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Comrades 2014
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Been a good Comrades year. Got a strong finish time, got my pic in the paper (not quite as good as Stevan of course) and had a very quick natter with the Russian twins on the
Plane out of Durban.
it was great to meet old and new faces and I may only lose 2 toenails.
Next year? Hmmm, how to take 25 minutes off the finish time?
If you figure that one out can you let me know Hans.
You are on Becca!
Downhill, peeps, downhill!
Fido- At 5"7 1/2, first time I've been described as tall in a long time!. I see Norm ran again this year. Will drop an email to him at some point.
Ally- Eventually stalked your time. Great effort and nice finish on the video.
Broached 2014 this week but most likely a no from me, as circa £1k will get all of us to Paris for a weekend. 2015 will be a couple of weeks after my 40th and I will definitely be doing it. Hoping for a double down...
Fido - this is a super exciting development, pls come next yr!!
Re flights - i normally go thru Europe to make it cheaper (two changes are not a problem) but this yr got LHR - JHB - DUR for ??610 with SAA (AND had 3 seats to myself on the way home, and 2 on the way out!!)
I cant believe I'm going to do this again after the sheer hell that was Sunday. I'm not sure I've ever felt so drained and desperate to just stop! But it's amazing how quickly your brain sort of turns those bits a bit foggy...
And yeah - Hans..I'm keen on losing 25mins too! (and my toenail is being held on by a plaster!)
Hey Fido, TO eh? I am planning that trip next year already!! As for the flights though i think they can be fairly expensive since it will be Easter. Last time i stayed in downtown Cape Town but this time may opt for the V&A waterfront area.
As for next years Comrades, hmm my heart says maybe but then my head says dont be so stupid!!
And hans, if you manage to find a way to lose 25 mins, let me in on the secret as i need to lose 30!!
I've gone down with a stinking cold but apart from that (though I've not tried running!) there's not the slightest ache.
Just arrived home today after a good 24 hours travelling (Durban, JB, Paris, LHR) which was a killer but probably the cheapest way to do it.
I would seriously like to have a proper go at this race. Even my parents just said they would be intersted in coming out at the same time! Could well happen.
Do they bus you to the start of the Down run by the way or do you have to get there under your own steam? I gather hardly anyone stays in Pietermaritzburg.
Andy - you can buy a ticket at the expo for a bus to take you to the start - costs around 70 rand... leaves at around 2 - 3am ish? Everyone uses it though...
I'd wonder if it's worth a night in PM travelling light and avoiding that early start? I suppose you can doze on the bus. Anyway - it concerns me I'm thinking about ligistics already
I know of no-one who SLEEPS the night before the race. Last year I was quite calm but every time I put the light out my heart rate shot up like I'd had 10 expressos. In the end I stuck a book over my face and mp3 player on with a bit of classical music and "dozed". Never needed the 1am (iirc) alarm as one of the other runners with a very clean nature got up and headed for the shower at 12:30, and at that point I just got up myself.
You can doze on the bus. In fact Slow Duck would probably be delighted to have a nice quiet seatmate.
Better to use the buses than waste time in the evening packing + getting up to PMB when you could be stuffing your face with a few last carbs and relaxing hohoho.
My only advice, is to take more clothing. I had several warm layers on, including two space blankets, and cardboard to sit on, but was still freezing!!!! (in saying that i kept 3 layers on, including a jumper until Drummond...if the weather's anything like this year, that would not be required!)
I stayed in PMB with a friend of a friend last year, and I'm glad I did. There aren't many hotels there though.
Cleanliness next to godliness in my book
Good to see people going through the same thought processes here. Very difficult to explain these memories and feelings to people who haven't witnessed the race!
Really pleased to have completed my first on Sunday, one of the last to scrape in under the BR cut-off (this was the goal I set beforehand for a "really good day"). Very happy memories. Had already decided on 2014 by the next morning with several others that I travelled with also on-board (and so moving to the 2014 thread). Nice to meet a few of you over the week and race.
One set of statistics which I have found interesting to look back on is my consumption during the race (not including pre-race breakfast and drinks). I have calculated this roughly as below. Any others around the same?
- Around 130 sachets of water (approx. half internal and half over me)
- 40 sachets of Energade
- A bottle of Energade
- 6 Gels
- 2 bannanas
- 6 Orange slices
- 1 cookie
- 2 handfuls of salt
- 3 boiled salted potatoes
- 10 glasses Pepsi
- 2 cap-fulls of ice cubes
(and this was still barely enough....)
When is it ok to start running again ? still feel a little sore in the hamstrings due to cramps
any advice will be welcome (but bored and need to go running)
Malcolm, I went out yesterday for a very slow and slightly painful 10kms. Like you I was bored, and legs feel better for it! Was nice to just run though, and not have Comrades on the brain!
Malcolm, I'd suggest going out and doing just e.g. three miles, as gently as you like - as Peter says, your legs will probably feel better afterwards.
