Oh my goodness I can’t believe I’ve rediscovered this blog! Seriously life has been so hectic between address changes, training, football and the odd event that it hasn’t been until now that I’ve been compelled or able to write something about the return to South Africa in just over 2 weeks time. I’m sure I’ll give an update on a couple of the race weekends soon enough as a lead in to the big day which is precisely 21 days from the time of writing.
At this time it’s time I played Santa Claus, no not to give presents to all the kids out there 6 months too early, but to make a list and check it twice of what I need to bring and do before it’s go time. Just about everyone of the 20000 projected starters will have some sort of list, but mine is as public as anything is going to get. This list may be handy if you’re planning to do an event overseas (not necessarily Comrades, but perhaps something like Boston or New York) or even if you’re travelling to a big event as many runners tend to do.
THE LIST
– Running Shoes
The clogs I’m trusting on race day
Purchased after the Canberra Ultra, my new clogs have been worn in and even used at the Wings for Life run in Melbourne at the start of May. As is my custom I’m not planning to wear them in the last week before Comrades, the fear of a blow out or other failure is too high.
– Timing Chip
Unlike most events these days the chip for Comrades is attached to the shoe, and I cannot obtain my race numbers in Durban without it (or I’ll need to waste time and money obtaining a new chip, for each chip is designed to be attached to one person and one person only). This will likely be the first thing to be packed in the big suitcase as for me behind the passport it will be the most important item for me to remember to take. I’ll probably attach the chip to the laces before going to sleep the night before in the motel room.
– Running Clothing
I have purchased new running shorts which I would like to test out before departure, as well as wearing the same singlet I wore last year with the addition this year of Australian badges being sewn on the front and back. The sewing is on the to do list for this week, getting them straight though is harder than anticipated. I also have 3 fresh pairs of socks given I like wearing a new pair of socks where possible for big runs (even if it goes against some advice not to try anything new on race day). Hopefully I’ll be able to buy a cheap pair of sunglasses either in Melbourne. Singapore or Durban to run in, and like last year the cap included in the race pack will probably go on backwards over a visor on top. I’ll probably also wear an older jumper for the start in Pietermaritzburg with will likely be discarded either at the start or shortly after, hopefully someone less fortunate will get as much use out of it as I did.
One of the badges to be attached is now on, the other on the back is still to come.
– Travel Documents
My Passport is on top of the bag I intend to use, the itinerary will probably be the last thing I print out before departing my home base. I’ll probably also print out copies of my accommodation bookings which I don’t often do these days for domestic travel.
– A new Phone
Given that I’ve had my current phone for 13 months I feel I need to buy a replacement, and Tuesday I should be able to get a phone. The reason for this purchase is so I can get an “Unlocked” (meaning not belonging exclusively to a network provider) phone to get a South African sim for data purposes, meaning I can upload some content from my phone whether it is a Facebook post, a tweet, an Instagram picture or even a YouTube video immediately rather than having to wait to return to the motel room to post everything.
– Travel Kit
Given the whole trip is a 2 week event I’ll be packing more clothing than normal. Perhaps some fresh casual socks and underwear will be required, and I already have purchased another towel. Toiletries and other items I feel necessary will go in as required.
– Alarms
It may seem strange to a few that this may go on a list, but setting an alarm is critical given the need to commute from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on race morning at an earlier than normal time, I’ll need to remember to set multiple alarms at an early hour to enable that I have enough time to be mentally ready, to have consumed some food (it is going to be a long day after all) and to have enough time to get on a shuttle as early as possible. Many I know are still trying to get rooms in PMB but if I was going to choose that option I would have needed to book 12 months in advance much like I do for the Gold Coast Marathon.
– Finances
The last thing I’ll need prior to departing Australia is to get enough cash in order to pay for taxis and for other food post race given that they’ll likely be cash only affairs. Fortunately I have enough loaded thus far to pay for anything on a card should I need that in South Africa, and at this stage I’m looking to load enough Singaporean dollars to secure the transit motel room booked for the long layover on the return trip.
