Comrades 2017

jonathanmayne

Thanks for all the info regarding pacing, it's a real tough for a Comrades virgin to work out. So thank you thank you thank you for all the advice.

Based on your input I'll target around 10 hours and walk the feed/ water stations for 2 to 3 minutes every 45 mins or so.  I'll use the walk to rehydrate and eat as I'm pretty sure I'll need to eat a fair amount of food early on to keep me going in the last 10 miles.  If anything goes wrong, I'll have bit of a buffer to run/ walk/ hobble to the finish.  

Here's hoping it's a cool day with a gentle breeze on our backs!

Johnny

Dannirr

Whee are you staying Matt?

Southern Snail

Debra - good to meet you at London last week. That was actually quite tough standing from 8 - 5.30pm Back was really aching at the end and legs were really tired on my run the next day. Perhaps it was from that. See you in South Africa.

Bike It - Sounds like a great marathon result to me. Hope you've decided to go ahead

Seren - hows it going? When's your injection?

Dannirr - Absolutely amazing result. Rest up and heal well.

Welcome Johnny - I wished I'd never looked at that calculator someone posted  It told me I'd just scrape by!!! well hopefully
I'm still totally unsure how to pace it. The suggestion seems to be first half slower as more hills and to save some for the end but as someone who is looking at 12 hours and also knowing that the second half will definitely not be quicker no matter what pace I go at the beginning I'm in a quandary. My long runs (actually most of my runs ) seem to average 11m/m - 11.30m/m so maybe i should just start as though its one of those runs or should i go slower? 12 hours = something like 12m 50sec average mileing

My entry verification has the wrong seeding pen. Have emailed them so hopefully they will change it but they said they'd change it over 2 weeks go.

Lowrez - hows things

Debra Bourne

Southern Snail: good to meet you as well. Yes, standing is tiring. Bruce Fordyce talks about practicing 'time on feet' and you certainly did that, so it will have affected you for the run the following day.

Looking at http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml an average pace of 11:30 for 54 miles would bring you in at 10 hrs 21 minutes! Obviously there are all those hills to contend with, which will slow you down, but generally I'd say yes, go out as if it's a long training run and just keep going at a steady pace that you know you can keep up for hours. (NDW50 in 2013 I set off too fast because I was chatting with someone i knew just before the start and he was faster than me. I paid for it later. )

However, there are people on here much more experienced than me regarding this race so let's see their suggestions.

Terry48

Southern Snail: One pacing suggestion could be to use the 11:30 pacemaker or 'bus' to allow you 30 minutes emergency time.  (Or, 11:00 bus if you think 11:30 may be too slow and can always drop back gradually if it seems too fast). The 'bus drivers' are very experienced and will set a pace that allows for first half hills, etc. 

Mr Zuvai

lowrez - how's the gut holding up?

Matt..

Matt B
On getting supporters to PMB. As Debra mentioned there is the bus, my wife did that one year. It goes super early and there's not a tonne to do there before runners arrive, it is pretty cheap though.
The other time she came to the Up she took a cab up, the hotel helped us out with that. Benefit was leaving around lunch rather than 6am, downside i think it was ~900 rand (don't quote me on that)

lowrez

Southern Snail - here is a real snail's enhanced post from way back about pace:-

My plan was preservation; to last as long as possible; simply finish; if you have ambitions above that then you need to put in more effort than I explain here...

You probably have a nice relaxed pace that you enjoy running at? Probably well faster than 12:50 per mile? That's too fast. I had to practise relaxing even more and going even slower than usual - I knew I needed to take the majority of the 12 hours to do this and I needed to go real slow to last the day. I think I walked some in every mile in 2015, basically anything that was "up" I power walked. Terry made the point too; if you are not pitching for a specific time you will probably consume most of what is available to you to get home safely. I'm not saying my 2015 effort is anything special or a good plan, but it got me home and I had a smashing day out, here are my splits... 

