Comrades training - October 2012

Welcome to the October 2012 edition of the Comrades Marathon training programme.

Having run two 10 km races during September, it's time to "up" your game in October and run a 15 km race. This will be a good foundation for running a half marathon as well as a 32 km race in November.

Goals for Novice runners during October:

1. To run your first 15 km road race.

In the Gauteng area this year there is just the one 15 km race. This is the Sportsman's Warehouse East Rand Value Mall 15 km & 5 km, on Sunday 7th october.

2. To build up the weekly mileage to between 20 - 25 km per week.

During September you were averaging between around 20 km a week, this month there is just that slight increase to around 20 - 25 km weekly.

 3. To stay injury free.

Try keeping an even pace, without trying to introduce any speed running, in order to avoid an injury.  Make sure you warm up well before running and stretch well before and after each run. This will help to reduce your chances of developing an injury.

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

This is achieved by doing two 5 km runs during the week, and then resting on the Saturday and doing a longer run of 10 km or 15 km. For the ladies this works out well as there are three idea 10 km races in the last three weeks of the month.  For the men there are just the two 10 km races on the last two Sundays of the month.  See the table below for details.

Total Monthly mileage: 90 km

The total weekly mileage is slightly higher than last month.

Road race distances to be achieved: 2 or 3x 10 km, 1x 15 km:

As mentioned above, the ladies have that extra race available to them on Sunday 14 October, that being the Spar Ladies' 10 km Challenge.

This year sees the Southgate mall 15 km race changing it's sponsor and distance to become the Josi South Half Marathon 10 km and 4 km fun run.  Please note the change of venue to the Apartheid Museum, Gold Reef City, and the new starting time of 7 am.

Highlight of the month: To run that first 15 km road race

This month sees us doing our first 15 km race, the Sportsman's Warehouse East Rand Value Mall 15 km.

Here is a summery of the whole month for the novice runner:
 

And now,

The regular runner:

Goals for regular runners - October 2012:

    1. To maintain a steady 35 - 40 km per week.
    2. To run a half marathon, two 10 km races and one 15  km race.
    3. To stay injury free.

The mileage stays below 40 km per week (ideally 35-40 km per week), as we ease our way into summer.  I firmly believe that as a 11 - 12 hour Comrades runner, you need to run a maximum of about 40 km a week in the off season, (which we are in at the moment), and to only start pushing the weekly mileage come 1st January 2013.

Week 1: Sunday 7 October is the  Sportsman's Warehouse East Rand Value Mall 15 km & 5 km

Week 2: Sunday 14 October is the Spar Ladies' 10 km Challenge for the ladies.  The men should simply have a club run of a similar distance.

Week 3: Sunday 21 October is the Josi South Half marathon 10 km & 4 km fun run.

Week 4; Sunday 28 october is the Diepkloof Half Marathon 10 km and 5 km race.

During the last two weeks in October I would suggest doing one of the half marathons, and then doing the alternative shorter option of a 10 km run on the other Sunday.