– Race Plans
In the next fortnight I’ll be formulating how I’ll be looking to tackle the race piece by piece. The final plan however won’t be finalised until the bus tour on Friday Morning, as I will be trying to pick up any type of pointer I can if it helps. Of course it may also help if I actually read my notes, as last year I scribbled some notes on the course but didn’t really end up referring to them prior to race day as was the intention
– Race Eve shopping
Usually many try to have everything organised well in advance, but as part of my routine I like to purchase some things I feel I need to succeed the morning prior to the big run. Much like last year I’ll be likely purchasing Bananas (again hoping to remember to take them on the run), Energade (the sports drink of choice on course, this will enable I won’t have to spend time in the early stages battling through a crowd to get fluid), Vaseline, Bandages and perhaps even scissors as I’m loathe to take them from Australia for security purposes.
Of course there will be more specific lists of what I need to take and what I have to do, however these key items will be what I will be focusing on this time around. There will be a few more blog posts in the next couple of weeks detailing race plans and what’s happening on the trip. I’m actually feeling pretty excited about this now that the day is within sight.
It’s not often that I’m able to take an entire week off work to concentrate on the running side of things. Usually training has to fit around when I’m working, whether my shift begins early morning as it does next month for a couple of weeks, lunchtime or mid afternoon. It’s not an easy task to either set an alarm early enough to get up to do a training run OR stay awake long enough to have a run before sleeping through the dead of the morning. This iswhy this week is generally one I look forward to, even if the early morning wake up calls remain.
The planning often goes out the window for these types of training weeks and this week was no different. Fortunately I was able to achieve a back to back training block simulating what may happen on the day when it comes to walking breaks. Tuesday saw me break up a 10km effort into 4 parts each consisting of 2.5km. Of those the first 2km was a run/jog/sprint before taking a 500 metre walk break as many would do on race day. As a runner it can be hard to fathom why I would need to incorporate a walk break into training but when it comes to race day in South Africa the mind will always want to keep you running and leave you exhausted for when you need the energy. Hence the need to try to train as though this were a race.
Wednesday saw me almost achieve all of what I had wanted to accomplish. The plan was to cover either 15km or 90 minutes incorporating Highgate Hill and the nearby University of Queensland campus in St.Lucia. What saw the time go a little longer than anticipated was a toilet break about 10km in, and a couple of stops to allow traffic to pass. Sure it can be frustrating waiting for a car to go through or traffic lights to change (particularly when you’re under 500 metres to the goal distance) but not all of the roads are like running along the bike track constructed several years ago along the Brisbane River. Still I was pleased to get through the 15km even if some of it included walking uphill.
After a planned recovery day on the Thursday (where I almost lost my phone, left it in a toilet and somehow it was still there about 90 minutes later), I thought everything was all systems go for the big Friday loop heading up and down Mt.Coot-tha. It started reasonably well enough but I sensed the legs weren’t going to be cooperating not too far into the run. Perhaps it was the fact I was running with both knees braced where I normally just protect the right. Maybe the recovery from Wednesday wasn’t as good as it should have been, for my quads were still fairly sore before the start. Whatever it was I had to pull the pin on the planned run just 4km into the day, much to my disappointment and regret. I even thought momentarily that I could try again today (Saturday) but sleep and other plans the previous night put paid to those plans.
At least in terms of training I’m well ahead of last year. I’ve now covered in excess of 92km for the month with a few days (and at least 2 more training sessions to come). The plan for February will be to increase the amount of uphill and downhill running particularly in the shorter training sessions whilst increasing the distance and time on the longer runs. There will be a slight easing off leading up to the half marathon in Wangaratta on the last Sunday of the month, for I’m hoping to go as quickly as the 1:53 I did last year.
