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gramfk24 - £1000 is what I try to aim for to include everything except race entry...
Hi All
Just dipping in (and admittedly haven't gone through all the posts yet), but think 2013 is finally going to be the Comrades year for me. I have a group of approx 9 'signed up' so far. This is either going to be the best thing I ever did...or the worst
Decided i just need to throw my hat in the ring as they say and get on with it.
Sounds like you guys are vets?
Welcome H - it's a great event and experience! You just have to be careful not to get too addicted to it...
How was the retro run?
Hans - you know you will go back for a second go to see what its like in the other direction
Its a totally different race but the same amazing day and atmosphere.
And just info for everyone, my badge arrived this week. I sent the email to comrades about a week after the race so assume everyone elses should be arriving very soon.
Hans, yes 13 and 101. Retro run was great fun - lots of runners in fancy dress with plenty of knotted handkerchiefs on show!
Oooh - badge!... anxiously waiting for our postman...
SD you are a legend. I have done 8 marathons including 2 Ultras so not too far off the 100 club.
Hi there,
Phew, just been reading some of your posts and am amazed. I can't believe I am contemplating this and the idea was sown in my brain only last Friday. I have so many questions I don't know where to start but won't bore you all too much just yet.
Am a Comrades virgin and have only started reading about it today. Didn't know there was an 'Up' and 'Down' event. Daft question number one - which one is tougher ?
I have done 31 marathons / ultras since 2008. My mara PB is 3.51done at Boddington a few weeks ago but I know all that pales into insignificance compared to Comrades stuff. I currently have a boring injury / Achilles / hamstring which is a big old pain as I have 7 more marathons already entered this year - next one Salisbury on 12th Aug but I think I'll have to opt out of that. My aim is to get to 50 by April 2014 when I will be 50.
Right, that's me.
So many questions but first one as above - Up or Down......which one to do as first Comrades. Thanks.
Hi Possum Hopper. Welcome to the Comrades family. 2013 will be an 'up' course. It depends who you talk to in terms of if it is tougher from the down....as both have six large hills. The up is also 2k shorter and about 1,000 ft net climbing higher than the down and some peole prefer running up as it is not so hard on their knees. With your marathon/ultra pedigree you would be well set to get around in a medal position :0)
Right...bring on question 2
Possum hopper - welcome. Your running CV is much better than mine when I completed my first Comrades (12 marathons 0 ultras 3:52 PB) - so you'll be fine.
The next run is an Up run. Which is harder? That's a really difficult question - more often than not the most difficult one is the last one that you remember doing... I think they are equally hard but in slightly different ways - my view is that you may prefer the up run if you consider yourself more a strong runner than one good at enduring pain (and vice-versa)... but logistically I prefer the down run...
The big hills on the Comrades route are generally known as the Big Five... but there are lots other of hills on the route some with names, some without...
...I thought it was the next Comrades that was always the most difficult...
Thanks for that.
Was looking on Youtube last night at some of the spine tingling footage of past events....one in particular of the mass start (I didn't realise 20,000 runners took part) all singing the SA national anthem. Fantastic.
I'll be back with some more daft questions when I've had another trawl through the website and have a few more sleeps and contemplations on what all this will entail.
Speaking of the start Possom Hopper...if you can get below 4hrs 20mins for a qualifying marathon (your times look much better than that)....you will start in front of the majority of the starting field...which could take 10 mins...ish off your finish time
I might have an o.k. marathon time but I am in awe of you lot having done Comrades. Whilst I have a few ultras under my belt, they were only 30 miles and I always said "No more!". How many of us runners say stuff like that to only then go back on what we had said at the end of a tough run.
I would be happy to get through the 56 miles under 12 hours........that'll do me very nicely. I tried to access the results for this year just to get an idea of what 'times 'normal' people get....I count myself as normal as not uber fast, but could not get on to it.
O.K..stupid question number 2 and onwards - on an 'up' year, where does the run start ?
Do you get bussed back to the beginning....pre supposing you make it !!
I have read that there are 'pacer' buses that go alongside you. Is that right ?
At the water / fuel stops, what is provided and what is 'normal' to take on board for a run like this ??
