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Comrades 2016
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PG3 could you post your photo of the Embasserdors run please on Face book cheers. Oliver and I had a great time many thanks all of you. Back to reality and sorting out stolen purse tomorrow!!
I too have a cold since Comrades. It's not uncommon. Back in the USA now, courtesy a lovely busones class seat on Delta that allowed maximum leg extension.
I'm coughing nicely too!
I feel like I should make a St Crispin's Day Speech, but I’m still too weak, so for those on the right side of the wire ; Warren, Becca, marty, zuluboy, lambkin, jar, Bike It, Dannirr, caashford, Lex, SD, McHilly, PG3, Peter R, goldenboy, john, sba, os, frc, patricia (hope I haven’t missed anyone) well done!
Terry – I just wanted to say what a courageous run you had, we are all so exposed when we go for this challenge, that clock is an unforgiving suzerain, to run all that way, through the distress you encountered, I celebrate your Comrades day, massive kudos from me irrespective of the wretched limits set.
Debra – heal those bones and get your 2017 entry in on September 1st!
I did of course miss a cast of many in my well done above - I'd constructed my list from those who have reported in so far and need to extend it to Mr K and many others that I hope will let us know how they got on soon.
Jetline action photos have released a number of photos so far. I will get all of mine once they have completed but so far I particularly like this one
That is a man in absolute stark shock, disbelief and amping up for the run of his life. I can only conclude Inchanga and bad awareness almost stole my back to back. The blue arch of the Drummond cut-off is in the back ground. How a 20 minute buffer at Lion Park collapsed to 11 seconds at Drummond I still can't weigh out. I had to put in a 9 minute mile to squeeze through that gap once the fix I was in smacked me in the face as the crowd on the other side started screaming at me to run - I don't think I've run a 9 minute mile in over 2 years! The one thing in my favour was that I was in no real physical difficulty having preserved the engines up until that point. I remember screaming into the road ahead of me "game on!" (with several expletives) as I thanked my luck stars, looked down at my arm band and told Jim "we can still do this"...
lowrez: wow! Well done making that cut off!
Great race reports all...was going to do this in 2017..but since Christmas my running legs have restarted me..so unless my legs return this summer will have to pass
Lowrez, I'm going to spend a few minutes working out which of the expletives you're shouting out in that photo
, well done on a gutsy effort and coming home with minutes to spare.
Patricia, sorry your race never worked out as planned but now you have a Comrades finish under your belt which can only help you for the next time.
Hope the illnesses subside soon everyone, never a good thing but better to endure it now while recovering than when you're in training again.
Not ill, but serious limping here. Can't even stand on my left leg to put my pants on. Thankfully I live in a one-storey house and there is an elevator at work. It will be some time before I can run again.
Great to hear these stories of everyone's individual runs. Particularly good to know that Peter got a BR, Warren's and Cashford's sharp end performances and Lowrez' incredible cut-off beating negative split run. All part and parcel of the drama that make Comrades such an outstanding event.
Can't wait for next year - I'm already wondering the secret to decoding the up-run.
Patricia - i am trying to upload it. I need to resize. It's not a great photo but i should be able to resize it at home and upload later.
has anyone got the date for comrades 2017
Well, I think that’s it for me as far as Comrades is concerned. I got my back-to-back medal and lopped 42 minutes off my time for the 2015 Up Run. I’m pleased with that. But now I’m back in London once again, I’m struggling to process a whole host of conflicting memories and feelings about the race.
As in 2015, Comrades was a rollercoaster ride for me. On the one hand there was the goosebumps emotion of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, Shosholoza and Chariots of Fire at the start, the eerie echo of a thousand feet in the dark, the stunning sunrise, the camaraderie on the course, the incredible support from spectators and volunteers, and the hi-fiving enthusiasm of the kids at Ethembeni School, (which I can’t even think about without a lump in the throat and welling tears).
And then there were the unforgiving hills, heat and distance of this brutal course, the dawning realisation that Plan A was no longer achievable, the rising crescendo of pain from pulverised quads, the crippling attacks of cramp, the ridiculously glacial pace over the final few kilometres, followed by the awful spectacle of seeing runners who’ve gone through the same excruciating process failing to beat the final countdown.
