Comrades 2018

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  • The new stadium is a great finishing point Dannirr; I'm not campaigning to revert to that place where they play an open-air game with ball, bats, & wickets, between two sides of 11 players each. Why do you say they will not use the central area? That's where all the cool kids want to hang - with bar and braii facilities of course, and party into the night, they could even book Ladydsmith Black Mambazo, Hugh Masekela and the Soweto Gospel Choir to play a gig at the other end of the stadium after the 12 hour gong. This year's config was obviously a "pipe", get 'em over the line, get 'em processed, and get 'em out the other end asap, except the asap included some extra specific tortures typical Comrades style.
  • Despite an indication that it should be pretty simple to get our thread back I have had no further word from RW on it. I suppose the waiting continues... Have you noticed though that the offers for cheap counterfeit money and passports seem to have been culled? I'm advised my account and our thread were casualties of this process. I will have to find another form of income now.

  • Lowrez, sadly Hugh Masekela passed away this year but bring and braai in the centre field would be a great idea! 
  • Blimey JAR - RIP Hugh - how disconnected am I?

    I was just thinking I should have added Dexy's Midnight Runners

  • Terry, am I doing something wrong or is the sale over:-


    Hang on... where the hell are they taking me from Manchester - ABZ?

  • Aha - if I miss out living in the sticks then it helps, but is that cost just one way?


  • Went to sort out some connecting flights before I sorted the above, but why are they in dollars? Is this what you do - it all seems very piecemeal - got to get from Man to Lon on the other side now... Maybe Emirates would be simpler (and cheaper)?


  • Well that was a bit of an epic struggle and I had to cancel one transaction as when I attempted to pay they lumped another £30 on the bill having "re-checked" availability, so I went back to the beginning and chose another provider at the same price and for £446.01 I am now flying with BA and VA MAN-LHR-JNB-DUR - can't believe I have got that price including the Manchester connection.
  • £446 for that whole package looks like very good value! Worth shopping around for. 
  • I'd assumed going direct to whoever was selling the tickets was the best option but obviously not with the additional connections I need, £434 for the core flight on VA was their price including the return but they were never gong to throw in the shuttles either side for an extra £12! So I used a flight finder site and was initially suspicious when it said "multiple airlines" but they turned out to be BA and VA. I just need a qualifying marathon and a Comrades entry now! Already got the Hilton at a good price too. 
  • Wow thats seriously organised Lowrez. Well done.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited September 2018

    I need to thank Terry for prompting on the flights - I think in the past people have said not to panic on that front as the prices don't seem to fluctuate too much prior to the big day anyway. But certainly if you want to use Emirates for the simplicity of just two big hauls I think the very best deals on economy options go quite early - on my search the best Emirates deal was already at "the number of the beast" - although I am once again arriving very late and leaving very early so not many will be searching for the flights I am after I would suspect. There was a pure BA option at £540 too with the advantage of LHR to DUR direct but the return was via JNB so I didn't think the extra £100 for one direct leg was worth it.

    My only concern now is that my last two transits through JNB on the inward leg have been disastrous. I have arrived very early Friday morning and then through cancellations or lethargy ended up leaving at the other end of the day, on one occasion so late that the expo had closed and I had to re-arrange things and drop in Saturday afternoon to get running number etc. I have become an expert at eating well and whiling away time at JNB.

    That first multi-thousand pound ticket with VA was taking me to London via Aberdeen! I think maybe because they don't do a Manchester to London shuttle themselves! Crazy man.  

  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2018
    Lowrez, remember that, if you have enough time to while away in Jo'burg, it's well worth paying for the Bidvest Lounge.  It's the only one available after you have been through local security  and are waiting in the departure area for the Durban flight.  Last time I was there (a year ago) it cost only about R300.  That buys you unlimited food and drink, a shower if you want to refresh (no extra charge), wifi  and quite a relaxed space. Far better than hanging around the general departure lounge! 
    Oh, and it's independent of any airline.
  • Sounds good Terry - another bargain - if I am marooned again its getting a visit :) thanks for the tip
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited September 2018

    Is this unusual? Snow in the Eastern Cape this weekend? Photos were taken at a game farm near Graff-Reinet...



  • Yes it was freeeeeezing this weekend.  No snow though in my area as the air is too dry by the time it gets up to us.

    I trust everyone has 19 Oct in their diaries, which is the date that entries open.  There hasn't been any indication of seeding/lottery entry so far so I assume it would be standard first-come-first-served.

    I entered my second favorite run this weekend.  R10 to enter (50pence) on a trail run organised by the army - tanks mark the start/finish.  My son who is 9 won a gold medal for 5km in 29:59 - 1s before the gold cut-off.  I ran 10km in 1:02:xx - distance was the furthest for a long time.  My hamstrings are stiff, but hip pain is generally reducing with every run I do.
  • Glad to hear you are on the mend Bikeit. That's impressive lowrez, I've found flights BHX to JHB for £430 today which is cheapest I've seen so far (travelling with friends from JHB to Durban). Announcement tomorrow on the entry process according to the website.
  • Lowrez - I’m disappointed you’re not travelling from Manchester to Durban via Aberdeen after all. Starting your journey by heading 180 degrees in the opposite direction would make it much more interesting.
  • Ohh RR! That made me think; what if I just kept going North... and my brain has become re-wired trying to figure out if I just kept going in a straight line where would I get to after crossing the North Pole (not magnetic, meridian)... you actually start to travel along the international date line passing through the very far East of Russia across a lot of Pacific Ocean through Fiji clipping New Zealand and then on to the South Pole before popping back out the other side heading for South Africa! I found it exceedingly difficult to visualize that looking at a flat map of the Earth but I think I'm not far off. 
  • Bike - I love how your son only had a second to spare - not making any comparisons there at all! Glad your bones are playing ball!

    Max - another great bargain! What? They have more to say on entries? Oh no, I might have a plane ticket I want to sell tomorrow!  

  • No chance they’ll only take qualifiers from October 19th too is there? 
  • No, they’ve already announced the qualifying period and it started at the end of August, I think.
  • 26th August to 2nd May.
  • okay 2019 is back online folks,  whatever we wrote on here recently however ....
  • nevermind its all come back again
  • I got it wrong! Announcement about qualifying on 11th October not 11th September. Wishful thinking on my part  :)
  • Hey Max - the 2019 thread is back, come on over and join in the fun: https://forums.runnersworld.co.uk/discussion/347349/comrades-2019/p11?
  • I will be on holiday when the entries open.. so hopefully will get wifi in whatever part of Italy I will be...mo running for the last week as was in Ukraine with a 3 day visit to Chernobyl with my son... back to it tonight with a 7 mile run...planning my cycling and running for the winter
  • Hey Seren - the 2019 thread is back, come on over and join in the fun https://forums.runnersworld.co.uk/discussion/347349/comrades-2019/p11?
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