The Countdown Begins

Norrie Williamson counts us down with his tips for the final

preparation for Comrades - as appeared in The Mercury April

30, 2012.

Your peak training for the 87th Comrades Marathon

should finish on Sunday, May 13, after which a three-week

taper will prepare you for the challenge. In many ways,

additional training only in-creases the risk of injury,

illness or over-training, where-as the taper period is ex-

tremely valuable for planning

and preparation.

PEAK TRAINING

Your peak training should last

3-4 weeks and the maximum distance that you handle in

each week should not go over the figures provided in the

Table below.

The maximum training dis-

tance is related to your cur-rent ability and the need for

recovery. Without sufficient recovery, which is best de-

fined as the combination of rest and nutrition, you will not

benefit from the training and increase the risk of starting

Comrades with damaged

muscles.

What defines your Comrades

finish after peak training?

The colour of your medal and

the time of your finish is de-termined by your training to

the end of the peak period. Your ability to rest and recov-

er, the strategy and pacing adopted on race day, and

your energy and fluid replace-

ment in the race will deter-mine just how close you will

get to your potential finish time. Working these tips will

assist you in the final prepara-tion for a successful 2012

Comrades Marathon.

Determine your taper

Training is a process of over-

load and adaptation. Each

time we train, small micro-tears are generated in our

muscles, but rest and recov-ery allows the muscles to

rebuild. When given adequate rest, muscles rebuild stronger

than before. Scientists have shown that muscle damage is

more severe when running further than 25km. Based on

this: Your last long run, (more than 25km) should be more

than three weeks before race day (June 3). Your last 18-

25km run should be more than nine days before the

race; and the overall training load should be dramatically

reduced over the final three weeks before the race, allow-

ing your muscles to fully re-

cover.

In the first week, cut the over-

all training distance to about 60-65% of the peak-week

training and drop this to 40-45% for the second week. The

final week needs to be fairly specific and will only be about

25kms in total. But don't for-

get the following day you will

be covering 89kms.

Important:

It is the distance that is dropped – not the quality

work.

There are good reasons to

drop the distance sessions and focus on shorter, faster

work during the taper:

• Slow work initiates nagging

doubts that you can complete the longer Comrades dis-

tance, whereas faster work makes you feel light and posi-

tive about your fitness.

• In the first three days of the final week, faster work assists

with carbohydrate depletion as part of your carbo-loading

process; and

• Faster work also maintains blood volume and hence your

fitness levels, despite re-

duced training load.

Comrades 2012:

Business Name

Thursday

10 May 2012

Week 19 / 2012

“Run Safely, Run wisely and Run to be seen”

Well I am glad to see people

actually read the newsletter and

thank all those who pointed out

my error. Yes the Pasta evening

is on the 29 MAY 2012 and not

in June as was printed in the

newsletter last week.

Well if you have not updated

your Comrades seeding by now

then you are not running on the

day. To all of you who have en-

tered and submitted your seed-

ings, congratulations—its not

long now.

Running on the weekend it was

great to see so many of our run-

ners out and about. Everyone is

looking mean and lean and I

look forward to seeing some of

the results after the big day.

Don’t forget to read through our

Derby details and get your entry

in fast. I think this is going to

add a lot of excitement to both

runners and those betting on

them.

Looking through the facebook

pages I came across this com-

ment by Kim Lowe “Well done

master (Kenny Culverwell) …

sorry I wasn't there to give you

my goodie bag, perhaps next

week”. Mmmmmn! I wonder

what she meant.

Time Trial Duty: Our Sponsors let’s support

those who

support us:

NEXT DRAW IS

15 MAY 2012

YOU NEED TO BE AT

THE DRAW TO WIN

Date 1st member assist 2nd member assist

01-May

08-May Craig Munro Gayle Lombard

15-May Kelly Benschop Veronica Labaschagne

22-May Tim Parle Alison Parle

29-May Sheree Kirsten Sindy Kirsten

MAY 2012

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2 3 4 5 6

Weekly TT

Westville AC

@ 17h45

Queensburgh

Mineshaft 15km

Cavanagh - Escort

52 & 21,1km

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Weekly TT

Westville AC

@ 17h45

TT LEAGUE

Savages AC

@ 18h00

Sunrise 10km

X-C League 3

Hutchinson Park

Atoti

@ 11am

Mothers day

Starling Plumbers

21,1km

Mt Edgecombe

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Committee

Meeting

Weekly TT

Westville AC

@ 17h45

SA 10km

Champs

Kimberley

Discovery / East

Coast Radio Big

walk

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Weekly TT

Westville AC

@ 17h45

X-C League 4

Laddworth

Primary, Hilton

@ 11am

Chairman’s run

28 29 30 31

Weekly TT

Westville AC

@ 17h45

PASTA

EVENING

Guest Speaker

Comrades

Exhibition

Details of all races can be found @ www.eventtiming.co.za

LET’S TALK LET’S TALK DERBYDERBY!!

