Eish this is the last week to conceptualise my 10th.
Some thoughts.
I honestly believe that the only reason we train for an event is to enable us to get to the start line positive about the outcome. If we are supremely confident in our own ability, like Tobie Reyneke, then we don't need to train, we go out and do 100 milers for fun. Even injured he was able to arrive at the start line of Washie this year and run his fastest 100 miler for a longtime. I am not suggesting we run or walk injured but this realisation of arriving a the start with a positive attitude rather than expecting to fail works for me. At the start of a race hearing people expecting failure just drives me insane. Why bother starting??
So for me to follow a rigid coach supplied training plan will never work. If I do not feel good today and coach says speed work, the only beneficiary will be the Physio... I train by how I feel, knowing that I need to be confident in my ability I do take heed to LSD speedwork etc but not necessarily on a rigid basis. With this whole change of Comrades dates it has been really hard to plan, (plus our holidays and trips and .... ) no Easter 100+ fewer marathons, no ultras, damn toe nails. All these curve balls could have affected my preparations but then I am only looking for excuses .. I have trained the best I could have and that has resulted in my being ready , one can NEVER make up for a missed training session/event/etc. It is what is and I am ready.
My plan for this year is pretty simple. As can be seen above pace is pretty consistent through the day , unlike an athlete aiming for 9 or 10 hrs who has hours in the bag, every comrades I have done has been between 11:27 and 11:55. I pretty much need to make sure that every 5km in the first half is done in sub 38 mins or 7:25/km . I know then first hour after Drummond will hard all the way to the top of Bothas, but after that as long as I have time in the bank I can take the hills easy. I know how hard it is to take off a second on ave pace in the second half , but how easily a 9:00/km hill adds on a second.
I like this idea of looking at groups of 5km as it will make decision making easier, I need to keep an eye on average pace as I would really like to finish in 11:3X as my fastest down was 11:40:06, but anything better than 11:59 will be accepted with gratitude.
I t looks like the weather could be interesting, temps have gone from 34 deg down to 20 deg I guess somewhere in between is probable, but nothing I can do about the weather so don't worry about what we cannot change, let me rather focus on being positive and have the privilege to wear this shirt with pride.
