COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEKS 16-17: The valley of the shadow of death

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere
and many of us will have to walk through
the valley of the shadow of death again and again
before we reach the mountaintop of our desires"
Nelson Mandela

These 2 weeks have reached desperation status. It has involved making a decision as to whether I can run Comrades or not. I have consulted 2 different physios and had had differing opinions. I have a lower back, pelvic, hip area tightness with poor muscle balance that has resulted in a hamstring strain and neural symptoms. At least it is now recovering and I can move forward.
The training is very light and easy, with a focus on working on my weaknesses and instability. It has meant my goals have had to be revised from a silver medal and a target of 9 hours; to simply finishing within the 12 hour cut off and getting a finishers medal.
Game on...

Training for week Mon 24 Dec - Sun 30 Dec
Mon 24 Dec	4km
Tues 25 Dec
Wed 26 Dec	4km
Thurs 27 Dec	6km
Fri 28 Dec
Sat 29 Dec	10km
Sun 30 Dec
Weekly mileage	24 km

"A champion gets up one more time
than he gets knocked down"

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 15: The road to recovery

"The will to win means nothing
if you haven’t the will to prepare"
Juma Ikangaa, 1989 New York marathon winner

This week started off with a good session on monday and a pretty sore leg on tuesday morning, so this week has focused on trying to get my leg right for the tough stuff still to come.
I have focused on my patellofemoral joint and eccentric strengthening of my hamstring which resulted in it feeling much better. The test will come as I start running on it again next week

Training for week Mon 10 Dec - Sun 16 Dec
Mon 10 Dec	7km, 1 hour total trainer
Tues 11 Dec	2km
Wed 12 Dec
Thurs 13 Dec	2 hours total trainer
Fri 14 Dec	40' cycle
Sat 15 Dec
Sun 16 Dec
Weekly mileage	9km

"Always measure an obstacle next to
the size of the dream you're pursuing"
John C Maxwell

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 14: Back to basics

"Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do"
Former UCLA coach, John Wooden

After 3 slack weeks it was time to get back into it. The circumstances were made more difficult by the fact I was away in Sydney. It meant I didn't have as much equipment to cross train with so it was back into the running. After feeling pretty sore I had managed almost 50km by wednesday but my leg was starting to get sore again. Back home by friday I haven't gotten back into the routine. I think I have hopefully diagnosed my hamstring problem as referred pain from my patellofemoral joint, so I am hopeful this will lead to a resolution soon.
Meanwhile my Garmin GPS unit has died. The battery is not working unless it is on the charger. Still these obstacles are only meant to make us stronger. It is certainly a useful and awesome training tool so I have to get that sorted.
My goals have taken some adjusting and the next aim is to get some solid training in for the rest of December and build my base back to what it was before taking things to a new level come the start of 2008. Let's do it...

Training for week Mon 3 Dec - Sun 9 Dec
Mon 3 Dec	10km in morning, 11km in evening
Tues 4 Dec	12km
Wed 5 Dec	16km
Thurs 6 Dec
Fri 7 Dec
Sat 8 Dec
Sun 9 Dec	90min walk
Weekly mileage	49km

"It’s not whether you get knocked down…
it’s whether you get up"
Justin Herald

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEKS 11-13: The challenge intensifies...

"Defeat does not finish a man – quitting does.
A man is not finished when he is defeated.
He is finished when he quits"
Justin Herald

Sorry for the lack of updates. This period has been extremely tough. It began with the pain/tightness I started to experience through my left hamstring. Not a crippling or overly intense pain, but more of a nagging feeling that doesn't allow me to straighten my leg properly. In this period the mind games have been the hardest to overcome and I haven't coped particiularly well through it all.
Mentally it has been a huge challenge. One can't simply push through it. The support around me has been fantastic and motivated me faster than I could otherwise do on my own.
Unfortunately my training has stopped and the progress halted and in reverse. Still as I search for positives I can only think that I have just over 6 months of hard training to go so if ever a break can be had, it is now

"You're not obligated to win.
You're obligated to keep trying to do
the best you can every day"
Marian Wright Edelman

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 10: Feeling the pain

"It's not whether you get knocked down...
it's whether you get up"
Justin Herald

This week has seen more pain and effort when all I want to do is sleep, rest and have a few days off! However the dream of running Comrades gets me out of bed and striving harder.
At the end of last week I could feel some tightness in my left hamstring, and have managed to push through it all week. I figure I need to learn how to run with pain and visualise myself running as if it is the last 10-20km of Comrades. After all you can't be an ultramarathoner without experiencing some pain.
On sunday though I felt it was a bit sore and curtailed my run. It may have been a bit aggravated from the strong work Rheanna did to it on saturday. It is due to nerve tightness and comes from my back so it isn't anything serious to worry about. At least I am not damaging my body at all.
Although the last few weeks have been progressing well, the pounding on the body has probably signalled it may be time to have a few days rest. We'll see how the body responds in the next few days.