I did about a mile on Wednesday, had a massage on Thursday, did a couple of miles on Friday, four miles on Saturday and a half marathon yesterday. I find it helps to get moving but it is important to be careful.
All I've done is wonder around and today I did a bit of pilates. Maybe I should step up and go out for a trot?
Oh and Marty if you're looking for a nice place in Cape Town we stayed here which is close to V&A. A lovely place and good value too...
http://www.blackheathlodge.co.za/
I went for a very slow 5k Saturday morning, which I thought felt ok. But since last night I have been having pain in my groin, which has increased today and is visibly swollen more on one side than the other. It's now almost too painful to touch.
A check with Dr. Google has diagnosed a sports hernia, which I'm hoping is just an over exagerration and it's nothing more than a couple of muscle strains after speeding up towards the end of my 5k. I might have to bite the bullet and make an appointment with the doctor. I might have to rest now until I know for sure.
Even if it is, it's hard not to still want to come back and run in 2014!
Shady Ady - Was thinking of going for a run but will postpone a little longer after reading your post! Hope your injury doesn't turn out to be that serious!! My 3 blackened toenails also make my decision to delay a little longer that much easier.
All - I am in for the 2014 Down Run in order to (hopefully) secure my back2back. I just hope it won't be that hot again... altho' plentiful supplies of ice under my cap really helped keep my core temperature down. I will target a Bronze again - conclusion reached by the thought that shaving 90 minutes off my Up Run time for a BR is not really that feasible.. even if it is notionally Downhill!
Thomas S - That sounds like some feast! However, you could have tried the slabs of chocolate and biscuits too!!
Piers - if you did 10 1/2 hours on the up run on THAT day without being used to the heat, you might knock quite a bit off for the Down (my first was an UP involving puking at the side of the road and walking most of the last 20 miles, and, not surprisingly, last year, cooler weather, downhill, no in-race vomming, 50 minutes faster).
But having a target time close to your heart is always a bit of a risky recipe no matter how good you are (Gert Thys comes to mind
) (or Bruce F going for his silver) (or Zola last year) (or SD trying for his BR last year) (or me going for bronze 2 years ago ) (let's stop now I think I've made the point). Cos if it all goes Pete Tong, and as we know, that's so so easy, it's a long way to go in a bad mood!
Shady Ady - why not get it checked now - all that free time you have not running - for once there is time to see the GP and have your bits felt
Hello everyone. Anyone find any flight bargains? I've checked and hotels aren't taking bookings yet. On my trip back to Maritzburg, I found where the start is; between the Tatham gallery and the City Hall.
Carmen - I've just worked out who that chap is in your photo. It's not your Dad! (he's not, is he?) - it's Fordyce! At the North Beach parkrun on Saturday I saw Zola Budd taking a running session so she's started her training in earnest too. Shame she missed out on the b2b medal this year.
Andy - I have a cold too. I usually get one when I fly so a good reason to have the race first and the holiday after. Incubation is meant to be about one week and I started to feel it by Friday.
Thomas - I have no idea how much water and energade I took on but at least one of either of them at each aid station, sometimes one of each and sometimes a couple of waters. That Apple energade is nasty! I had 8 SiS Go gels, two sachets of salt from the flight over, a cup of pepsi, a bite of a banana, a bite of a potato and I also put two ice cubes under my hat which melted over the next 1km.
Jacquie - How is the arm?
For anyone who has completely left the 2013 thread, this is my Garmin that I posted there:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/326031953
Any ideas how not to cock up the last 34km would be appreciated.
It'll be odd to do a race I've done before, but not be able to use any experience of the course. I suppose it isn't much use trying to "reverse" what we learned.
I'm not sure it's possible to get a silver and claim to have cocked up the last 34km!
Thanks for the link re Cape Town.
And just loving reading all of your stories about the race. Brings all those lovely memories flooding back.
shady - no rush to get back into running anyway. Your body could do with a well earned rest of a few weeks. After all, you have just ran from Durban to PM in less than 11 hours. If you look on the map its a bloody long way, and that doesnt show all those pesky hills!! When you start again you will become stronger not only physically from what you have learned during the training but mentally from running the race.
Piers......don't let me put you off from running..........but what I would do to just have a few black toe nails now!
Fido2Dogs......I've taken your advice........I can definitely feel a distinct lump in my groin still where a hernia apparently can happen. But the earliest doctors appointment I could get was 1st July. Surely such a wait means most people have already recovered from their illness by the time their appointment comes around! I might see if I can get an emergency appointment if I'm still in as much discomfort come Friday.
Carmen....I've only just realised too who's in your photo with you. Great photo!
Ally......Congrats on your time.......I struggle to keep that pace for a marathon, so total respect over that distance and terrain. I think I'm also as much jealous that your Garmin lasted for your entire race. Mine died 10 miles from the finish. I suppose that should just add as encouragement to be faster next time!
Marty.........you're right.....I think I need a few weeks rest to give my body chance to recover. It's hard not to rush back though.