Don Olivers Comrades Up-Run Training Program
Group 3: Comrades bronze medallists who want to improve their time to a sub-9 hour Bill Rowan medal
The very first job on the way to getting a Bill Rowan medal at Comrades is to concentrate on qualifying at the end of February in a standard marathon, in less than 3hrs 40mins for a C-grade seeding. Your chances improve immensely if you can do slightly better and run under 3hrs 20mins to get a B-grade seeding. A total distance in training and races between January 1 and June 15 of 1,500 km generally will be sufficient. This programme will include specific hill training for the up-run, and will also concentrate on steady state running of between 5,0mins/km and 5,5mins/km for the longer races.
A general pattern for the weekly training includes an 8 km time trial, one day hill training, two days steady state running, one race or club run at the weekend, and a well-earned rest day. During the training we concentrate on running faster than the 6,0mins/km required to get a Bill Rowan on the 86 km up-run. The longer the distance, the slower the speed is the rule. This also means the shorter the distance, the faster the speed. In each two-month training chart there are indicators for the target times at the shorter races and it will give you a very good pointer of your chances on Comrades Day.
This time of the year should be spent on running fast – mostly under 5 mins/km in training, apart from the recovery runs following weekend races and relaxed club runs on alternate weekends.
To practise running for prolonged times, at an effort level of 75% of your aerobic capacity, you have to develop a steady state condition in which the body can run nearly effortlessly for several hours. Start on two measured courses taking about 45 minutes to run and complete each course just on the edge of getting out-of-breath and tired. Record your time. Next time round, push a little bit harder and ease back to recover each time you get into the anaerobic or breathless condition. As soon as you recover, you speed up again. Within a few weeks your aerobic condition will have improved to such an extent that you will be running both courses at a faster speed for less effort. Two days per week should be used for this steady state running and the runs will be for 45 minutes, counting as 9 km in the training log.
One day must be used for specific hill training: 10 repetitions up a 300 m hill with a slow jog return and a 3 km warm-up jog and the same distance cool-down. The aim of a Bill Rowan medallist is to avoid walking up any part of the hills in training and races. Slow down and consolidate to preserve your energy. Pick up speed again on the flat sections and downhills. The weekly 8 km time trial is vital and should be run reasonably hard at between 35 and 36 minutes.
The final ingredient is to run very slowly on recovery days, slower than 6 mins/km, and to race only twice per month. The alternate weekend is a slow club run with stops. The important rule is to have a “hard day, easy day” routine to avoid fatigue and injury.
Part 1: January and February |
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Objective: To qualify for Comrades in a 42 km race in 3hrs 30mins. |
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Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
Week 6 |
Week 7 |
Week 8 |
|
W/c |
02/01 |
09/01 |
16/01 |
23/01 |
30/01 |
06/02 |
13/02 |
20/02 |
Mon |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
Tue |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
Wed |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
Thu |
Hills 8 km |
Hills 8 km |
Hills 8 km |
Hills 8 km |
Hills 8 km |
Hills 8 km |
Hills 8 km |
8 km |
Fri |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
9 km |
8 km |
Sat |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
10 km |
10 km |
6 km |
8 km |
42 km race |
Sun |
20 km |
21 km race |
25 km |
30 km |
25 km |
32 km race |
25 km |
REST |
Total |
62 km |
63 km |
67 km |
74 km |
69 km |
72 km |
67 km |
75 km |
Notes |
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Having obtained a B- or C-grade seeding, you can now concentrate on building up for longer runs both in training and races. This is the time to draw up a menu for the races during March and April, following the basic rules of only racing every other weekend, and aiming to do one more standard and two ultras in March and April. The Long Club Run will be the third ultra and will take placein May. Your racing strategy should be to avoid walking during any races up to 42 km, apart from an occasional drinks table or for the toilet. Your hill climbing ability must be monitored at the races and more effort put into training if there is any evidence of fading on the uphills. When designing a Pacing Chart for the marathons, include faster sections on the flat and downhill stages, keeping the effort constant throughout the whole race.
Part 2: March and April |
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Objective: To complete comfortably one standard marathon and two ultra-marathons in this nine-week period. |
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Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
Week 6 |
Week 7 |
Week 8 |
Week 9 |
|
W/c |
27/02 |
06/03 |
13/03 |
20/03 |
27/03 |
03/04 |
10/04 |
17/04 |
24/04 |
Mon |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
Tue |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
Wed |
10 km |
10 km |
10 km |
10 km |
10 km |
10 km |
9 km |
8 km |
9 km |
Thu |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Hills 9 km |
Fri |
10 km |
10 km |
8 km |
10 km |
10 km |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
Sat |
8 km |
8 km |
50 km race |
8 km |
8 km |
56 km race |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
Sun |
20 km |
30 km |
REST |
30 km |
40 km |
REST |
25 km |
42 km race |
25 km |
Total |
65 km |
75 km |
85 km |
61 km |
85 km |
91 km |
67 km |
83 km |
67 km |
Notes 2hrs 15mins and second half 2hrs 20mins. and second half 1hr 47mins (5,1mins/km). First half in 2hrs 37mins (5,6mins/km) and the second half in 2hrs 36mins (5,6mins/km). |
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At the end of April you should have completed 1,151 km in training and races since January 1. This is ideal because it is made up of quality mid-week training and carefully selected races with sufficient recovery time in between. You can expect to finish with about 1,500 km before Comrades, which will have you in peak fitness and strength without any overtiredness. It is of paramount importance to take the club runs between the races slowly, to recover from the heavy racing schedule. The final important run is the Long Club Run of 65 km in May. It is a gentle run, with stops, of about 7 hours. It brings to an end the long training runs and sets you up for the wind-down to Comrades.
Part 3: May and June |
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Objective: To complete the Comrades Marathon comfortably in 8hrs 50mins to win a Bill Rowan medal. |
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Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
Week 6 |
Week 7 |
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W/c |
01/05 |
08/05 |
15/05 |
22/05 |
29/05 |
05/06 |
12/06 |
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Mon |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
REST |
8 km |
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Tue |
8 km T/T |
REST |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
8 km T/T |
REST |
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Wed |
10 km |
8 km |
10 km |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
REST |
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Thu |
Hills 9 km |
10 km |
Hills 9 km |
10 km |
10 km |
10 km |
REST |
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Fri |
10 km |
8 km |
10 km |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
Comrades |
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Sat |
8 km |
8 km |
8 km |
5 km |
5 km |
5 km |
REST |
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Sun |
65 km |
32 km race |
20 km |
21 km race |
10 km race |
15 km |
REST |
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Total |
110 km |
66 km |
65 km |
60 km |
49 km |
54 km |
94 km |
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Notes the distance of the weekend runs. excited. Expo. |
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Get more details on all these training programmes from the Comrades Website www.comrades.com and click on Training.
Run the Comrades with confidence that you have trained thoroughly and correctly. You deserve to get your medal.