Comrades training | Keeping up with the Walkers…

After months of intense training, KK has started tapering down for Comrades. It’s a relief for sure, especially since the recent weeks have involved nothing else but running, sleeping and eating and running and eating and running, then sleeping. Aiming to run between 100kms and 120kms each week has been insane and I could sense the exhaustion setting in.

We ‘park’ our running shoes at the front door when we return from our runs.

I’m thrilled! Tapering (for me) means:

Not having to wake up on Sunday mornings in an empty bed
Less water bottles stacking up on the kitchen sink
The freedom to go to Saturday movie again, even if we do go to the 5pm show
Hopefully packing less lunch for work?
KK not falling asleep as often in front of telly at 8pm in the evenings
Less ‘what time are you going to bed because I need to sleep’ comments
Eating curry again and not having to worry about the “consequences”.

The dedication to his training regime has been quite impressive and shows his dedication and commitment to what is required when tackling a race of this magnitude.

gas mask to avoid sick Now begins 3 weeks of avoiding any sick people and ‘overdosing’ on vitamin C.

The mental prep and countdown has begun.

The excitement is starting to build!

After enduring a week of extreme heat, we woke up to the most glorious, cool rain. It did not stop KK and his running partner DSM from heading out for their weekly run but I was not that brave and decided to wait it out.

After returning from their run, KK and DSM started discussing their Comrades training schedules. Having run since they were both at Varsity in the late 80’s, it’s the first time they’ve decided to give the “Big C” a try. Printouts lay on the table of various training schedules, Lindsay Parry, Don Oliver, Old Mutual, Modern Athlete… It’s quite surprising at how different they all are. Some demand daily runs, others allow for rest days (which really appeals to DSM).

As I sat pondering whether or not I should brave the rainy weather myself and go for a run, it did occur to me that with KK’s extra training, I’d possibly also get to do a lot more running myself this year, especially since there are a few road races earmarked in their draft training schedule.

This is great and I’m quite excited about it. Their dedication and commitment will definitely rub off on me and I’m looking forward to the build-up in the coming months.

When DSM left, KK surprised me by joining me on my run. I had planned the whole week to do a LSD as I have Johnson Crane half marathon coming up and have not yet run many long distances recently.

As we headed up to the 4km mark it started to rain. It was a sprint home and I must admit that I have never run so fast in my life trying to catch up to KK!

Just thinking about my LSD and even Comrades, I realised that as much as you plan, as much as you think things will go your way, anything can happen. But it shouldn’t stop you from just doing it. The outcome is still rewarding!