Hi Kevin,
They come in all shapes and sizes as they run down the finishing straight at Comrades.Very generally as the time goes on at the finish, the shape of the finishers do change from skinny legs and 50kg bods to a more average size and some are apparently big runners but inside the heads of all the finishers are strong minds .All of them have strong minds.If you have determination and endurance, or if you can develop it,it doesn't matter what size you are.Only you know how strong a mind you have.If you really have a burning desire to finish Comrades you will make it-big or small.If you follow our programme,which is a very steady gradual build up you will not harm yourself in any way and in particular also on Comrades race day.
Regards,
Don.

Dear Coach
I am just over 6ft tall and weigh 95kg. I am 45yrs old and have been running for the past 5 years, more consistently in the last two years. I run between 30 and 50 km per week. I have completed 3 standard marathons, the last being in Jan 2010 (5h03min). I did not race, but did the run as a training run. A running mate (multiple Comrades finisher) suggested I do not attempt Comrades since I am too big and the damage to my body would be too much. What is your opinion?

Kevin

Hi Charles,
By the begiining of January 2011 you should be able to run comfortably 10km in 45mins and 21kms in 1hr 37mins.In your qualifier marathon at the end of February you must run faster than 3hr 40mins and preferably at 3hrs 30mins to get a C grade seeding. At the end of January 2011 your time for 36kms should be just under 3hours( 2hrs 58mins)
Generally the average runner does not have very much difference in times for the up and the down.However you asked if you have " to chase a time" it requires more effort to run faster on up hills than down hills.In Comrades you have only so much effort available to offer over 86kms and it is likely you will be unable to chase a time.The answer is to train properly and run just under 6mins/km at an even effort the whole way to get a Bill Rowan.It is not easy.Onlyabout 20%of the finishers get under 9hours.
Regards,
Don.

Hi Don,

What kind of times should you be running for the following distances if you wanted to run a Bill Rowan? 10km, 21km, 36km and 42km?

Also, I have heard that it is harder to chase a time on the up run than it is to do on the down run. Is this true and if so, what is the reasoning behind this?

Regards

Charles

Hi Hutch,
Good to hear you have made a good start.Don't ignore that knee pain if it persisits.We have some heavy training coming up in the New Year.Maybe go to a physio if you still have pain in the next two weeks.
Keep going
Don.

Hi Don

Month one done and dusted. Just a short note to say thanks for the August training program and yes it has been a good start (did the 10km yesterday in a PB of 59:58 despite lots of knee pain this month. I am very proud to have done it under 61:00).

Thanks very much to yourself and Nikki for this opportunity, I am looking forward to September's program tremendously!!

Regards
Hutch
 

Hi Pshyco,
Your training is fine at the moment recovering from your calf injury.Your speed isvery slow which is also fine at this stage.You will have to get a bit faster from September.Stretch your calf regularly and do heel raises to strengthen it.
Kind regrads,
Don.

Hi Don

Thank you for all your advice and assistance. We runners really appreciated all your advice and assistance. I would like some advice on supplements. I have only run and trained on coke, water, and corn syrup sachets with a bit of carbo loading before comrades.  Nowadays we hear of all these intersting supplements such as whey protein, creatine, specialised energy drinks, L Glutamine, BCAA, Peptopro, etc. Are these supplements not only mean't for the gym guys who want to increase muscle size? What supplements would you recommend for runners in these early stages of comrades training and later on in the year when we start doing higher mileage for comrades?

Regards

Pshyco

Hi Fatboy,
General rule is not to train with any suggestion of flu symptons ,It can develop into dagerous health problems.It is ahrd to stay off trining but you will aleays get better quicker by restinfg and followingb a doctors prescription and advice.We never worry about time lost and never try to catch up on a programme however hard it might be.
It is still early days so don't worry about time lost .
Regards,
Don

Hi Pshyco,
Well you certainly have a solid background.I always any green number for example that has been off running for more than two years, to start off on the novices programme.Who knows how much the muscles have deteriorated.Start off on the sub 11hr programme and you will be running under 6mins.km by qualifying time at end of Feb.Don't do more than my recommended programme apart from on the current rest days you could do a brisk walk of between 45mins and an hour.No speed walking!In the gym do a general schedule to strengthen calves and quads.Strangly enough include some bicep arm strengthening eexercise to keep your up to run for 11 hours.
Welcome to your come back.
Regards,
Don.