The 2013 Comrades is an UP run and we will therefore need to prepare physically for the challenge of COWIES HILL, FIELDS HILL and BOTHAS HILL – which all fall within the first 40km of the UP run.
By preparing physically for the challenge you will also prepare mentally for the task that awaits you in the second half of the UP run. If this is your first UP run, consider yourself a novice, where the down run is an exercise in patience and pain management, the up run is about managing fatigue and the gradual draining of strength from all the hills.
This programm is time based, so people of more experience and greater running ability will get relatively more out of the programme and progress faster. Time based programs also prevent you from settling on a route that you need to run faster every time you do it. It is also easier to maintain discipline and run easy on the easy days.
The Novice Project programmes are built around 4 days of loading and 3 days of recovery. Do not be tempted to do more as this will only compromise you later in the programme, leading to injury, illness and under performance in goal races.
Also note that training days are interchangeable, if your club has Time Trials (TT) on a Tuesday or Wednesday you can swap days.
Do not be tempted to add extra training days into the programme or to add in speed/hill work if none is provided for.
Comrades is not about how fast you can run!For example, to achieve a silver medal you must be able to run 5min/km for 7.5 hours and to be capable of that you should be able to run a 3 hour marathon (4:15.9 min/km). In other words it will not be lack of speed that costs you your goal medal on race day, it will have more to do with your ability to sustain a steady pace for 87km.
Coupled with this is the increased risk of injury during high intensity workouts.
In short: Stick to the programme.
Bronze Training Programme: February 2013
Recovery: 6:40-7:00
Easy running: 6:20-6:40
Long Runs: 6:30-6:45
Hill Repeats: 5:20-5:30
Time Trials:
4km 22:00
5km 27:40
8km 45:30
| Week Starting | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| 28 Jan | REST | 5km Time Trial to be run hard but not at 100% | REST | Jog 1hr15 easy, walking when needed | REST | Jog 1hr35 easy walking when needed | Run 2hrs45 easy walking when needed |
| 4 Feb | REST | Run 1hr15 easy, walking when needed | REST | Run 1hr15 easy, walking when needed | REST | Jog 1hr40 easy walking when needed | Run 3hrs easy walking when needed |
| 11 Feb | REST | Run 1hr15 easy, walking when needed | REST | Run 1hr15 easy, walking when needed | REST | Jog 1hr easy walking when needed | Run 2hrs easy walking when needed |
| 18 Feb | REST | Jog 40min easy, walking when needed | REST | Jog 45min easy walking when needed | REST | Qualifier or REST | Qualifier or REST |
| 25 Feb | REST | REST | REST | Jog 45min easy walking when needed | REST | Run 1hr easy walking when needed | Run 1hr30 easy walking when needed |
Download the PDF for February, here >>
Get the rest of the Bronze Medal medal training programme here >>
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Long runs: Die program sê bv: Saterdag 1uur 35min en Sondag 2uur 45 min
Kan ek die tyd saam tel en dit alles op EEN Dag oefen Of is dit beter om dit te “split” oor 2 dae soos jul sê?
Hi Saundria, it’s be better to split it over the two days rather than do it all at once. Regards, RW