Dusty, dirty, weary and loving it.

Comrades training has now commenced in earnest.  Lots of long hill runs every weekend.  Have a look at the profile for the course!

Yes that is 42km going uphill..all the way!

The next big thing is that the KEP ultra (50km, 75km and 100km) ballot entry has been awarded, run in our area on the same day.  So although I will be running an international race in South Africa, on the same day in Western Australia is the KEP  Ultra.  SO plenty of training partners and training groups going on.

Our training is in our local hills area and across trails, so getting rather red and dusty each day.  I have another running buddy who is in the KEP event, and we are relatively evenly paced, so will be great for team work.  Group runs on Saturdays, buddy runs on Sundays, solo during the week.  This is a huge time commitment for training, but I love that my program is set and locked and my roster is set for the next 6 months.  Being a creature of habit it suits me.

Super that most of my training is in the summer with 4am starts (the sun is winking at me by 4:10am) and it means I can incorporate more beach running for strength.  Shorter milage  but tough all round workouts!

With all the additional running and mileage being added on, a whole new training regime and fitness and injury management program is on board.  With all the trail running I have been in shoes more than I care for.  So now my runs during the week of below 20km’s I am doing barefoot.  Runs longer than 20km’s I am wearing shoes.  Right now I cannot tell you which and what as I am in the process of sourcing new shoes and this is an area I am very vague in.  Bought my first pair of road shoes this weekend, which due to the amount of milage will require some kind of cushioning although neutral and zero drop.  I have relatively small feet (size 4 UK or size 5-6 US) but they are wide.  This time I was fitted with a pair of the mens smallest Saucony US8’s.  A little long in the foot, but nice and wide in the toe box.  Will taken them out for intervals tomorrow and see how we fly?

I am seriously weighing up my options on running this 89 km course barefoot.  In May, it is not too hot there, so heat will not be a major. Just the roads can be quite rough as a lot of the course is on old tar/asphalt.  Has been done before.   Not doing this for a statement, but because I genuinely do run better barefoot.  But all things come with good management.  By mixing up my training with barefoot and shod runs, I am hoping to make the final decision in March for how I will run, and then train accordingly.  Or mix it up!

I have several trail races on in the next couple of months, and a couple of half marathons, marathon and ultra marathons booked, mostly selected due to their fit to my Comrades training, – events of which I will update shortly.