Comrades Marathon 2010 is still a reality!

I had given up all hope of taking part in Comrades 2010, and had turned my attention to the Comrades Marathon 2011.

It taught me to never, ever give up on ones dreams. Events have transpired to allow me to fulfill my date with destiny, and I am so excited to have received my confirmation of entry to take part in Comrades this year!

Unfortunately I am so unfit, fat, overweight and with very little time to prepare. I shall endeavour to provide daily updates as the Comrades gets closer.

The goal of a sub 9 hour finish is shleved, and now my new goal is simply to complete the course and earn a finisher’s medal.

With only 8 weeks, I have 6 weeks to really put in the miles and build up to hopefully 50km. I’ll just have to rely on being able to run 50-60km, and intersperse a lot of walking.

In 2008 when I was injured just prior to Comrades, I was fairly fit and confident of a good showing. This time there is plenty of self-doubts and I will not be particularly well prepared. However I am going to do my best, and I would love any support I can get in my Comrades challenge.


I am requesting anyone who know’s me to accept my challenge.

Sponsor me to complete the Comrades marathon.

If I finish you must pay the nominated amount, and if not, you don’t have to pay a cent.

Any money I can raise will be in aid of Champions development, a South African charity organisation based in East London (on the southern coast of South Africa, for those who don’t know!).

Champions Development is run by a friend of mine, Jono Kruger and was formed for the purposes of establishing a programme for the holistic development of underprivileged and previously disadvantaged youth in the Eastern Cape Province. Champions Development aims to empower youth to make a stand against influences surrounding them in society, by creating opportunities for self-empowerment and job creation  through sports, life skills and integrated skills programs.

If you are interested in accepting my challenge email me on sanjay@sanjaydeva.com

on 3 April 2006, for the purposes of establishing a programme for the holistic development of underprivileged and previously disadvantaged youth in the Eastern Cape Province.

“Do not wait for your ship to come in,
swim out to meet it”

MARCH 2010

Resting HR (average): 54
Resting HR range: 50-58

Neural mobility: 36/31cm

Average weekly mileage: 5km
Average training load: 13

Running time:km range: 5:24 – 5:53

Weight: 72.6kg
Fat %: 22.4%

What a shocking month! Comrades or no Comrades, to average 5km a week is pathetic. I had all but given up hope of running Comrades, and I guess the training or lack of reflected that.

I am also heavier than I have been in sometime, and the worse thing is most of my dress pants don’t fit, well not comfortably! I had to take off my black chinos I brought in South Africa last time! It’s time to get back into some serious ab work and training rather than feeling sorry for myself.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance.
It is a matter of choice.
It is not a thing to be waited for,
It is a thing to be achieved”
Anon

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you,
they’re supposed to help you discover who you are”
Bernice Johnson Reagon

FEBRUARY 2010

Resting HR (average): 53
Resting HR range: 46-59

Neural mobility: 34/30cm

Average weekly mileage: 24km
Average training load: 79

Running time:km range: 4:50 – 5:29

After a good January and averaging 67km a week, February has been a disappointment with an average of only 24km a week.

The main reasons were finding it hard to sleep and consequently wake up and losing momentum.

With Comrades 2010 an unlikely reality now, establishing a routine is the most important thing to me and my schedule. The challenge for March is to build the routine up and perhaps not push quite as hard as January. With regular training I can build a base and start to prepare properly for a strong 2011 Comrades marathon!

“To be tested is good.
The challenged life may be the best therapist”
Gail Sheehy

“Most of life is routine – dull and grubby,
but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going”
Ben Nicholas

Not a great week once again. It started well with a 8km on Monday and a reasonable quick 15km on Tuesday.

Thursday was a 6km tempo run which was quicker than I have been but Friday morning was too hard to get up after some late nights. In the weekend there was minimal training due to the rugby and have an Internet Marketing workshop all weekend.

When you don’t fit in the longer training sessions, you don’t get the gains you want. With Comrades 2010 become more and more unlikely, I can start to focus on running the Comrades Marathon in 201.1. For that I need to start laying a strong base now!

“There is no challenge more challenging
than the challenge to improve yourself”
Michael F Staley

“Getting momentum going is the most difficult part of the job,
and often taking the first step is enough
to prompt you to make the best of your day”
Robert J McKain

The last 2 weeks have not been great! After sitting for 3 days in an Internet Marketing seminar, it aggravated my back which cause pain in my right lower calf and shin.

Missing 1 or 2 days, slipping out of the routine and I’ve found it extremely hard to wake up. It doesn’t help when the humidity makes it hard to sleep at night, and you only fall asleep at 1am! Trying to then wake up at 4am is tough going.

It also doesn’t help you trying to fall asleep if you haven’t exercised during the day! It’s a vicious circle.

Consequently there was no running this week (Rugby season and having to wake up in the middle of the night for games from South Africa doesn’t help either). I’ve only done 6km over the last 2 weeks, and it’s a momentum stopper.

At least I’ve done some exercise, and have only missed 5 days so far this year.

Next week I have to force myself to wake up early, get out on the road and get some milage going again…

“Enthusiasm is the energy and force that builds
literal momentum of the human soul and mind”
Bryant H McGill

“Strength and growth come only
through continuous effort and struggle”
Napoleon Hill

Resting HR (average): 52

Injury status: (R) calf/shin 4/10

Neural stretching (knee to nose. averages in cm):
Baseline 36; Afterwards 32

What a terrible week! My right lower shin and calf have been sore. Initally I thought I’d strain my tibialis posterior (one of the shin muscles), but I should know better. I don’t really get muscles strains.

