Comrades Marathon 2027 – Novice training November and December

Novice – definition – “Haven’t run much before but want to be part of the action in Comrades 2027, and get a medal.”

Foundation for this was laid by the late Don Oliver, Comrades Coach. It has been updated and improved and is overseen by physiotherapist and Comrades Marathon finisher, Bronwyn Cottrell. Adapted and edited by Tom Cottrell.

For this period, November and December, we are beginning to prepare ourselves for some fairly serious training next year. The kilometres will go up and the objectives become slightly harder, but they are still really quite easy. At this stage we didn’t realise training for Comrades was this easy. Well, wait for April next year and see how things go then. The idea of achieving an objective and moving on to the next slightly harder one is called “biteable bits and chewable chunks”. That is how you get used to being an achiever.

Before we close off 2026, let’s recap the structure of the plan, especially what lies ahead early next year.

In phase one we are going to build up to standard marathon and qualify by the end of February, approximately eight weeks. A gradual increase from a half marathon through 32 kilometres and then on to a marathon in eight weeks. Here you will qualify with ease and earn your first big confidence builder.

During phase two the hard training begins. Here you will be competing in ultra-marathons and it ends with the Long Club Run of 65 kilometres in early to mid-May. This phase lasts for approximately nine weeks. Most runners at all levels can only tolerate up to a maximum of 12 weeks hard training before an event. You will do only nine weeks in order to avoid over-training. Over this period you will develop huge stamina and endurance.

In the final phase you wind down for approximately four weeks. The wind-down period after the Long Club run of 65 kilometres is a generous four weeks This allows for full recovery of muscles and to recharge your energy and enthusiasm.

There is a danger of doing more than the programme demands to improve your chances of finishing. It doesn’t work like that at Comrades. Doing more results in fatigue, and increased risk of injury and sickness. Most of you will get a serious dose of the ‘plods’, which is a temporary lethargy about training, heavy legs and total loss of motivation. There is a risk of self-inflicted destruction. The clever runners never do more. Clever runners only do enough to reach their objective, the safe medal.

The art of training is to do the minimum training to achieve your goal.

What should you be doing in November and December? Maintaining fitness, building strength and recharging. The second half of December should provide a balance between maintaining fitness and recovering from the past year. Your training should focus on keeping the body ticking over. Our bodies don’t like to stop completely.

If you want, you can introduce some upper-body and core muscle strength training. You are going to need it for the punishing downhill running. Spend some time getting ready mentally, believe you are a finisher, visualise your medal.

January will mark the beginning of more demanding endurance and ultra-specific training. For now, our aim is to arrive at the start of the year fresh, strong and ready to train. We want to hit our peak at the start of the Comrades Marathon, not before. The foundation laid during these closing months of 2026 will make sure we get there injury free.

Thought for the next two months: “I am feeling better about everything in life! Comrades 2027 here I come.”