Thanks guys....you were warned.
Forget the question re where does it start....even I managed to find that on website.
I had done 3 marathons, 0 ultras and had a marathon PB of 4:05 when I finished my first. 10:33 for that one so I'm sure you'll have no problem.
Hi Possum Hopper. You can book transport back to Durban from the finish...there are options at the expo when you collect your race packs and people are very friendly in helping each other out with transport. The buses are human pace setters (e.g. someone you can run around with to do say 10hrs 30mins). These are available right up to just below 12 hours. There is plenty of water and Poweraid (just like the UK drink). These are in small plastic pouches you have to bite with your teeth to make holes. There are also large water troughs for your own bottle and biscuits on some stations. The stations are every few kilometers + plenty of supporters handing out salted oranges. It all works well....just remember to eat something along the way....or it becomes a tougher race :0) If you can do 30...you can do 56!!!
Hey Warren. That is pretty impressive. Congraulations
Hi Possum Hopper,
You are a bit faster than me (my pb is just under 4h and on a v. flat course) but it's not that big a deal where you start. As Carmen can tell you (having trundled past me every year
).
As STFC said you don't really need to carry food & drink. Maybe a water bottle at the start, as the first few aid stations are a bit mad. But bear in mind there are no portaloos IN the start pens (where you'll be spending 30 mins to an hour). So keep it for if you're thirsty - don't end up like me with cross eyes in the start pen and searching desperately for the loo in the first few miles!
All the aid stations - which are less than 2 miles apart on average - have water and Energade (not Powerade iirc) in the biteable sachets. (Don't squirt the former on you to cool down, it's sticky!). They give out free Energade in the international athlete's corral at the expo so you can try it ahead of time.
Also there are little cups of cola (Pepsi I think).
On the later stations (half way ish and onwards) food starts to appear. Orange segments (not salted!) - sadly I find these don't agree with me when running though they are yummy. Salted boiled potatoes - om nom - and bananas, and biscuits. It's easy to blag other stuff off the spectators and there are "unofficial" aid stations too (e.g. iirc sandwiches, and salt on its own). I could not find lemonade or barley water for love nor money but did manage to sneak a swig of beer off one chap
Don't dip your water bottle in the troughs - not hygienic - they are for dipping sponges etc in. Lumps of ice are also given out - can be stuck inside lycra gear to cool you down (worth the slight chafing that may result).
Definitely worth experimenting with which of the above you can eat on a (Comrades pace, much slower!!) run. Sickness gets lots of people (inc. me in 2011, v. grim). It is way way different from a marathon, apart from that thing of the first one being a big learning experience.
For each headline time there are several buses. I seem to recall at least 3 for 11 hours. But the thing is that you will have good patches and bad patches and trying to keep up with a bus in a bad patch, or wasting time slowing down to stay with one in a good patch when you could comfortably go a wee bit faster, well, neither is ideal. Better to use them as indicators and not worry too much about them unless you find the last 12 hour bus at your heels!! Remember they are "driven" by humans too, and are not foolproof.
Best of luck. It is a compelling event and a great challenge. I had a lousy time for some of my first (the middle 30k was fun, mind!) and still came back for the down run the next year. Down run much easier if you like downhills - which I do!
Hahaha - Bikeit, you're right the most difficult is your next one...
Possum Hopper (and anyone else) - as Fido has already said - DO NOT DRINK THE WATER IN THE TROUGH - it is for sponging and not drinking. It will be obvious enough if try to drink it...
I've had plenty of salted potatoes but never salted oranges...
I have had salted pickled cucumbers in a race, in Helsinki. Very refreshing!
Fido - I remember them well from Helsinki - they were surprisingly nice!
When I entered Comrades, I had 1 x 1/2 Marathon, 1 x Marathon, 0 x Ultra.
Possum Hopper, just enter for next year and don't worry about if it's an up or down or if you're good enough, you will finish it and you will love it.
But you're a legend Stevie!
Uploaded both runs to Garmin Connect- I remember you asking. Usual user id. Any probs give me a shout. I've favourited both runs for searching. Second one has no hr data.
Loving the talk-