Consistency in training is the key getting your legs ready for Comrades forward , and to guide runners to achieve their potential within the restrictions of their family , work and social life . ( Sidenote : There are several additional reasons for Comrades and Oceans to return to year-round qualification , and these have been alluded to in previous columns .)
I am also focusing on this now , in this March issue , because it is generally accepted that established club runners can commit nine to 12 weeks to focus on a goal event . Trying to commit to longer focused training programmes will tend to leave them either injured , or at the least both physically and mentally fatigued when they toe the starting line at Comrades . The elite athletes can stretch that to 16 weeks , but they usually don ’ t have full-time work commitments , and move into camps where they can train and rest three times a day , with little interruption from family , work or the other commitments faced by you and I .
The ideal date for you to step up training , from a minimal consistency , is between 19 March and 2 April , depending on your other life commitments . Your qualifier also plays an important role here :
• If you have a qualifier already : Then you can reduce ( not stop , unless injured or ill ) training for the next two to four weeks , which will allow you to commence the Comrades-specific training period with fresh legs and mind .
• If you have yet to qualify : Try to do so in the next two to three weeks , even if it ’ s a much slower time than you are capable of , as you will then have an almost full 10 days ’ recovery before you start building towards Comrades over the remaining period . This recovery is more critical than an extra week of training , as The Running Mann has shown .
Progressing to Peak Training
Peak training is when you are utilising the maximum amount of time in training , but in a way that allows you to fully recover each week . It is vital to remember that recovery is actually a training session , as it ’ s the training that breaks us down and the recovery that repairs us and makes us stronger ! So , poor recovery means going backwards , and actually getting weaker .
The maximum time that most club runners can afford to commit to training is 10 to 12 hours a week , and this still allows for recovery as well as handling work , family and social life . In short , and allowing for one day rest a week , this could be broken
The bottom line is that qualification had nothing to do with medical concerns , which is often touted as the reason for qualifiers being necessary these days , ostensibly to ensure that runners are fit and healthy enough to tackle the Comrades . It all related to traffic logistics
down to six hours ’ training during the week , and four to six hours on the weekend for peak weeks , which this year should be around 30 April to 21 May . Then from 21 ( or 28 May ) will be tapering to race day .
Peak distance is simply a product of average training pace times the number of hours . For example , a three-hour marathoner probably has an average weekly pace of around 4:20 to 4:40 / km ( allowing for balanced quality and endurance work ), which is around 13 to 14km / h , so can probably handle 130km to 165km per week . By comparison , a 4:50 marathoner will probably have an average training pace that allows a peak of 82km to 95km per week for a maximum of three weeks . Attempting to do more will overstress the systems .
This means starting on 19 March with around 40km to 45km a week , and gradually increasing by 10 % to 15 % each week , which will take the 4:50 marathoner up to their peak distance by the end of April . Again , a three-hour marathoner can ‘ switch off ’ until 19 March to commence with 50km to 65km as a first week . And remember , recovery is the session that rewards the consistent , focused runner ... and the biggest error is the mythical start to Comrades on 1 January .
Qualify early and get the peak training period right to avoid hitting the wall during the race
About the Author
Norrie represented Scotland and Great Britain in numerous ultra-distance events , then represented South Africa in triathlon . He is a World Athleticsaccredited coach and course measurer , and travels all over the world to work on events , including the Olympics . He has been appointed by World Athletics as Technical Delegate to a number of the world ’ s leading Label events in Africa , Asia and the Middle East . He has authored two books ( Everyman ’ s Guide to Distance Running and Every Beginner ’ s Guide to Walking & Running ), and counts 20 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultra-marathon medals , as well as multiple wins at distances from 100km to 1000km . You can read more from him at www . coachnorrie . co . za .
Images : Action Photo SA
28 ISSUE 157 | www . modernathlete . co . za