Ultra marathon training tips
Plan and prepare for your ultra marathon with a training plan. If needed find a coach or subscribe to a coaching platform. Below is my planned traininig program for Comrades 2026, with a Robert Mtshali Medal as the goal or at least a comfortable 10:00 hour finish. Design your plan, share it with friends, so they can join you on your runs.
Remember: Fail to plan, plan to fail!
Training Calendar.
Through my experience from my first Comrades Mararthon in 2022, qualifying for the Ultimate Human Race in the year prior, is ideal. This takes out other pressures and stresses, in trying to fit in a qualifying run, whilst trying to remain focused on training and being injury fee. Seasonal flu, niggling injuries, work pressures – can all change your qualifying event quite quickly. Essentially March is cut-off date, that is when you have the final opportunity to substitute your entry, but we dont think of substituting here, unless due to your world being turned upside down!
January to March training plan. Qualifying events listed (KZN Based)
April to May training plan. Qualifying/Seeding events listed (KZN Based)
The up run is a mental game, yes, it still hurts physically, but not as much as the down run. The relentless uphill battle from the start, tests your mental toughness. Being well prepared for the onslaught will give you the confidence to rise above the challenge.
With 160 days to race day, you need to have a plan!
Training routes and details
10th January 2026
Durban-Westville-Durban. 29.79km, 593m of climbing. 5.00am start.
This route follows most of the first 14km of the Comrades Marathon up-run route, however it does not start in the centre of Durban, we start at Pirates Surf Life Saving club. From there we traverse the Berea, until we are next to the N3, up and over the Berea and head to the King Cetshwayo Highway (M13) to Westville. We will return via Jan Hofmeyer and through Overport, back to Pirates.
The reason for running the route in this order, is that on Comrades day, your legs are fresh at the start. It is a good opportunity to determine when you would walk, even on fresh legs. (You will need to walk early, like me, only if your goal is not a sub-8 hour Comrades Marathon.) The climb out of Durban city is relentless, so don’t “burn too many matches” trying to conquer the Berea. You still have the big 5 to climb. I personally believe Cowies Hill actually starts from 45th Cutting, and there are two hills prior to 45th Cutting! I will post the next training section soon.
14 February 2026
Stokers (Kloof) to Westville Mall and back. 24.63km. 462m of climbing. 5.00am start
January is over. You may have done your first event, even your first marathon of 2026 – you should have bagged at least 170km in January.
Even though it is Valentines day, we run. This route takes us down and up 2 of the big five Comrades climbs. We start at Stokers and run down to Westville, in order to get the mileage in the legs for the return journey. This simulates the race day feeling of runnning the 2nd 12km’s on already warmed-up legs. The route decends Fields Hill, across Pinetown, over Cowies Hill and down to Westville. We turn at Blaire Athol and start the climb up and over Cowies Hill – first of the Big 5 on the up-run. We then run through Pinetown and set upon Fields Hill, the second of the Big 5.
During February, the long slow weekend runs continue, however, I increase my pace on the short week day runs. I also start to add a 3rd weekday run, to bring my average weekly kilometers to 55km per week. The goal is to complete 220km by the end of February, my goal is a Robert Mtshali – sub 10hr, (180km if your goal is bronze or finish).
If you are still looking to qualify for Comrades Marathon 2026, try and get that done before the middle of March. There are a plethora of events out now. Select a marathon with an easier route profile, to secure your qualification and seeding. Once qualified, you can still improve your seeding up until 05 May 2026.