Comrades runners must submit their qualifying time and an ‘alias/nickname’

in order to be entered onto the Derby ‘betting board’.

e.g.: Janine ‘Arrive Alive’ Mazery – qualified in 04:19:59

(info to be sent to jmazery@gmail.com)

Every ‘horse’ will be given a charitable HANDICAP time. A time greater

than what we expect them to finish Comrades. (Handicap times are

generated according to a formula.)

e.g.: Janine ‘Arrive Alive’ Mazery – handicap time of 10:55:00

The betting board will be made available to the entire club for everyone - friends, running partners, club members, runners or

supporters - to place a bet on the horse they think will have the best improvement to their handicap time.

All bets cost R20 - so back as many horses or put it all on one horse!

Bets can be placed at the club on Tuesday 15th and 22nd between 5:30pm and 7:00pm and at the Pasta Evening on Tuesday,

29th.

Avoid your favourite horse from being ‘scratched’ from the race – so back them!! They and you need to be in it, to win it!

Only horses that have been backed (where someone has betted on them) are eligible for the prizes. Non-backed horses will

be scratched the day before Comrades. SO BACK YOURSELF IF YOU HAVE TO! You don’t want to miss the opportunity to win

the cash prize.

The horses which have the best improvements to their ‘handicap’ time – WIN!

Remember: It’s all in the name of FUN!

THE PRIZESTHE PRIZES The top 3 horses will win R500, R300 and R200 respectively. (This money is guaranteed and has been kindly sponsored.)

All bets received for the derby will be divided as follows:

50% to the person/s, who bet on the winning horse,

30% to the person/s, who bet on the 2nd place horse,

10% to the person, who bet on the 3rd place horse and,

10% to a charity/NGO/school etc. of the winning horses’ choice.

The results and prizes will be handed out at the Aches and Pains party!

