The Unconventional Ultra Runner

The 97th edition of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) is approaching and a sense of excitement is echoed on the streets. But jitters are also finding a home in most, planting doubts and making one question their readiness for the race. Trusting your training has become incredibly difficult in the information age. Apps like Strava have become scoreboards where most will rank your readiness according to the mileage put in but there is much more to Comrades Marathon than what meets the eye, it's a race race that requires mental fitness and the resilience to push through the barriers.

When it comes to training, I have been fortunate to have never considered external opinions to validate my confidence. Much of it concerns a period when I started my running career. I didn't own a running watch and would drive the distance to map out a training route and ascertain how far to go. The Nike Running Club app was becoming popular and so was running with phones to listen to music, podcasts, and of course, capture the moments. The interesting feature of the app was that it also made it possible to share runs on social media with stats and motivational quotes. This ultimately launched the careers of social runners.

Training program or lack thereof

Coach Parry’s training programs were the holy grail especially for Comrades Marathon, outlining the kilometers, duration, and pace to run for targeted medals. Many coaches have mushroomed since, producing even better times at the races. The beauty of this is that it has expanded to all distances and not only focused on Comrades marathons.

Looking back at my evolution in running where I started as a blind runner, I’m happy to have gained the discipline to rely on my body and personal judgment in training outside of devices. I firmly believe that there is no one way of doing things and that high mileage is not the only way to finish an ultra marathon. There are many variables to consider and no clear-cut distinction of what works. Physiology plays a major role and so does the use of performance aiders and training regimens. I’m fortunate to have started with gym training as a base thus cross-training has assisted me in defying the norms and staying off injuries.

Those who know me personally, are aware that I don’t like training programs, I survive a training block with just above the average of what is required to finish a race comfortably. There's potential to skyrocket as an athlete if only I can focus, but I enjoy the flexibility and non-structure for now. It's almost unbelievable that I have made it this far, without a program. I average 50kms a week with at least three runs on weekdays and schedule long runs for weekends. It is sometimes difficult to factor in training with a high-paced working environment and therefore forgive myself on runs that don’t make it to the scoreboard. I don’t play the catch-up game, which has been freeing on its own.

Training variations

Training with people who are faster and stronger than you elevate fitness. Sometimes you don’t know where you are until you train with a pack. Coming from a history of solo running, this was quite an adjustment but beneficial to my growth and progress. I had gotten so used to solo runs that even at races I’d run alone. I’d run alone even at races The group runs prioritizes the safety of runners, and no one gets left behind especially living in a country where crime is a plague to the nation. Finding people to train with, who share the enjoyment and same enthusiasm has been a special ingredient that I needed to keep training for Comrades Marathon. It has also allowed me to train differently, allowing variations i.e. running on grass, gravel, trail, time trials, and hill sessions. That aided my speed and with experience, pushed me into another category, achieving a sub-3:40 marathon finish this year.

I advocate for running naturally whenever possible with minimum supplementation. I often worry about how sugar and glycogen spikes will play out in old age and it is for that reason that I don’t take a lot of supplements. I take energy gels mostly during races and not so much on training runs. I also believe that our bodies are the greatest communicators and pay attention to how I feel at any given time. I prioritize sleep so often that if Arianna Huffington was hiring global marketers to promote the Sleep Revolution, I’d be front in line. I often give up training days to try and catch up on sleep, a decision I’ve never regretted. Running has been a gift that upgraded the quality of my life and when the day of retirement comes I will well up with pride knowing that I did it the way it pleased me.