Comrades training - August 2010

Welcome to the August 2010 edition of the 2011 Comrades Marathon training programme.

Having made the decision to run next year's Comrades, you need to get your entry form in as soon as entries open, and then your Comrades 2011 will become a reality.  If you are a Comrades novice, you need to have an idea of the training that is required in the year ahead, and now is an excellent time to plan this.  This month's article will give you an overall picture of the training required.

The mileage below is an approximation of what is necessary to be adequately prepared for Comrades.  The mileage is dependent on the races on offer, and these vary from year to year.  In subsequent articles I will detail the exact mileage based on the races of that month, but this month's article should be used as a guideline for the year, highlighting the overall distances to be run and the monthly goals that need to be achieved.

But first the training:

The Novice runner:
What training does the novice runner do in August?  As a novice, be content just to get out there and continue to do three or four short runs a week.  Especially with the very cold weather we are experiencing at the moment, just maintaining a consistent three or four short runs a week is quite an achievement.  The weekly mileage for August will start with 13 km per week initially, and end up with 18 km per week by month end. All runs should be done at a comfortable relaxed pace - i.e. "a jog".

Goals for novice runners - August 2010:

1.  To run three to four times a week consistently
2.  To enjoy every run, and maintain a comfortable "jog" pace.
3.  To run an official 10 km road race by month end!
 

The Regular runner:

Once again, in the Gauteng region, there are lovely races on offer this month!  There is a half marathon almost every week, each with a 10 km alternative option.  As August is still part of the recovery phase after this year's Comrades, I would advise those of you who ran this year's Comrades Marathon to simply "tick over" nicely at around 25 - 30 km per week.

I would suggest running at least one of the Half marathons on offer, preferably leaving it till the end of the month. Running the Wanderers Joe Stutzen & Matthews Motshwarateu memorial race, is always a pleasant run from the Wanderers Club.

Other than that, I would mix & match your weekly runs, coming out on around 25-30 km (see daily training below).

Goals for regular runners - August 2010:

1.  To run 3-4 times a week consistently
2.  To build up towards, and run a "return to running" half marathon.
3.  Start to introduce a little "off season" speed training into your programme for some variety.
 

And now, the novice's entire year's training at a glance:

With Comrades having been run at the end of May this year, the year starts at the beginning of June.

Month 1.  June

Goals:
    1.  To put on your running shoes and go for your first run
    2.  To run around a flat, grassy field, for just 10-15 minutes each time.
    3.  Make a commitment to run regularly at least three times per week.

Total weekly mileage: 30 minutes (5 km), 40 minutes (6 km), 50 minutes (8 km), 8 km

Total Monthly mileage: 27 km

Road races:  None

Highlight of the month: To start training for next year's Comrades marathon
 

Month 2.  July

Goals:
    1.  To run three times a week consistently
    2.  To enjoy being out there "on the road"
    3.  To continue to build up towards your first "official" road race - a 10 km road race.

Total weekly mileage: 11 km, 13 km, 16 km, 16 km

Total Monthly mileage: 56 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x8 km

Highlight of the month: Your first 8 km road race - Discovery/702 Walk The Talk Fun Run
 

Month 3.  August

Goals:
    1. To maintain a steady mileage of 20 km per week.
    2. To complete your first ever 10 km  run.
    3. To enjoy each and every run, and to start believing that the 2011 Comrades marathon is a very real possibility.

Total weekly mileage: 13 km, 16 km, 16 km, 15 km, 18 km

Total Monthly mileage: 78 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x10 km

Highlight of the month: To your first 10 km race - The Wanderers 10 km
 

Month 4.  September

Goals:
    1. To run two further 10 km races.
    2. To build up the weekly mileage of between 20 - 25 km per week.
    3. To stay injury free.

Total weekly mileage: 20 km, 20 km, 20 km, 22 km

Total Monthly mileage: 82 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 2x10 km

Highlight of the month: none

Month 5.  October

Goals:
    1. To your first 15 km race, injury free.
    2. To build up the weekly mileage of between 20 - 25 km per week.
    3. To stay injury free.

Total weekly mileage: 20 km, 20 km, 22 km, 25 km

Total Monthly mileage: 87 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x10 km, 1x15 km

Highlight of the month: To run your first 15 km race
 

Month 6.  November

Goals:
    1. To run a 21 km race, and then the RAC Tough One - 32 km !!
    2. To maintain a weekly mileage of about 30 km per week.
    3. To stay injury free.

Total weekly mileage: 32 km, 33 km, 30 km, 42 km

Total Monthly mileage: 137 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x10 km, 1x15 km, 1x21 km, 1x32 km

Highlight of the month: Spring's Strider's 32 km road race - the "tough one"
 

Month 7.  December

Goals:
    1. To maintain a steady 35 - 40 km per week
    2. To gear yourself up mentally for the high mileage season, come Jan 1 2011
    3. To enjoy your running, stay injury free, and not put on too much weight during the holidays

Total weekly mileage: 32 km, 41 km, 35 km, 40 km, 35 km

Total Monthly mileage: 183 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x21 km, 4x10 km

Highlight of the month: None
 

Month 8.  January

Goals:
    1. To increase the weekly mileage to 45 - 50 km per week
    2. To run at least 5 days a week, nice and easy.
    3. To have one long run a week of at least 15 km

Total weekly mileage: 45 km, 46 km, 48 km, 49 km

Total Monthly mileage: 188 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 2x21 km, 2x15 km

Highlight of the month: None
 

Month 9.  February

Goals:
    1. To maintain a steady 55 - 60 km per week
    2. To comfortably finish your first 32 km race for the year
    3. To mentally prepare yourself for your marathon qualifier next month

Total weekly mileage: 59 km, 60 km, 54 km, 59 km

Total Monthly mileage: 232 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x32 km, 2-3x21 km

Highlight of the month: To run another 32 km road race
 

Month 10.  March

Goals:
    1. to get that Comrades qualification under your belt
    2. to maintain a comfortable 55 - 65 km per week building up to the Ultra marathon in April
    3. to remain injury free and run comfortably within yourself

Total weekly mileage: 67 km, 58 km, 58 km, 56 km, 63 km

Total Monthly mileage: 302 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x42 km, 2x21 km, 2x15 km

Highlight of the month: To qualify for the Comrades marathon by running a marathon (42 km)
 

Month 11.  April

Goals:
 1. to run an Ultra marathon
 2. to recover and then to run the second of three standard marathons
 3. to average about 60 - 70 km per week

Total weekly mileage: 68 km, 62 km, 68 km, 63 km

Total Monthly mileage: 261 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x50 km, 1x42 km, 1x21 km, 1x15 km

Highlight of the month: To run an Ultra marathon (56 km or 50 km)
 

Month 12.  May

Goals:
    1. To continue with the taper by running approximately 15 - 20 % less each week
    2. To get to the start line of Comrades as injury free as possible.
    3. To line up on the day well rested so that you are looking forward to the big day with anticipation.

Total weekly mileage: 40 km, 13 km, 90 km, 0 km

Total Monthly mileage: 143 km

Road race distances to be achieved: 1x90 km, 1x 10 km

Highlight of the month: To run the Comrades marathon

Now that you have seen what's required of you for the next year, focus on August's programme, keep fit and injury free, and enjoy your running.

See you in September  .....