PERFORMANCE LADDERS

MEN LADIES Pos Name Time Qualifier Pos Name Time Qualifier

Half Marathon Half Marathon

1 Paul EICHERT 01:19:46 Hill 1 Shani SILVER 01:30:06 Bergville

2 Richard LONG 01:25:48 Bergville 2 Vanessa ZIMMERMAN 01:33:35 Scott

3 Paul WORSNIP 01:28:01 Dick King 3 Wendy MORGAN 01:34:16 Hill

4 Russell PIETERSEN 01:28:46 Hill 4 Kim LOWE 01:36:29 Hill

5 Daryl HEFER 01:29:49 Hill 5 Lauren CALENBORNE 01:37:13 Scott

6 Sthembiso SITHOLE 01:32:29 Scott 6 Karen BEHRENS 01:37:41 Hill

7 Cliff ROBBERTZE 01:33:05 Scott 7 Janine NORTJE' 01:41:40 Hill

8 Daryl HEFER 01:33:11 PMB 8 Louise FITZSIMONS 01:41:59 Hill

9 Tony SAUNDERSON 01:33:50 Hill 9 Tammy DENNILL 01:42:36 Zbalalza

10 Andy DALY 01:34:27 PMB 10 Karen FISHER 01:42:37 Scott

11 Ken CULVERWELL 01:35:01 Dick King 11 Robyn LONG 01:43:01 Hill

12 Gareth BROCKETT 01:35:02 Dick King 12 Daleen TYLER 01:43:41 Hill

13 Ross McKECHNIE 01:36:16 Omtom 13 Megan FINESTONE 01:45:26 PMB

14 Fred Mc KENZIE 01:39:12 Hill 14 Kerry HOAR 01:45:45 Scott

15 Rowland VISSER 01:39:19 Hill 15 Desiree GULSTON 01:46:09 PMB

16 Deon PRETORIUS 01:39:36 Hill 16 Tarryn BALLARD 01:47:09 Hill

17 Stefan WILMANS 01:40:23 Kearsney 17 Sarah EKSTEEN 01:49:13 Hill

18 Nic BREIN 01:40:54 PMB 18 Lauren URQUHART 01:49:45 Hill

19 Trevor HART-JONES 01:41:55 Dick King 19 Tracey ALLISON 01:50:28 Hill

20 Iain ROBERTSON 01:43:03 Hill 20 Shelley FRANKISH 01:51:20 Omtom

21 Shane ELLIS 01:43:26 Verulam 21 Lindsey WATKEYS 01:52:48 Kearsney

22 Lyndon NASH 01:45:01 Kearsney 22 Caroline FYVIE 01:53:34 Hill

23 Gary COCKING 01:46:11 Dick King 23 Sheree KIRSTEN 01:55:57 Hill

24 JP CHELIN 01:36:22 Bergville 24 Debbie BREIN 01:57:27 PMB

25 Tarquin MILLER 01:46:51 Hill 25 Tammy-Lee KELLY 01:58:56 Hill

Marathon Marathon

1 Paul EICHERT 02:44:36 Buffs 1 Lauren CALENBORNE 03:10:03 Hill

2 Paul WORSNIP 02:55:24 Hill 2 Karen FISHER 03:21:54 PMB

3 Sithembiso SITHOLE 03:00:26 PMB 3 Tammy DENNILL 03:28:08 Buffs

4 Richard LONG 03:05:15 PMB 4 Kim LOWE 03:29:30 PMB

5 Cliff ROBBERTZE 03:07:37 Hill 5 Wendy MORGAN 03:30:05 Umgeni

6 Stefan WILMANS 03:10:28 Umgeni 6 Kerry HOAR 03:31:47 Hill

7 Thandikile SOTUBAU 03:11:21 Verulam 7 Karen BEHRENS 03:36:23 PMB

8 Lyndon NASH 03:12:29 Umgeni 8 Megan FINESTONE 03:37:31 Buffs

9 Ken CULVERWELL 03:17:09 Buffs 9 Lindsey WATKEYS 03:39:00 Buffs

10 Tony SAUNDERSON 03:17:55 PMB 10 Louise FITZSIMONS 03:39:27 PMB

11 Michael MARTIN 03:28:49 PMB 11 Robyn LONG 03:42:16 PMB

12 Gavin HERON 03:28:49 PMB 12 Vanessa SKINNER 03:46:38 PMB

13 Brandon JACKSON 03:31:42 Mtn - Surf 13 Sarah EKSTEEN 03:47:49 PMB

14 Justin ERASMUS 03:35:21 PMB 14 Ereni SAMOUILHAN 03:51:32 Hill

15 Fred MC KENZIE 03:35:33 PMB 15 Janine NORTJE 03:54:43 PMB

16 Martin ERASMUS 03:37:28 PMB 16 Liz CHELIN 03:57:06 PMB

17 Simon COLLINS 03:37:28 PMB 17 Nicola CENTNER 03:57:21 PMB

18 Rowland VISSER 03:38:18 PMB 18 Tracey ALLISON 04:01:41 PMB

19 Justin BAKER 03:39:02 PMB 19 Sheree KIRSTEN 04:09:31 Buffs

20 Karl RABIE 03:42:16 PMB 20 Caroline FYVIE 04:16:03 PMB

21 Rudi VAN NIEKERK 03:42:57 Hill 21 Janine MAZERY 04:19:52 PMB

22 Hilton JANSE V/RENSBURG 03:45:05 Buffs 22 Nicky BLEWITT 04:25:35 Hill

23 Iain ROBERTSON 03:45:43 PMB 23 Caitlyn HOWARD 04:27:21 Hill

24 Gareth BROCKETT 03:45:47 PMB 24 Zanele NDULI 04:34:10 Hill

25 Peter HERON 03:48:53 PMB 25 Lucinda READ 04:37:08 Umgeni

2 Grant Visser

2 Maritza Venter

2 Sarah Eksteen

2 Grant Desmond

2 Vanessa Skinner

6 Ross McKechnie

7 Rudi van Niekerk

7 Adrienne Botha

8 Caitlyn Howard

8 John Mordaunt

12 Don Masinga

13 Brad van der Westhuizen

13 Paul Rose

15 Sarah-Ann Hall

17 Allen Ndlovu

17 Jason Kershaw

19 Robyn Long

20 Shelley Frankish

20 Carol Brown

21 Gordon Stephen

22 Collette Bell

23 Rod Jarvis

25 Trevor Cowie

26 Andy Watson

27 Gary Moor

28 Jenny Crompton

28 Manoli Hajipetrou

30 Daleen Tyler

30 Michelle Wilmans

31 Brandon Jackson

Happy birthday:

Contact us:

Please send your pictures and contributions to

fred@ramses.co.za

WE NEED YOUR PHOTO’s

Do you have any photos from

your runs? Please send them to

fred@ramses.co.za

THE RACING SNAKES: (min 100km sub 5min/km pace)

NAME CUMULATIVE

DISTANCE AVE PACE

Paul Eichert 140.3 3.96

Paul Worsnip 160.3 4.12

Sithembiso Sithole 127.3 4.25 New entry

Cliff Robbertze 125.4 4.38

Richard Long 123.2 4.48

Stefan Wilmans 113.3 4.58

Ross Mc Kechnie 119.3 4.62

Lauren Calenborne 172.7 4.65

Andy Daly 114.3 4.74

Ken Culverwell 337.8 4.78

Tony Saunderson 150.4 4.82

Karen Fisher 115.3 4.83

Mike Martin 123.2 4.84

Wendy Morgan 140.4 4.91

THE VALUE FOR MONEY CLUB:

