Comrades Marathon 2025 – Novice training
Novice – definition – “Haven’t run much before but want to be part of the action in Comrades 2025, and get a medal.”
Based on training schedules of the late Don Oliver, Comrades Coach. Adapted and edited by Tom Cottrell.
You can take on the role of a regular runner. Spring has arrived and that makes it so much easier for running than those dark, cold winter mornings. The training runs are classed as running but, like all road runners, you can slip a little walk in now and again when you are battling a bit. If you want to see runners walk, look at that Comrades TV rerun again! Your routes should be varied and include a couple of hilly ones, but there must also be a few far easier ones for those days when you must take things easier.
You can do races twice a month and go up to 15km only, trying each time to walk less and improve your race time. If it is hot, learn to take in fluids. Recover after the weekend with a day off and two or three days’ really slow running. We have a rule: “Hard day – easy day”. If your legs are stiff or you are a bit tired, you should run slowly for a few more days.
Go to the club Time Trial and have a short, sharp 8km run. Race against your friends and rivals or run against the clock. This will improve your running immensely. Map out several training routes and measure them accurately with the car trip meter.
Note 1: The Sunday runs in italics are club training runs and the others are road races.
Note 2: Have a drink of water on all your training runs. That is the only stop now.
Thought for the month: “I never thought running was so much fun! No wonder so many people are out there!”