What to make of it all? Comrades is an incredible race, quite different any other I’ve experienced. It’s been a huge focal point of my life over the past two years. But now it’s time to move on.
For the second year running, my qualifying marathon time suggested a sub-9 finish and a Bill Rowan medal were within reach. But despite the improvement on 2015, I was still 51 minutes outside the BR cutoff. I think I have to accept that at my age (70 years and 4 months) that gap is unbridgeable. The realities of the WMA statistics tables ( ) are hurtling towards me in the opposite direction. A couple of weeks ago I came across an analysis by Durban data scientist (and runner) Andrew Collier looking at the age distribution of all participants in Comrades between 1984 and 2013 ( ). It was sobering to read that only 163 runners over 70 even finished the race over those 30 years, let alone got a sub-9-hour time (only two got a Bill Rowan in the 13 years following the introduction of this medal in 2000).
And if a Bill Rowan is no longer a realistic goal, a Green Number is even more fanciful. Assuming I were to finish every year for the next eight years, I’d be 78 when I achieved it!
You might say, “Why the focus on goals and times and positions? Why not just take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere?” Well for one thing, Comrades is too painful to enjoy in that way: covering a hilly, sunbaked 89km route is really tough no matter how fast you do it. And personally, I get most enjoyment out of running when I’m pushing myself. Setting goals at the outer edge of my comfort zone is what rocks my boat. After all, that’s what brought me to Comrades in the first place.
So I think it’s time to move on, to consider other races. Maybe the Tokyo Marathon to complete my set of World Marathon Majors? Or the 73km Rennsteiglauf in Germany next May? Or perhaps a tilt at a good age group position in London? In fact, I already have one formidable challenge lined up – my first 100 miler (the Berlin Mauerweglauf in August).
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Second part of that didn't upload properly...
The two links are:
The second half of the text was:
For the second year running, my qualifying marathon time suggested a sub-9 finish and a Bill Rowan medal were within reach. But despite the improvement on 2015, I was still 51 minutes outside the BR cutoff. I think I have to accept that at my age (70 years and 4 months) that gap is unbridgeable. The realities of the WMA statistics tables are hurtling towards me in the opposite direction. A couple of weeks ago I came across an analysis by Durban data scientist (and runner) Andrew Collier looking at the age distribution of all participants in Comrades between 1984 and 2013. It was sobering to read that only 163 runners over 70 even finished the race over those 30 years, let alone got a sub-9-hour time (only two got a Bill Rowan in the 13 years following the introduction of this medal in 2000).
And if a Bill Rowan is no longer a realistic goal, a Green Number is even more fanciful. Assuming I were to finish every year for the next eight years, I’d be 78 when I achieved it!
You might say, “Why the focus on goals and times and positions? Why not just take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere?” Well for one thing, Comrades is too painful to enjoy in that way: covering a hilly, sunbaked 89km route is really tough no matter how fast you do it. And personally, I get most enjoyment out of running when I’m pushing myself. Setting goals at the outer edge of my comfort zone is what rocks my boat. After all, that’s what brought me to Comrades in the first place.
So I think it’s time to move on, to consider other races. Maybe the Tokyo Marathon to complete my set of World Marathon Majors? Or the 73km Rennsteiglauf in Germany next May? Or perhaps a tilt at a good age group position in London? In fact, I already have one formidable challenge lined up – my first 100 miler (the Berlin Mauerweglauf in August).
One thing I expect I’ll miss about Comrades is this thread. It’s been great to share the ups and downs of training and to meet so many of you in person (though I don’t know how I managed to miss Terry48 and Lowrez in Durban). It’s been wonderfully informative and supportive – much more so than the Facebook group I think. So thanks to all of you.
I imagine someone will soon be starting a thread for Comrades 2017. But I won’t be joining it. I won’t even be lurking unseen in the background. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself today.
Obviously doesn't like the links!
John1946 - it was fun while it lasted. Good luck and enjoy the 100 miler...if it goes well then it could be regarded as preparation for a crack at the less quad-crushing experience of the up-run in 2017 to me. (just kidding..kind of)
Bike It - sorry your race never quite panned out as expected but very grateful for your valuable insight ahead of this year's down run - no doubt I'll ask for it all over again the next time we start in PMB (hopefully with a bloody chip on this time)
John it was great to meet up with you. I think for us oldies Comrades Medals should be awarded according to age grading and dare I say it gender ! the stats will then look very different we may even have earned a Bill Rowan.......
