Ultimate Comrades

Category: 5.Training

  • The taper idea

    The taper theory Having built distance into the legs and reaching the  peak mileage week, the next and last phase of Comrades training is the taper. The idea of the taper is to lessen the weekly distance run (mostly the long run of the week) while  increasing the intensity of running, so that the effort-demand stays…

  • The longest week done

    Comrades Training Theory The short version of  the theory of the distance part of Comrades training is this: Starting with what you can cope with in January run weeks of increasing mileage so that first 10 weeks average is rounghly 10% less than the second 10 weeks average with a once a week long run…

  • The longest week

    So it begins … The only way really to simulate the demands of Comrades without running it and without breaking down:  The highest mileage and hardest work week, at the end of 4 weeks of increasing mileage and effort work. My target is the Comrades run distance of  87 km. There are still 5 days to…

  • Pushing the limits

    Peak Distance Weeks The idea of Comrades training is always to push your running limits closer of the demands of the run, even to meet the demands if we can. Running lots to make you stronger, without breaking you down. My plan is always to build to a peak-distance week 3, preferably 4 weeks before…

  • Reaching my limits

    I must be getting to my limits. I’m not sleeping right. I go to sleep early to get a proper sleep and wake, after 4 hours feeling awful but unable to sleep again Nor am I eating right. I pick at food, eat junk and less healthy food because its easier and don’t make sure…

  • Rest day

    Don’t know if I like rest days. Part of me says “Run … just a bit”. Most of me restlessly rests. I get up at the same time as running days anyway. Sleep just isn’t a comfort thing. Or more accurately, my comforts don’t need to sleep – but that’s another story. The real me…

  • Two Oceans Marathon 2013 – after the run

    Two Oceans 2013 – the experience As always being part of a great event is enriching. Two Oceans has the great South African ultra razzmatazz: big field of runners, screeching loudspeakers,  anticipation, seeing old friends – always a treat at the start, during the run and after; the count down, squash up of bodies in…

  • So … the last two months

    After the long training run Because I live in Cape Town, the Two Oceans Marathon is my long training run for Comrades. Razzmatazz and a medal for a training run is great. Because the 56 km Two Oceans is on Easter Saturday the date moves around and the gap between Two Oceans and Comrades changes.…

  • Two Oceans Marathon

    So the long training run for Comrades I’ve been taking this Two Oceans thing quite seriously: tapered, carbo-unloaded (eaten less because I am running less); goodness this morning I jogged just over 1 km down to the gym, gym-cycled 20 min, jogged the 1 click home, to keep moving, flushed and primed. Just as well…

  • Four days before the long run

    Here come the old, not-too-wrinkled vigour boys, well this one anyway; and for ~5 km this morning, anyway too. The first 5 are always easy. It’s just the other 55 to worry about for Saturday’s Two Oceans. Actually the first 20 km and hopefully probably the first 40. It just the last part that’s hard.…