s Hill, Fields Hill, Botha’s Hill, Drummond
(halfway), Inchanga, Cato Ridge, Camperdown, Umlaas road (highest point), Polly
Shortts, and of course, the Finish! Make notes of the hills, how long and how steep
they are. Make mental notes of similar hills you have conquered in your preparation.
3. Visualise Your Run
The map will also help you to visualise the run. The idea is to run the whole race in
your mind in preparation for race day. So close your eyes and imagine all the emotion
and excitement at the start line in Durban, with thousands of runners singing the
National Anthem in their running gear. Can you smell the Deep Heat?
You don’t have to go through the whole run at once, do it in sections. See yourself
comfortably ticking down the kilometres one by one in the early stages of the race.
See yourself reaching Drummond, soaking up all the excitement of the crowds to fuel
you for the second half of the race. Remind yourself that it is going to get harder the
further you go. Also remind yourself of runs that went really badly, because it is those
runs that make us stronger, and able us to push through when the going gets tough.
Picture yourself reaching Cato Ridge, with 60km done, and be mentally prepared that
people are going to tell you that you
are almost done, with “only 30km to
go.” Try not to swear at them or give
them the death stare. Trust me, it is
a long and exhausting day for the
supporters, too.
Also picture yourself reaching
Umlaas, the highest point of the run,
where you will have less than 20km to
go. At this stage of a run, I normally
divide the distance to go into 5km
parkruns, and then I only focus on
5km at a time. Then you will reach Polly Shortts and only have two back-to-back
parkruns left – and a monster hill, but it is the last obstacle – so just take it one step
at a time. Keep your eyes on the prize and visualise the finish. Can you hear the loud
cheers of the crowd and smell the grass of the Race Course? See yourself with the
medal around your neck.
4. Embrace the Pain and Suffering
You need to prepare yourself mentally for the discomfort you are going to
experience on the day. Rehearse your ‘self-talk’ and have your key words ready
when you experience pain
and discomfort. “I am fit, I
am strong, I am healthy, I
am blessed, I can do this.” It
is perfectly normal to doubt
yourself when the going gets
tough, and you are going to
question yourself more than
once – “Why am I doing this?”
– but that’s why they call it ‘The
Ultimate Human Race,’ and
why you feel like a superhuman
when you cross the finish line.
Good luck to all the Comrades
runners. I will be there along
the route to cheer you on,
because you are all heroes!
About the Author:
René Kalmer is a two-time Olympian, having represented SA in the 1500m at the
2008 Beijing Olympics and in the marathon at the 2012 London Games. She has
also won more than 40 SA titles in track, road and cross country at youth, junior
and senior level, in distances from 800m to the half marathon.
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