IM and Comrades

[Garfield2010]

I did Ironman onto Comrades Down Run in 2012, and Ironman (12 April) Sani2C (15-17 May) Comrades Up Run (1June) in 2013.

 

I would say Focus purely on your Ironman Training up until The Ironman itself in April and then take a 1 week break completely and then you pretty much need to hit your Comrades long run (65kms ish usually on the last weekend of April) From there Drop the Swims and Bikes and just concentrate on trying to get in 90-100km running weeks (at 5min/km thats only 7-8.5hrs training, seems like childs play after the 20-23hr weeks you have been putting in for Ironman)

 

One change to normal Ironman training is i would advise to get your Comrades Marathon Qualifier in in the 1st week March (Vaal marathon is a good flat easy one in Jhb). This goes against alot of ironman coaches thoughts on not to do a Full marathon prior to IM but you dont wanna rely on the Ironman run to get your qualifier just incase the legs arent there after the 180km Bike.(there is a diffrent Qualifying Comrades seeding chart for the run being done in an IM) Pm me if you want it and ill mail it to you.

 

Also the Comrades "preferred minimum" Goal Milleage is 1000km running from 1 Jan- Race Day so try and keep 1 eye on that during the Ironman training.

 

In 2012 i got away with only 800odd kms in that period and had a very enjoyable Down run in 9h11 but in 2013 after adding Sani2C and going Up I had done over 1200kms running but the Up run broke me alot more chasing a sub 9 (managed to get there in 8h47 but with plenty Pain)

 

Spose it all depends on your goal Times for both IM and Comrades, if they are just to finish im sure you could drop those hours/mileage but the more you put in before the more Fun both days out will be.

 

Remember - Ironman Training is long a tedious but the day is Great, Comrades training is alot easier and less time consuming but the day itself is a Beast.

 

Now here is someone who knows what he is talking about.

[Ferret69]

 

 

See that's where I differ, from an agegroup racing point of view my feeling is that you want to be running between 50 - 70km/week, riding 10 - 12 hours a week and swimming around 12000/week, which is quiet a bit more.

 

But it comes back to the "if you want to finish" point

 

This is pretty much spot on to where your Biggest weeks need to be.

 

Im not doing IM this year but the last 2 years my Big weeks (18-22hrs) were close to.

 

75km Running, 10-12hrs Biking and 10.5km swim (3 x 3.5km sessions)

Edited January 17, 2014 by Ferret69

[Dinamic]

This is pretty much spot on to where your Biggest weeks need to be.

 

Im not doing IM this year but the last 2 years my Big weeks (18-22hrs) were close to.

 

75km Running, 10-12hrs Biking and 10.5km swim (3 x 3.5km sessions)

 

Agreed, that would tie in and yes we are talking biggest weeks.

[Dinamic]

That is closer to what a pro would do ... as per the multiple interviews and articles ive read.

 

70kms a week at 12km/hr is about 6 hours of running possibly more for slower sessions + 12 hrs of riding and 4 hours of swimming ... then add 30-40 mins to get to and from training and a bit of stretching

 

Thats well over 25 hrs plus? for a working age grouper? Maybe guys like Kyle who work a few hours a day but not for the majority who, like me, work upward of 50 hrs a week..

 

 

Having coached a few pros this is typical of the sort of milage they can build up to

24000 m swim, 20 hours of cycling and 100km of running.

 

Most of my guys who do the numbers I mentioned previously work, have families and train, and when I mean work normal 8-5 jobs. The difference again comes back to their goals, these are guys who want to be on the podium at their races. Participation v performance.

[Dinamic]

Now here is someone who knows what he is talking about.

Yep I agree my question remains, how do you manage/cope with jumping your milage to 100km per week with 65km long runs if your milage pre Ironman has only been around 40km ( train what you race as per your advice) without seriously risking injury

[Ferret69]

 

Yep I agree my question remains, how do you manage/cope with jumping your milage to 100km per week with 65km long runs if your milage pre Ironman has only been around 40km ( train what you race as per your advice) without seriously risking injury

 

Well to start you should be doing more than 40km per week by Peak ironman Training, a Normal peak Triathlon week would generally include 5 runs, 1 x Sunday long run (3hrs), 2 x Interval Hill Sessions of around 75-90 Minutes each and 2 small Brick Runs ( 1 hard after a Mid Week race pace brick session 60min bike/30run etc and a 20-30mins easy run after Saturday mornings Long ride), thus you are already on 60-70kms per week (5-6min per km) on "Tired" legs.

 

Thus when you are dropping 2 sports and upping your running week to 90-100kms on "fresh running legs" its not that much of a jump.

 

Also the jump from 30km to 65km can be made easier by getting the qualifier 42km in first and of course you have done a 42km on TIRED legs at the end of Ironman only weeks before.

 

A good 50% of Novice Comrades runners (including me on my 1st in 2012) jump straight from 42km to 90kms without doing a single distance in between. The other 50% have got in either an ultra or a Comrades Long run (all the jhb running clubs have an organised "water pointed" one, RAC is prob the best, so dont do this alone if possible).

 

Thus why i say the Race Day for Comrades is more of a "Beast" as unlike Ironman where you have swum a 3.8km, cycled a 180km, and prob run at least 35kms in training individually. This time you are at your Max trained distance only half way in.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Ferret69

[Garfield2010]

Yep I agree my question remains, how do you manage/cope with jumping your milage to 100km per week with 65km long runs if your milage pre Ironman has only been around 40km ( train what you race as per your advice) without seriously risking injury

 

My mileage currently is around 50 - 60km. I feel I can bump it up to 100km without any injuries.

 

Every athlete is different. I have been training/racing for 15 years so I am confident that my body can take it.

 

If you can run 42km then you can run 50km and then 60km......................

 

Also I have found that trail running reduces injuries considerably...

 

But I am not doing comrades so I guess it is irrelevant.

[Azi]

Yep sounds like a plan Garf...good feedback, I guess if if we have IM in the body then it will be okay. Just also remember we have to do a damn seeding race as well-or am I wrong?

IM will count as a seeding race if I am correct. I think however you have to go under 5 hours for your run.

 

No need for a seeding race, as long as you complete IM in under 17 hours you are able to run Comrades. There is a seperate seeding for IM participants at Comrades.