Training for week Mon 5 Nov - Sun 11 Nov
Mon 5 Nov	6km intervals, 1 hour total trainer
Tues 6 Nov	15km
Wed 7 Nov	12km, weights
Thurs 8 Nov	2 hours total trainer
Fri 9 Nov	32km, 30' cycle
Sat 10 Nov	16km
Sun 11 Nov	4km, weights
Weekly mileage	85km

"Only those who risk going too far
can possibly know how far one can go"
T S Elliot

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 9: Taking it to the limit

"There is no substitute for work. It is the price of success"
Earl Black

This week it was back on track by pushing hard and discovering my limits.
A strong beginning to the week with extra sessions (mostly abs and strengthening) in the evenings on monday to wednesday, was backed up with my longest run ever on friday, albeit quite slow. It was a tough run, and by 30km I was starting to feel stiff but then my music played the "Bryan Habana" song and that inspired me to push through. My battery on my MP3 ran out with 5km to go and that made the last 5km tough. Usually my feet get sore at about 30km but this time I only started to feel it around 40km. However my hamstrings felt very stiff about 43km which made running tough and I didn't feel I could have run much further.
After initially feeling pretty good for running 50km I started to think how can I run another 40km on top of that!
This was also the highest mileage I have done in 1 week ever. The 3 runs at the beginning of the week often feel harder than the higher mileage at the end of the week!
With 224 days to go I still have plenty of work to do. Next week I shall have an easier week and aim for 90km.

Training for week Mon 29 Oct - Sun 4 Nov
Mon 29 Oct	7km intervals, 1 hour total trainer
Tues 30 Oct	20km, 30' cycle
Wed 31 Oct	15km, weights
Thurs 1 Nov	2 hours total trainer
Fri 2 Nov	50km
Sat 3 Nov	10km, 30' total trainer
Sun 4 Nov	20km
Weekly mileage	122km

"Success is not a destination that you ever reach.
Success is the quality of the journey"
Jennifer James

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 8: Frustration

"We can't become what we need to be
by remaining what we are"
Oprah Winfrey

Lack of being organised this week has resulted in a poor end to the week. On monday night I went up to Toowoomba, some 120km from Brisbane. It is a great place to run around with lots of steep hills. One day I need to go run the range which has a 4km hill, but unfortunately the only road is the highway with no footpath.
On getting back to Brisbane I have struggled to get organised and into my routine, however it is no excuse for missing 3 days in a row. I find it hard when I miss 1 or 2 days. Unfortunately the majority of my miles are run friday to sunday, so missing out here is bad for my total mileage. With just over 7 months to June, time is starting to get more critical. Once January comes round I can't afford to miss many sessions, and this effectively gives me 2 months to ensure I have a strong base. Gotta make next week count and get back to 100km.

Training for week Mon 22 Oct - Sun 28 Oct
Mon 15 Oct	7km intervals, 1 hour total trainer
Tues 16 Oct	15km in Toowoomba
Wed 17 Oct	15km
Thurs 18 Oct	rest
Fri 19 Oct	rest
Sat 20 Oct	rest
Sun 21 Oct	12km
Weekly mileage	49km

"The greatest battles of life are fought out daily
in the silent chambers of the soul"
David McKay

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 7: Rest, recovery and inspiration

"You must have a long-range vision to keep you from
being frustrated by short-range failures"
Charles Noble

This week I had high hopes of pushing hard but early in the week I started experiencing a sore right foot, not sure what had set it off. It could have been a small strain from overstretching it, something quite likely the way I often lose my footing or miss my step somewhere. It started off around the 5th metatarsal which is a common site for stress fractures and my biggest fear. Anything else I can deal with, rest I cannot!
So a couple of days rest was the order of the day and then with the rugby world cup final I decided that a few days recovery wasn't a bad thing. I managed 26 days in a row so I was happy with that.
And the brilliant Springbok victory was extemely inspiring. It shows the value of long-term vision and what can be achieved when you believe in a wonderful cause/country.

Training for week Mon 15 Oct - Sun 21 Oct
Mon 15 Oct	6km intervals, weights 30' cycle, 15' crosstrainer
Tues 16 Oct	20km
Wed 17 Oct	15km, weights
Thurs 18 Oct	2 hours total trainer
Fri 19 Oct	rest
Sat 20 Oct	rest
Sun 21 Oct	rest
Weekly mileage	42km

"It's okay if you fall down as long as you learn something as you get up"John C Maxwell

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 6: Taking it easy

"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up"
Babe Ruth

This week was designed to be an easier week to allow a bit of recovery from the high mileage. Although the runs were shorter and faster, they weren't any easier and the body was still knacked!
It was pleasing to run 5 PB's out of 6 runs indicating I am getting fitter and faster.
Met a guy this week who has run 11 Comrades. His advice was that "Comrades is all in the mind not the body". But the training will determine how fast I am able to run and what I will feel like at the end of it. Gotta keep working hard and pushing on...

