On today’s Ask Coach Parry podcast, it is Friday, the weekend is upon us and only a few weeks to go to the 2015 Comrades Marathon. Lindsey, today’s question comes from a guy who is no stranger to road running and athletics in South Africa, Wes Botton, one of the top journo’s in the sport and he’s not a bad athlete himself either. Wes is saying that he’s very underdone for the Comrades Marathon this year. He’s done far less mileage than he should have. He did 56km last week Friday at five minutes a kilometre and felt pretty comfortable, sore but okay he said. He said, can he aim for silver and hope that he doesn’t blow or should he go for a Bill Rowan?

Brad Brown: On today’s Ask Coach Parry podcast, it is Friday, the weekend is upon us and only a few weeks to go to the 2015 Comrades Marathon. Lindsey, today’s question comes from a guy who is no stranger to road running and athletics in South Africa, Wes Botton, one of the top journo’s in the sport and he’s not a bad athlete himself either.

Wes is saying that he’s very underdone for the Comrades Marathon this year. He’s done far less mileage than he should have. He did 56km last week Friday at five minutes a kilometre and felt pretty comfortable, sore but okay he said.

He said, can he aim for silver and hope that he doesn’t blow or should he go for a Comrades Marathon Bill Rowan?

Lindsey Parry: Look Wes, I really dig the work you do, so keep that up. Quite a fan, but from what you’ve told me now, 56km quite sore but manageable, I think that silver will be a bit of a stretch. I don’t know enough about your actual pedigree, if you’re a 2:30 marathoner and you’re a bit underdone, then cool, go for it, but if you’re a real borderline sub three marathoner, you haven’t done enough mileage and you did struggle a little to hold the five minutes a kilometre, you’re probably better off targeting 8/8:15 having a more comfortable run.

How badly do you want that Silver medal this year? However, what I can tell you from my own personal experience in Comrades is that if you are fit enough to get yourself to 70km on Silver, then no matter what happens, it becomes a how badly do you want this scenario.

Of course if you’ve really not done enough mileage and it turns into a run/walk from 60km, you should still sneak in a Bill Rowan. So someone with good marathon and pedigree, if you blow at 50-60km, you should still with run/walk, run/walk hang on for a Bill Rowan, but you will certainly enjoy the day much, much more if you target like an 8:00 to an 8:15.

BB: Awesome stuff, Wes, good luck, mate if there is anything else we can help you with, please pop us a message, be in touch. The website, askcoachparry.com and we look forward to seeing you at the Comrades Marathon in 2015.

Good luck for the last few weeks of cramming. You sound like you’re running Comrades like I went to varsity. We’ll chat Monday in the next edition of the Ask Coach Parry podcast. From myself, Brad Brown and Lindsey Parry, it’s cheers.