Comrades 2019

1owrez

 Just snorkeling off the China coast like a tourist having been dropped in by a rented Junk hired in Taiwan. Expo is just in shore. All I need is to sneak ashore towing my waterproof suitcase and change into casual togs. Booked a hotel 4ks further inland. HNY to all! Here we go!

Peter R

Happy New Year everyone, I drop off for a month and miss so much.  going to have to be more diligent .. it was easier when I got notifications in my email to say there had been a new post (some time since that happened though).

Did Portsmouth in 3.53 which was exactly the sort of time I was aiming for as Achilles continues to give me problems so I have to manage it carefully.  Hotel (Hilton) and Flights (arrive on BA flight on Thursday morning and leave Tuesday); so all going to plan so far.

No marathons booked for before comrades yet, but that will change soon. 

Peter R

lowrez, good luck on the weekend.  I lived in China for 4 years, and travelled to Xiamen from time to time on business.

Mac3

Happy New Year everyone too.  Let's hope it brings us all success but firstly health and happiness.  Best of luck Lowrez, looking forward to the report.

1owrez

I like how you are just over my Marathon pb with a wonky Achilles Peter! To get those emails firing again scroll up and next to the blue thread title "Comrades 2019" there should be an innocuous grey 5 pointed star, just click it. Good to see you can still train taking care of yourself.

Looking like it should be a relatively dry and warm Sunday here, 16C, sounds like running vest weather!

Hi Mac and SS

Debra Bourne

Peter R, well done. Do be careful with that Achilles.

Good luck, lowrez!

I'm running in the Tadworth 10 on Sunday - my first ever 10-mile race, and (excluding cross-country and club handicaps - and parkruns, as they are not races) my first race of less than marathon distance in two years. No idea how to pace it - so I think I will just set off and run as fast as I can and see what happens.

1owrez

Found some carbs

1owrez

And some carbs

Southern Snail

Lowrez - They obviously let you in then. Enjoy your dinner.

Debra - Good luck in Tadworth. I did that years ago. A bit of advice please. I'm going to enter 10 marathons in 10 days in April. Not actually running a great deal at the moment. Longest run since Comrades was a half in September, but I'm ready and raring to go. They're 6hr timed events so I'm not chasing a time, just want to finish unbroken Any advise on how to train and distances back to backs or anything I should be incorporating between now and then? Thanks

1owrez

Yo! Go snail!

1owrez

Expo done

Debra Bourne

Southern Snail: good luck with your 10-in-10. I found mine in 2017 to be an amazing experience. Regarding training, back-to back training runs, yes. Amazingly, I had only actually done two marathons (actually one marathon and an ultra) back-to-back before I did the 10-in-10, but I did a lot of consecutive days running and a lot of days when I ran to work and back.

jkissane

Best wishes for 2019!

Hope you have a good run in Xiamen Lowrez, had to look up that marathon online, looks like huge numbers if Wikipedia is to be believed.

Nothing much to report from me, have my first marathon of '19 coming up at the end of the month so that should let me know how things are going. Had a good finish to the year with a local 5k which went better than my garmin watch predicted for me, always good to prove the machine wrong

Southern Snail

Thanks Debra
Have now entered, so I'd better get running. It actually starts in 14 weeks

Becca7

Ni hao lowrez. Good luck for your race. 

jk - well done on the 5k. That augurs well. 

Nice one Snail. 

Tokyo Marathon is the next 26.2 for me at the beginning of March. 1 January I tripped on uneven pavement and cut my knee. Same as last year but a different leg and no stitches but I have a bandage and can’t run for a few days. 

Debra Bourne

Snail: that's the Phoenix 10-in-10 I presume? Good luck! AT least with the time limit a sensible run-walk strategy should see you through. And remember to plan to eat, rest and do not a lot else in the day after each run.

Becca, sympathies for the knee! Sees very unfair. Hope it's better soon. Good luck for Tokyo.

1owrez

Aha! So that's how to display all your medals when you do as many events as we do!


Sorry to hear about knee#2 Becca, hope it fixes quickly.

Good luck with the training for your 10 in 10 S.Snail. And have a good Taddy10 Debra.

JK they reckon 35,000 will start tomorrow, becoming concerned about how fast the gamut of people will proceed early on. I am in grid position G based on the 4:36 I did in Manchester last year, looks a good two thirds up on the overall throng so I am hoping for a smooth start. I suppose some early slow cruising will not hurt at all. I am runner No. G21834 

1owrez

Hmm just advised the C2C UK event running across Britain from Whitehaven to Tynemouth is cancelled for this year. Not too disappointed, having an extra year to prep for it feels better actually.

marty74

Have a great run lowrez and bring us back a qualifying time. Hope you are not too jet lagged.

Australia is great, going for a few runs in 30 plus degree heat will hopefully stand me in good stead later in the year. Not looking forward to having to run in the cold soon though!!!!

Enjoy running/racing everybody.

SS - I am doing one of the 10 in 10 days so will see you there.

1owrez

Now how did they know what my chances of going sub 4:50 were tomorrow...

Good luck next Sunday Marty!

Southern Snail

Good luck tomorrow Lowrez. Show them what you're made of.

Marty - hope you have a great time out there. Its next weekend isn't it? Which day are you doing at the 10 in 10?

Debra - yes phoenix 10 in 10. Starts 13th April, finishes Easter Monday. Don't think they'll be much of the day left for me to do anything else so will definitely rest up between.

Becca - Sympathies with the knee. Hope its ok to run soon

1owrez

I seem to have latched onto the timezone pretty easily SS think I am +7 hours. Just gone 6pm here on the eve of the race, loving this bloke encouraging me to carbo load here (his friends look very tasty)...

1owrez

Not sure what Tami is offering to do for me?

1owrez

Marty, you better stick to OZ, you are on the menu here (and very tasty you were - sorry I couldn't resist you)...

1owrez

Now I would have thought that wouldn't have needed a sign?

1owrez

Erm... started running a bit early; took a snap of this thinking it was an Expo exhibit; started lining up for a shot of the helicopter next to it and noticed a guard looking very seriously at me... so I legged it pretty sharpish!

1owrez

I'm so famous, you know, like Cher and Sting and Bono, they just call me Roger...

1owrez

Found the thin blue line, actually this one looks pretty thick!

Southern Snail

GO Lowrez go -Tami is telling you the race starts on January 6th at 7.30am but i presume you know that!

1owrez

I hadn't actually picked that up from the display SS although I did know it. Was concentrating more on Tami, expected more from her than just blue light, do like her eyes It is a 3 wave start and I am in wave 2 for 7:45. Are the people in the display costume suggestions? I like the air hostess and Goldilocks in pink, but have only brought a red vest Planning to get up at 5am and it's already heading for 1am here, thought I was ready for sleep at 11 pm, but obviously not. Back I go for another try