Training for week Mon 8 Oct - Sun 14 Oct
Mon 8 Oct	6km intervals 1 hour total trainer
Tues 9 Oct	15km
Wed 10 Oct	10km weights
Thurs 11 Oct	2 hours total trainer
Fri 12 Oct	32km
Sat 13 Oct	10km, weights
Sun 14 Oct	12km
Weekly mileage	85km

"It's not what we do once in a while that counts,
but our consistent action"
Anthony Robbins

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 5: Need sleep!

"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today"
H Jackson Brown

This week has been a great week, having achieved the mileage I set out to do and backing up after a strong week previously. Mind you it hasn't been easy as my body has been tired. When I get up I start doing my Abs with my eyes shut!
At least I can look forward to an easy week of training next week.
I had planned to run the Toowoomba marathon in 2 weeks time as my comrades marathon qualifier, but I just found out it is not an IAAF accredited race, so now I may have to wait till the Canberra marathon in april to qualify. I hadn't wanted to leave it too late but don't have many options.

Training for week Mon 24 Sept - Sun 30 Sept
Mon 24 Sept	7km intervals 1 hour total trainer, 30'cycle
Tues 25 Sept	20km
Wed 26 Sept	15km, weights
Thurs 27 Sept	2 hours total trainer
Fri 28 Sept	44km
Sat 29 Sept	10km, 30' total trainer, weights, 50' cycle
Sun 30 Sept	20km
Weekly Mileage	116km

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift"
Steve Prefontaine

COMRADES MARATHON 20 WEEK 4: The tough get going

"No one has ever drowned in sweat"
Lou Holtz

As the going gets tough, I have just had to get it going. This has been my first full on training week in some time, finally stepping up my training back to where it should be. I always feel when you are doing 100km+ per week you start to get fit pretty quickly. However by this weekend my body has been knacked and just wants to rest!
Thanks for the messages of support, they certainly help to motivate me in the early mornings when I don't want to get out of bed. I am happy the longer runs have stepped back up in distance, but it is the run the next day that is harder when the body is still stiff and trying to recover!

Training for week Mon 24 Sept - Sun 30 Sept
Mon 24 Sept	7km intervals 1 hour total trainer
Tues 25 Sept	20km
Wed 26 Sept	15km 15' cycle, 15' crosstrainer
Thurs 27 Sept	2 hours total trainer
Fri 28 Sept	38km
Sat 29 Sept	10km, 30' total trainer
Sun 30 Sept	20km
Weekly mileage	110km

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires"
Nelson Mandela

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 3: Training in the hills of NZ

"The world meets nobody halfway,
if you want it you gotta take it"
Linc Hawk, Over The Top

This week has seen me return back to New Zealand for my Grandfather's funeral. Returning to the hills of Wellington has made me realise that whilst the 90km of Comrades is going to be hard enough, the big 5 hills and many many smaller ones are going to kill me! It will require a lot of fitness and strength to be able to survive let alone run swiftly. At least I managed to do a few more kms this week even though I wasn't feeling so great. Wednesday I ran my favourite, up Ngauranga gorge, and friday I started the long runs again, doing a 32km run from Wilton to Tawa and back, on friday. Sunday ended with a 20km run along the Brisbane river, which resulted in a much more consistent pace than the up and down of Wellington which saw me get slower and slower as I ran.

Training for week Mon 17 Sept - Sun 23 Sept
Tues 18 Sept	12km
Wed 19 Sept	22km
Fri 21 Sept	32km
Sun 23 Sept	20km
Weekly mileage	84km

Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible"
Doug Larson

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 2: Slow progress

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that
the men are separated from the boys"
Emil Zatopek

This week started off well but got disrupted by rugby world cup and personal issues. Whilst I didn't get the mileage and long run in, at least it was a step up from last week which is progress!

Training for week Mon 10 Sept - Sun 16 Sept
Mon 10 Sept	7km intervals, 1 hour total trainer, 30' cycle
Tues 11 Sept	20km
Wed 12 Sept	15km
Thurs 13 Sept	2 hours total trainer
Fri 14 Sept	10km tempo run
Sat 15 Sept	45' cycle, 10' crosstrainer
Weekly mileage	52km

"To describe the agony of a marathon to someone
who's never run it is like trying to explain
color to someone who was born blind"
Jerome Drayton

COMRADES MARATHON 2008 WEEK 1: 280 days to go!

“There’s no telling how far you will
have to run when chasing a dream”

After being a slack ass over the last 2 months it is now time to get back into some serious training. As of today there are a little over 9 months to go...280 days! Time will fly by and preparation is the name of the game. The work that gets put in now is the most important, even though most comrades programs don't start until 1 Jan. I have a feeling September/October are going to be tough getting up with Rugby WC!

Training for week Mon 3 Sept - Sun 9 Sept
Wed 5 Sept	15km and 20' cycle
Thurs 6 Sept	Weight session and 45' cycle
Sat 8 Sept	10km
Sun 9 Sept	20km
Weekly mileage	45km

"Our greatest battles are that with our own minds”
Jameson Frank