Which brings me to Friday night, and doing what was arguably the hardest part of the whole Comrades journey, booking the flights to get me to and from Durban. This year I decided to splash a little more cash whilst departing a day earlier than 2017 (which was a Wednesday for a mid morning Thursday arrival). Instead of commuting via Perth like so many others do I’ve decided to commute this year via Singapore, arriving in Durban on Wednesday morning. The return trip is to Adelaide (footy is on that Thursday night) which means that I will have a lengthy 17 hour stopover at Changi to negotiate (as well as entering customs in Cape Town rather than Johannesburg), although at least I’ve read there are many options that will take up the time before arriving ranging from tours, movies, airport lounges and even transit hotels that won’t need me to clear customs. Hopefully it will be $2000 well spent, for I could have been boring, conservative and $600 better off if I went the standard route. Maybe I’m starting to live life a little!
As for the course whose details were released yesterday (Friday) as well,it’s something I’m going to have to embrace rather than fear. 90 is a nice round number to remember but for me the important numbers are yet to be confirmed. Race plans will likely revolve around when the mid race cut off is and knowing how much energy I can afford to save knowing the the few uphill kilometres after the Drummond mid point will be the make or break point. I’m anticipating actually running the announced finish route on race day (well I have to show some form of positive language) and entering the stadium, so I guess I had better prepare myself for it.
STRAVA STATS TO END OF 26 JANUARY (NOTE: Stats exclude cross training/footy training distances which are not recorded)
DISTANCE COVERED: 93km [DOWN 3.3km compared to 2017]
ACTIVE TIME: 8 Hours 54 Minutes [DOWN 25 minutes]
ELEVATION GAIN: 1073m [UP 126 metres]
Well last week sucked. I can’t really describe it much better or worse. The heat and humidity basically ruined the plans that I had and for once changing the training program on the fly proved to be ineffective. Sure some may say I’ve taken a sensible route by not risking my health at this early stage of the campaign considering Sunday’s temperature up here nudged 40 degrees Celsius. Yet I know the importance of a back to back training weekend and being basically forced to sweat it out at home was frustrating at the very least.
The week basically began with getting a free day on the Tuesday which originally was going to be a mountain run. However not responding to the alarm in the morning is proving to be a regular occurrence that hopefully will not happen in just under a fortnight when the week of training in Brisbane commences. Still I decided to try to improvise and do some grass running at the local footy oval that afternoon. Was planning to do a program of 6-8km depending on the light and how the legs adapted to grass running and road running on the same day. It started encouragingly enough doing sufficient laps for a 2km set on the grass basically in 10 minutes. Then rather than physical conditioning playing tricks with the mind, the next set was cut basically because of concerns of where my belongings were. Carrying a bag with footwear and personal items and trying to run a couple of kilometres is not exactly plan A, B or C, and even though I covered the kilometre at a rapid clip I just couldn’t do the second half of the planned leg. Then after doing what amounted to be a measuring run for a possible footy training warm up, I decided to call it a day rather than try to push on.
A further planned midweek run was basically aborted again because of sleeping through alarms, and Saturday’s initial plan for an 85 minute trot was ruined by seasonably warm weather. By the time I started what was Plan C (Plan B was going to be the 3-4-5 split run that I was originally scheduling for Sunday) temperatures according to a school I passed just before 5:30 was still 37 degrees. Somehow I salvaged doing 3 lots of 3km efforts which rather than doing them at different paces that I was easily doing when confident, in form and slightly fitter, I ended up hitting a consistent 5:30 overall pace for each leg. I wanted to do either a 6km last leg knowing that if I did the kilometres allotted to the Sunday plan then perhaps I could do the big run about 23 hours later, but both physical and atmospheric conditions combined to ruin any schedule I may have had planned. Indeed I just couldn’t escape the confines of the bedroom as listening to cricket seemed to be slightly more appealing.
At least the new week has started on a good note. With little planned and being unable to get some shut eye before working late shifts this week I felt a good training run may get me somewhat back on track. I managed to get a continuous 50 minute run on the board, save for a brief natural break where I hope nobody was spying on me. Conditions were as good as they have been for a while so despite the legs barking a little and a few rises and small hills being thrown in for good measure, covering 9 kilometres was a success. Covering the 50 minutes was an even bigger success after the shortcomings of the weekend. Pace was relatively consistent which was nice, although I would have liked to be able to throw in a couple of fast kilometres that would be sub 5:10 pace. Still complaining about a successful run is as useful as counting Bernard Tomic’s millions that he apparently has (money or pubic hair?) so I’ll be happy having a kip before work this evening.