1 11:13.0 2 12:54.8 3 12:17.7 4 13:57.8 5 10:52.8 6 12:24.8 7 12:40.3 8 11:45.6 9 11:36.0 10 12:47.5 11 10:37.7 12 11:35.7 13 11:13.0 14 13:44.0 15 15:30.2 16 11:13.3 17 13:15.6 18 12:38.6 19 13:20.3 20 13:04.7 21 13:36.4 22 14:07.8 23 16:10.7 24 12:32.9 25 11:12.2 26 13:34.9 27 12:05.5 28 11:34.1 29 17:16.6 30 13:22.8 31 10:31.5 32 13:53.4 33 12:45.8 34 13:28.6 35 12:14.2 36 11:29.5 37 13:31.1 38 13:55.7 39 13:00.8 40 12:11.4 41 13:31.7 42 11:34.4 43 14:55.3 44 12:08.8 45 14:05.5 46 12:05.3 47 11:49.6 48 14:29.8 49 12:45.8 50 15:43.7 51 13:18.0 52 12:05.6 53 12:46.6 54 12:06.2 55 13:10.5 56 01:41.7 Summary 11:49:36

Keep your wits about you, don't set off too fast, let the mad pack run away from you, don't be afraid of miles in excess of 12:50 (there is a mile in excess of 17 minutes in there and only 28 sub 12:50 miles - so half the miles are over the 12:50 mark), always keep moving, never stop, run at that nice relaxed pace whenever you can but don't stress yourself above that. If an 11:30 bus turns up see how it feels trying to stay with them but don't fret if they cruise away, next bus will be 12 hours that's the time to knuckle down and ensure you get home. I had a simply amazing day. The zero completion on your number means everyone on the road takes such good care of you. Fellow runners will ask how you are, help is only ever one step away, the camaraderie is wonderful as you and everyone else moves towards the goal. It was never really a battle for me, it felt like I was achieving the dream. Enjoy the day, it is like no other 

lowrez

Mr Z and SS - the gut is back in pretty good shape thanks. Last 2 days normal enough for me not to be fretting about Monday now. Had pasta for lunch today and chips for tea my first departure from potatoes, eggs and toast for 3 days and I'm having yoghurt with everything. Here is a daft train fare story; return Chester to MK £68, two returns; Chester to Crewe £16; Crewe to MK £24!

marty74

Glad to hear you improving with every day lowrez. I am sure you will go well on Monday. Here's some positive thoughts from me to see you on the start line in Durbs

Debra Bourne

Lowrez, that's good news about your digestive tract. Those train fares are silly, yes, but typical of the system. And best of luck for the marathon! Oh  -and thank you for that post about pace.

lowrez

Thanks Marty you know you ran Rhayader - look what I found: Rhayader Goes to Town by Camel - a radical departure from your bib number that day. It sounds like a musical interpretation of what its like to run Comrades to me - there is a surreal break involving a woodwind quartet half way through - akin to a mouse orchestra I envisaged back in 2015 - I think these good yoghurt bacteria have found a way into my brain... here's hoping we run the same road on June 4th

lowrez

Debra - thanks for the yoghurt tip - I wouldn't be as right as I am now without it

Debra Bourne

lowrez, you're very welcome. Glad to be able to help.

lowrez

You probably have better things to do but my fate on Monday can be tracked here, No.2372

Southern Snail

Lowrez - thanks. Remember you posting those splits before. My problem is if I don't have time in hand I don't have the courage and conviction that I can carry on and beat the cutoffs. Maybe next year I'll have a bit more experience  all the very best for Monday.

lowrez

S-S it is a difficult thing trying to figure a pace plan. On my first run I didn't have one other than knowing the 12:50 average and calculating that per mile in my head as I went. It was a very safe feeling running with other experienced people on the road. The other thing that dawned on me during the run was that my launch point from Pen.C put me ahead of a certain number of bus drivers. As they came past they were a good indicator of my relative position on the road. Having a 10 hour bus engulf you and spit you out the back is amazing! Those guys were on a mission! Simply based on that approach I made half way with 20 minutes to spare and finished with the first 12 hour bus at 11:52. It felt safe all the way. That's my plan for this year too. Thanks for the good wishes  

marty74

Thanks for that lowrez. Your posts make me smile every time. 