(min. 22hours spent on the road)

NAME CUMULATIVE

DISTANCE Hours on the Road AVE PACE

Kelly Benschop 317.7 1day 12hrs & 26min 6.88

Janine Mazery 296.6 1day 7hrs & 27min 6.36

Stuart Cox 295.6 1day 7hrs & 20min 6.36

Zanele Nduli 279.6 1day 7hrs & 08min 6.68

Simon Collins 353.8 1day 6hrs & 14min 5.13

Sindy Kirsten 247.6 1day 4hrs & 07min 6.81

Graham Buck 225.4 1day 3hrs & 08min 7.22

Ken Culverwell 337.8 1day 2hrs & 26min 4.78

Elize Herbst 234.4 1day 1hr & 58min 6.65

Andrew Quinlan 245.4 1day & 40min 5.96 New entry

Chris Herbst 202.4 22hrs & 55min 6.79

Debbie Brien 205.4 22hrs & 20min 6.52

300km Club

Simon Collins 353.8

Ken Culverwell 337.8

Kelly Benschop 317.7

Results:

QUEENSBURGH MINESHAFT 15km:

Kenny Culverwell—1st master

Gill Tregenna—1st Grandmaster lady

Trivia Quiz: Answer next week:

Which brothers have the most Comrades medals between them…….these brothers are not even close—Kenny & Edward Craig

(40&25 = 60).

Answer the above question and earn yourself R75 MTN airtime voucher and hamper

What is the most years between a runners Comrades wins?

Who is the youngest runner to 30 Comrades medals?

Training Groups:

Westville Mall:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday - 5am

Tuesday & Thursday – 5:30am

(The Tue/Thu group also have a large walking group)

Kloof Virgin Active:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday – 4:50am

Westville Athletic Club:

Tuesday # Time Trial – 5:45pm

Monday & Thursday # Track – 5:30pm

Sparkpoort 32km

Time Name

02:10:07 Sithembiso Sithole

02:32:28 Stefan Wilmans

02:47:54 Kerry Hoar

02:49:27 Oliver Lamusse

02:50:15 Rudi Van Niekerk

02:50:25 Steve McCarley

02:51:39 Fred McKenzie

02:53:23 Simon Collins

03:05:19 Byron Van Deventer

03:09:18 Hilton Janse Van Rebsburg

03:09:22 Justin Janse Van Rensburg

03:10:44 Andrew Quinlan

03:18:26 Douglas Glennie

03:18:30 Steve Hill

03:25:04 Stuart Cox

03:30:52 Jowainne Parrott

03:31:47 Tiffany Callaghan

03:39:37 Janine Mazery

03:39:45 Kelly Benschop

03:42:55 Tina Leisegang

03:43:08 Elize Herbst

03:45:26 Francios Brand

03:45:56 Zanele Nduli

03:49:30 Princess Mark

03:51:23 Graham Buck

03:53:33 Charles Janse Van Rensburg

04:02:06 Gloria Naidoo

04:13:55 Debbie Lundin

Sparkpoort 16km

Time Name

01:13:19 Ross Mc Kechnie

01:32:56 Doug Hoar

01:39:07 Shelley Frankish

01:42:28 John Londal

01:43:39 Alfred Dlamini

01:45:53 Roz Fraser

01:46:44 Paula Dovey

01:56:13 lauren Lavarack

02:05:10 Mbongeni Mathe

02:17:42 Nelly Dlamini

02:20:29 B Vlelwa

02:27:35 Karen McKenzie

Time Name

01:06:10 Ken Culverwell

01:09:08 Simon Collins

01:09:30 Ross Mc Kechnie

01:11:55 Oliver Lamusse

01:13:01 Wayne Simmons

01:17:01 Andy Daly

01:20:12 Paul Pearce

01:24:50 Sheree Kirsten

01:25:20 Hilton Janse Van Rensburg

01:30:11 Douglas Glennie

01:32:24 Gill Tregenna

01:39:08 Shelley Frankish

01:39:59 Zanele Nduli

01:40:02 Gloria Naidoo

01:42:55 Jenny Bartlett

01:42:55 Sindy Kirsten

01:49:23 Debbie Lundin

On the light side:

A funeral service was being held for a woman who had

just passed away.

At the end of the service, the pallbearers were carrying

the casket out when they accidentally bumped into a

wall, jarring the casket.

They heard a faint moan. They opened the casket and

found that the woman was actually alive!

She lived for ten more years, and then died. Once again, a ceremony was held, and at the end

Of it, the pallbearers were again carrying out the casket.

As they carried the casket towards the door,

the husband cried out, “Watch that wall!”

Men’s TT league shirts

sponsored by

MANOLI’s MUNCHIES