Good luck for the future and enjoy your running.
thanks for the heads up
seren nos, Comrades 2017 is on June 4 according to a post a couple of pages back.
A massive well done to everyone, whatever the times. I love reading all the race reports and all the emotions that people go through. I have a vague plan for next years race and a qualyfy marathon in my sights. thanks from me too mc hilly for the information about the Hilton. Might look at that right now. Yes June 4th next year. Scary
keep the reports coming in and recover well everyone
I've been for a little run today. 3.5 mIles here in Mauritius. Not my most fluent run but I think this is the earliest I have been able to run again after a Comrades. This down run didn't cripple me like the 2014 one and, all of a sudden, it's one that I could face again.
Get well soon to those who have come back with illnesses.
John1946 - good luck with the 100 miler. I entered that one last year but bailed out and did the route over a few days instead. Watch out that you don't stray into the nudist colony at Potsdam, as I unwittingly did. My eyes will never recover.
lowrez - wow, that was some close shave at Drummond. Well done on getting a finish afte that.
Terry - it was so cruel seeing you so close to finishing. Rotten luck to get cramp. Better luck next time.
Just back home from my best comrades yet in terms of memories. Thanks to all you guys on here for making this year so much fun both in terms of training and of course meeting a few over the few days in Durban. So just a general thanks to everyone who has been a part of this.
Am enjoying reading the stories of all the race, just goes to show how different a perspective we all have.
As for me, i went into the race with no real time goal, except to try and enjoy this one and take more of the atmosphere in. I started off nice and slow, deliberately walking up quite a few of the hills out of PM. Took pollys nice and slow and then the 11 hour bus went past as we tackled Ashurburton. I could still see the 10 bus in front, just, so made a decision to try and chase it down before halfway to hopefully aid me over the tough part of the course. 30k later i made it, enjoyed the emotional high fiving of Ethembeni school, and down into Drummond. The noise when we entered halfway was intense as the bus was spotted and the crowd went nuts. I then decided to try and hang with this for the rest of the race. Everything was going fine until Fields when my quads start to moan a bit. The flat of pinetown was a relief but once we got to Westville everytime a water stop came our way, i needed to stop and walk to take on fluids and food, the bus kept moving forward. Had to dig deep to stay with the bus, having to accelerate to catch up. Once that elastic was broken i had no chance. Once we got over tollgate i knew i could stay with the bus, and the electric atmosphere of the final few km with the bus stretched across the road was just amazing. Entering the stadium, it was even noisier and hairs stood up on the back of my neck. And amazing end to an amazing race.
Becca - cant believe you have gone for a run already. I have only just started to walk properly!!
Does anybody know the name of the woman who comes from Pietermartizburg but now lives in the UK as she is married to a Guy from Yorkshire (I think) . I sat next to her in Spiga's, she was running her first Comrades and I just wanted to know how she got on as I never saw her again I believe they were staying outside Durban and then having a holiday with family.
Patricia i just posted the photo on the UK Facebook group as it was easier than resizing on here.
Thanks for the heads up on the nudist colony, Becca! Like Marty74 I'm amazed you're back on the road already.
Marty - glad you enjoyed the race. Sounds like the bus was a lot of fun!
Hi Patricia, her name's Taryn Jutte, her husband was Adam. I met her and Phil Sumner (from this group) at the New Forest 50k in March and we've been in contact since.
She messaged us and said she suffered with illness for the first 3hrs but then came right and in her words "outrun the cutoff bus" and finished in 11:11 so I'm sure she's very pleased with her time. I don't think they're back yet from SA but you will find her on the Comrades UK/Ire Facebook page.
John1946 - the 100 mile plan sounds great, if you want some pacing around the Hampstead hills before then just let me know!
From Strava it looks like McHilly has her legs back after Comrades, with a 4 mile race at a decent pace.
Looks like I will be back in Mauritius in June next year, so another Comrades is a distinct possibility. Do we have a 2017 thread yet?