Hopefully I’ll be able to do another run before the weekend before doing a double this weekend. One run will need to be at least 90 minutes (probably on the Saturday) with the other being either a 3-4-5 or a 4-5-6 split. That said with the Brisbane week coming up I’m hopeful of doing a couple of back to back runs with the centrepiece Mt.Coot-tha run on January 26 so perhaps the split run may even be brought forward to Friday should I be able to wake up that early!
STATISTICS FOR THE 9 DAY PERIOD FROM 8/1 to 16/1
22.3 kilometres covered (DOWN 2.7 km compared to last year)
2 Hours active time (DOWN 37 minutes)
239 metres elevation gain (UP 13 metres)
OVERALL STATISTICS FOR PERIOD 1/1 to 16/1
54.4 kilometres covered
5 Hours active time
486 metres elevation gain
So the grind begins again, those early mornings and late afternoons dragging myself out of bed or away from nothingness as the days grow longer and the temperatures get hotter. It hasn’t been like what the southern capitals were experiencing last weekend, for it actually didn’t get over 35 degrees up here. That’s not to say it’s been a cakewalk or anything like that, humidity in this part of the world is often too difficult of a hurdle to negotiate. Yet so far things have been positive in training if not going according to the script.
Even though I’m not intending this post or this blog being a fully blown diary of the 2018 Comrades Marathon journey, this first blog will highlight what I’ve done in the opening week plus give an indication of my intentions for the coming weeks. Naturally when it comes to training plans you don’t have to treat this plan as gospel. After all I’ve never been a running coach (just a level 1 Australian Rules Football coach), I’m prone to changing plans on the fly which I have done frequently over the years and have done so again this week, and I recognised when I was studying a teaching degree that sometimes what you have planned may only work for some and not everyone. Feel free to steal whatever I’ve done or am planning to do, but note that if what I’m doing doesn’t work for you, then feel free to alter any plans to suit you.
COMRADES TRAINING WEEK 1
Week 1 heat map courtesy of Strava.
1 JANUARY: 5km split into 2 x 2km and 1 x 1km. 1st 2km section @ sub 5:00 pace, 2nd 2km section @ 5:50 pace, last km at 5:20 pace
2 JANUARY: Rest Day
3 JANUARY: 6km@ 5:30 pace, was looking for 45 minutes or 8km although I was getting the pace that I wanted to maintain.
4 JANUARY: Rest Day, did some light home gym work on arms and leg presses
5 JANUARY: Rest Day
6 JANUARY: 68 Minute long run, aim was for 75 minutes or 14km (achieved 11.7km, so if I managed to keep going I probably would have made the 1.3 km in the remaining 8 minutes)
7 JANUARY: Trio of Efforts. Was aiming for a 3km/4km and 5km trio, ended up doing a 2km/3km and 4km. I like doing this in training as it gives you the kilometres you want from a long distance run whilst getting a few rest periods in between. Another trio that I like doing is a trio of 5km efforts where I vary the pace (first 5 at 5:30 pace, second 5 at sub 5:10 pace, last 5 at leisurely 5:50 pace).
STRAVA STATS FOR WEEK 1: 32 kilometres covered, 3:00:03 active running time, 247 metres NET Elevation Gain (Strava gives net elevation gains rather than gross)
COMPARISON TO WEEK 1 2017: 8km MORE, approximately 50 minutes extra active running time, 92 metres extra NET elevation gain
FEELINGS: Whilst the figures look low compared to a number of others, particularly those in Africa who have probably been in heavy training looking to get their qualifier at a race such as Two Oceans, this is certainly more kilometres in the bank than I have ever done at this time of the year (in the past I haven’t begun training for anything until the end of January). Even though it hasn’t been the exact program that I have been seeking, the fact that I’ve been active and have achieved those efforts is a success. Now to take the next step.