The previous weekend I had been in a 3 day seminar and I think the sitting upset my back which refers pain down into my shin. I should just keep running small amounts as it helps to loosen up my back.

This week has been a diaster with very little running. It doesn’t help when I just struggle to wake up and then when rugby season starts! Too many middle of the night games from South Africa to watch make it hard to wake up and get out for a run!

Next week’s challenge is to wake up, get some decent runs in and get back on track!

“Where there is no struggle, there is no strength”
Oprah Winfrey

“Even if you’re on the right track,
you’ll get run over if you just sit there”
Will Rogers

Resting HR (average): 50

Injury status: (R) calf/shin 2/10

Neural stretching (knee to nose. averages in cm):
Baseline 34; Afterwards 30

A reasonable start to the year and some high mileage in recent weeks allowed me to reduce the length of my runs and have an easy week. Not that the running is ever very easy!

I tried to increase the pace on my runs and get a little faster. Monday was an easy 8km and I was obviosuly still feeling the effects of the previous week as I couldn’t run very fast!

Tuesday was a decent 15km and Wednesday was a welcome day off running. A good tempo run on Thursday was followed with a medium 24km on Friday. It felt a better than the previous week’s long run!

The weekend I only managed 2 short sessions as we were busy with an Internet marketing seminar so I had less time to exercise. Sunday’s run gave me a Right lower calf/shin pain, so I’ll have to work on that over the next few days as next week it’s time to up the mileage again!

“The will to win is worthless, without the will to prepare”

“Don’t let yesterday’s disappointments
overshadow tomorrow’s dreams”

JANUARY 2010

Resting HR (average): 55
Resting HR range: 46-62

Neural mobility: 37/31cm

Average weekly mileage: 67km
Average training load: 288

Running time:km range: 5:00 – 6:11

After a poor 2009, 2010 has started much better. Whilst I’m desperately unfit, putting in solid sessions and reaping the rewards later.

I achieved my goal of getting back to marathon distance, the goal for February is to push that up and see if I can run a 50km!

“Don’t let your body push you around. Keep running!”

“Gotta get up, Gotta get up, Gotta get up”
From “Ride on time” by Blackbox

Resting HR (average): 52

Injury status: General lower leg soreness!

Neural stretching (knee to nose. averages in cm):
Baseline 37; Afterwards 31

A solid week helped by a good long run. However early in the week I found it tough getting up in the mornings. It reminds me of the song Ride on time by Blackbox, the tagline being “Gotta get up.”

I missed my Tuesday run, it always sets back the weekly mileage when you miss your midweek longer run.

At least I still managed to do some exercise sessions and Tuesday I worked the legs hard using a step.

Thursday was a tempo run during the heat of the day. Jeez it’s been hot during the Brisbane summer!

Friday I was out at 1.30am. It would choose to rain on my long run!

After about 16km I was starting to struggle. I had run at a reasonable pace, but I got slower and slower….and slower still! My thick Thorlos (socks) were wet and had a crease which created a terribly painful hot spot under the ball of my foot. Why I didn’t stop and fix it I don’t know!

A wet top didn’t help either, and my left nip guard had fallen off which was irritating my nipple too.

At 24km I wanted to give up. I thought about calling Rheanna to come get me, but simply set small targets. 2km at a time.

My feet were getting sore and my legs really tight. When you want to give up, you have to think of your goals to drive you, and I was also motivated by the thought of not finishing what I set out to do and being the same as everyone else!

When I got home after 43km, all I could think of was I never want to run again! (That’s a common occurence after my long runs recently!) A pace of 6:11 per km is disgraceful! Oh it’d be nice to be fit again!

Exhausted after my 43km long run! I just had to lie down!

My wrinkled foot after running 43km

Looking worse for wear after running 43km!

Saturday was a fairly easy day, and then Sunday was good to back up the long run with a slow, steady 18km.

Next week will be an easy week. I’ll reduce the mileage, aim to run a little faster and work on strengthening the legs…

“Every runner has excuses, only winners never use them”

“No one ever drowned in sweat”

Resting HR (average): 54

Injury status: General lower leg soreness

Neural stretching (knee to nose. averages in cm):
Baseline 37; Afterwards 31

Training is always tough. It’s worse you are not fit, because the recovery between sessions is lower and it’s always harder to start the next session.

Monday was an easy 10km.

Tuesday my legs needed a rest from running and I took 3 days off to give them a break. It always feels good to freshen the legs, but once you start running again, it’s like they’ve never rested at all!

Training in the Brisbane summer is tough. It’s so hot (but it’s not the heat that kills). When running you need small water stops to just stop the mouth from being dry, and your clothes just get drenched in sweat. They get heavy, and it’s annoying having to wipe off the sweat constantly.

Friday I was out at 2am and the rest had helped my legs. For the first 15km anyway! After that I started to get progressively slower…and slower. I ran out 19km to St Lucia and turned around. My battery in my mp3 died. There would be no music to keep me occupied on the way back, I’d have to listen to myself!

I started to get sore feet about 22km, and had a second drink stop at 26km. From there I struggled.

It hurt to run, but it hurt even more to stop. When I stopped I’d get a burning, tightness type of pain down my legs. The last 6km were a struggle, although I did run the last few km a bit quicker.

Once again I was very stiff and sore afterwards.

That night I had to have a bath to try and ease the muscle fatigue. There was just a deep ache all through my legs! I guess I’ve been pushing hard and increasing the mileage faster than I should do. But I had wanted to get back to marathon distance by the end of January.

Saturday and Sunday were fairly easy recovery sessions.

Next week will be a big week as I aim to get back to marathon distance! It hurts already!

“Pride lasts longer than pain”