Becca7

Regarding the calculators, they do seem rather optimistic and I think this is because the South African races tend to be hilly, so a quick time for one of their marathons is a better guide than a quick time on a pancake flat course.

Glad to hear that things are better, lowrez.  I'm hopefully doing MK half.

I did Oxon 20 today.  I think the fourth time I've done this event and it tends to be a good one, falling in a peak training week and being a nicely undulating route (it changes every year but the hills are always there).  This year is probably the least prepared I've been for Comrades, with medial tibial stress in March and piriformis trouble in April, which have restricted running quite considerably and I've not been able to get much hill work done.  Things came right temporarily for Boston and I had a good enough run today but I will be struggling to keep up my record of sub 10s at Comrades.

Having had a comparatively light training load due to injuries I won't have as much need for a taper so I've entered Halsted Marathon.  Now I've just got to figure out how I'm going to get there.

This site http://www.alsoranrunners.info is quite a good one.  This lady is a Green Number.

It seems that there are a few of us with some bother or other.  Fingers crossed it all comes right on the day.

lowrez

Hi Becca, I think we are all getting bundled into one of the 4 start areas together, halves and fulls, depending on expected finish times, I'm a green dot. Have been wearing my Comrades 90th cap for all races this year so will bring it along. Forecast is suspiciously like Manchester was; 13C max maybe the odd shower. So I don't trust it at all; the sun will break out and cook us all. It will be nice to see you if we trip over each other Hope your injuries clear up completely and you do get a sub10 this year. I read Nikki's site before I ever ran Comrades, it has ballooned since then, full of interesting stuff.

matt brooker

Debra: thank you!! Big weight off ours minds to know DB-PMB is possible 

matt brooker

Dannirr. We're staying in the Belaire suites on the beach front. How about yourself? 

matt brooker

Matt: thank you!! Just checked with my girlfriend and a lunchtime start went down better than 6am! 

Dannirr

Matt - I'm at the Bellaire too. The reason I asked was that now that I'm no longer running Comrades I will be using a hire car to support Running Rodent and another friend.  I'm not sure how much I'll get to do along the course, but I do intend to be at the finish - so if she wants a ride to P'burg I'd be happy to take her along  with me. I'm fairly harmless.     Unfortunately, I cannot offer a ride back as I'll have my running friends with me. 

Southern Snail

Dannirr - my husband is also wanting to get to the finish line but will be coming home with me. If you have an available space I'd be very grateful. Happy to pay our way

matt brooker

Hi dannirr. Sorry to hear that you are no longer running. Yes, that would be amazing if Laura could grab a lift with you. Thank you! Great that you are staying in the BS as well. Let's catch up when we arrive. 

TheAlmightyRunner

Hey Guys! I am just starting to do some adventure racing. What do you guys think of this bag to start off my training? http://kck.st/2q9QM9H Looks pretty handy for me. Do you think it's good enough to put all the items I need for training?

Running Rodent

Don't believe a word of it when Dannir says he's fairly harmless - it's because I went out for dinner with him and had a few glasses of wine that I found myself in Pietermaritzburg the following year, sitting on a pavement at 4:30am wondering what on earth I was doing...

Just been reading back Lowrez - a mouse orchestra? Tell us more! And good luck for MK tomorrow - we will be watching.

Dannirr

ss, Matt - I'd be happy to take the spouses/partners along with me. My main objective is the finish stadium relatively early to get parking, so not promising viewing along the route.  And we are not leaving at 6am!!    I'll be at the Internationals party as usual, and staying at the Bellaire Suites. pm me for my cell number if you'd like it. 

RR - but you are back for #3

Running Rodent

Fair point, I can blame you for the first one, but not the subsequent ones.