NEXT WEEK: Monday is a rest day, vital considering I’ve gone back to back run days over the weekend. Tuesday will be extended due to me gaining the day off work, and local landmark Mt Archer will get a visit from me for the first time in a few years. The course will look something like the route below, although there may be slight alterations as I stick to paths at times rather than take up space on the road. This run will be an ideal lead up to what I plan to do around Mt.Coot-tha on January 26, the details of which I plan to share a little later.
You may notice upon zooming in that the run will also include the downhill section of the run. Being a Down run practising and trying to perfect a technique for downhill running, particularly on weary legs, will be a necessity. Running downhill cannot be simulated on a treadmill from what I’ve experienced,
Planning to do a hard 5km on Thursday morning, although it’s still to be determined if it is to be on its own as a run or as part of something a little longer (not more than 50 minutes), before the Saturday afternoon long run which this week will aim for 85 minutes or 16km (whichever comes first). To round out the week on the Sunday it will either be a trio of 4/5/6km efforts or the trio of 5km runs that I outlined earlier in this piece. Of course this is subject to change so what I propose to do here isn’t necessarily going to be what I’ll be reporting on next weekend.
So the Point to Pinnacle is done and dusted for another year and the commitments for 2017 have been completed. The run itself saw me apologising to many of the walkers for bringing Queensland’s early summer weather to Hobart when usually layers of clothing battle to keep you warm. Everything was going to plan until the last 5 kilometres which were basically too steep for me to go at anything quicker than a walking pace, particularly when you’ve had a lack of training in the month between Melbourne and Hobart. Still managed to clock in just under 3 hours, which means I’ll have to come back next year to try to get a decent time on the back of a decent preparation. At least the view from the top was superb this year compared to last year when it was too cold to get further than the turn onto the climb itself!
Originally the plan was to record and post a few videos of the day on this site for all to see. Unfortunately the quality of the video and the shots that I got were about as useful as putting sugar in a risotto, so they may wait for another day (a blooper reel maybe). I was even tossing up whether to do the race with the tablet in hand to record the actual run, but until I get a go-pro or some other camera mounted on the head that idea will have to wait for another day.
December is always a time to concentrate on work and getting parcels away to the capital cities and smaller centres to try to make people happy when Mr Claus comes along to dispense his brand of cheerfulness. Usually this month is always a case of allowing the legs to somewhat recover in order to be ready for the punishment of a January in this part of the world usually characterised by heat, humidity and harder work that needs to be done.
The haul for this year, by no means a bad year in terms of finishes, but much to improve on in terms of time and getting the big result I’m looking for.
This year appears to be different due to the injury that basically ruined the preparation for the Melbourne Marathon. Whilst it is true that specific training for Comrades, and for that matter the earlier lead in events in Australia, will begin seriously on January 1 much like last year, this month won’t be a total rest period. The aim is not to run any special time unless I feel as though I can go fast without feeling sore or tired, or if I’m basically running some lap sprints around an oval. The aim is to keep the weight in check to an extent as well, although I just need to be careful about food and fluid intake which would be more useful.
Distances will vary from time to time and will be subject to physical and mental condition. Being the so called off season it’s not 100% necessary to push the envelope or to follow some sort of structured program. If I can clock up a 1 hour continuous run then I’ll be more than content with that. If it means I have to split up a 6km day into 3 bursts of 2 kilometres then naturally I will see no problem with it. The only commitments that I will make to myself during December is if I elect to go out for a conditioning run I will not be going through the motions for 10 minutes before returning, and that if I feel as though I can get through a section I won’t be stopping until I get through that section.
The next blog post will also signal my plan for January leading into Comrades and also Wangaratta where for some reason I am still tossing up whether to run either the half or full marathon. No doubt the plan won’t be strictly adhered to (no plan I do is ever followed 100% to the letter, rigidity in planning is something that in this era probably isn’t the best method), nor should someone see this as a plan given by a specialist, for that is something I certainly will never be (I think I’ll stick to football coaching rather than running coaching). Indeed I may even release some sort of plan for the months following, if I can be bothered trying to make one rather than just “Winging It”, perhaps remind me on Twitter (@MHJeffrey027) or even here to keep me on track.
MHJeffrey027 Running 