Comrades 2020

Debra Bourne

Mc Hilly, there's a good listing on the 100 Marathon Club website. SVN Mods vs Rockers marathon tomorrow at Betteshanger probably a bit soon...there's the Marathon Day Marathon along the Deal seafront on 26th Feb - not very scenic but very friendly company. Barry 26.2 road marathon in Cardiff on 1st March, Phoenix Spring marathon on 7th (and Hermes Running Thames Meander marathon and Groundhog track marathon (!), and on 8th Dorney Lake marathon. Phoenix again 13th am and again pm. 22 March Running Grand Prix at Bedford autodrome (road marathon)... I used SVN Dmchurch marathon for my first qualification and it wasn't a problem.

Mc Hilly

Hi Debra, I’m busy looking at options now, my problem is I’m struggling to run at the moment, so need to allow time to recover and train! So have Barcelona mid March, and now longing for another (Uk) option early to mid April - also I’ve no idea of when I might leave the I’m again, so don’t want to plan too much in advance! I’m inspired by Lowrez, if he can go from injured to 777, I’m sure I can find a way to qualify :-) 

Mc Hilly

Difficult decision, do I opt for cakeathon or chocathon???  I think I prefer cake, but think will opt for choc (as the cake version is on a Saturday, and Saturday Is for parkrun!)

Debra Bourne

Limited charity placees for Manchester on 5th April; also Great Welsh Marathon, Peterborough Marathon, Podplus Kent Spring Marathon, Taunton Marathon. Enigma Good Friday marathon, Hermes Running 11th April, Enigma Easter Monday, Goodwood circuit marathon Sunday 19th (also Brighton - probably charity places available and Newport) - and ****BOSTON (UK)on 19th April which is very flat although can be a little breezy - that would be a good back-up?****

Debra Bourne

Chocathon should be great - but not for your qualifier as it doesn't have 'Marathon' in the race name...

Mc Hilly

Thanks for the heads up. I’ll risk it!! It says you can do a Marathon distance and get a marathon time, I will give it the title chocothon marathon :-) I don’t think they ever check! (At least not for foreign athletes). 

marty74

I feel for you McH. But the forum wouldn't be the same without an issue or two to sort. It always works itself out for the best....I'm doing the Cakeathon on the Saturday by the way...

1owrez

Hope you can recover and qualify McH, despite my exploits I am in a similar boat to you... The rest of the contestants were gobsmacked at my Madrid performance, they were moaning at the "hills" on the F1 circuit whilst I was relishing them. Because we were in serious time trouble the organisers put me and Louis under what I still think is unreasonable pressure to complete in 6 hours, this really got my back up so I decided to prove a point... I only ran the last 5 metres for the showy finish... I power walked the rest, I still haven't looked back at the times, but I know I came very close to the 6, that's the real fire we all have inside us as a result of multiple Comrades  completions irrespective of our current states of fitness, I lapped Louis and he ran a good portion of it... All worked out well in the end though we had 7h12m to complete in Miami.

I will be "running" Barcelona too McH, hope we can meet up for some cake or chocolate! I'm not expecting to qualify there though, the drama will have to carry on all the way to the finish line in London!

Currently in a Wendy's half way to Cape Kennedy for tomorrow's SpaceX launch, managed to get a seat for a marathon in space (ha ha - kidding) another bucket list item amazingly falls into place! Be present, well at the Space Centre anyway, I think 6 miles down range, for a rocket launch live

Debra Bourne

Mc Hilly: PLEASE contact Traviss and discuss this with him. I was in the same position in 2017 and he warned me that Comrades would NOT accept a marathon time in a 6-hour challenge event. If it says 'Marathon AND 6-hour challenge" that might be different - but that's not the case for the Northampton Chocathon. I love the SVN events but I don't want you to get caught with a finish that doesn't count for your qualifier. Boston (Lincs) is one that lowrez and Terry and I have all done. And if you do want to do one of the events south of the Thames and need somewhere to stay, let me know!

1owrez

McH, Boston is pancake (mmm cake) flat, but can get a bit blustery, even so I'd say a very good option for a qualifier, Debra was surprised to see me so early at the finish last year.

Southern Snail

MMM you've got me worrying there Debra - The exact name of my qualifier was Rob's Pop Up 100th  and the Band of Runners Xmas Run. It was a 6 hour timed event, but the results are listed as marathon or half marathon or Timed Event Results.

1owrez

I'd echo the perspective that the least attention you draw towards what you put in your qualification box the better, just submit and get on with it, if you force them into a corner with specific questions they will adjudicate accordingly and possibly reject (I don't think they want to turn away any internationals, we bring in a beast of an entry fee and many deliver vast amounts to charities, I'm not sure how much, or if any, scrutiny is being made of the qualification marks, unless you are an elite runner, or age category challenger, etc, but then you would qualify easily anyway wouldn't you)

Mc Hilly

I’ve now entered Boston Uk as well as choccy event :-) both sound like good events to do regardless of qualification needs!

Debra Bourne

Mc Hilly, I'm relieved to hear that. Chocathon should be a lot of fun and Boston is a nice event as well. They have a competition for best aid station, and the aid station people provide lots of encouragement!

Snail: I'd do the same if I were you, in case - Boston or one of the other smaller spring marathons. It's a good training run anyway, and avoids any possible problems regarding qualification.

lowrez: you did a great run at Boston! (I did an awful one - but I was still suffering from the strained chest muscles restricting my breathing).

Peter R

Lowrez, wow following  you has been inspiring.  I have been travelling for a couple of weeks on business so missed the adventure on the Forum but followed you on Strava.  Putting the two together this afternoon and it sounds incredible.  Many congratulations.

Agree with Lowrez re entry for Comrades.  Just say yes qualified and put down a time, they rarely check these for internationals and especially those who arent A seeds.  In all my entries I have never been asked anything.

Some great racing going on, SS congrats on making it through the Devon run!  

I have done very limited milage the last 2 weeks, which was a conscious decision on my part as wanted to have a couple of weeks rest after training really hard in December and January.  I had some niggles so best to get them sorted now, and ran yesterday with all feeling good.  I did see somewhere its 4 months to go … time flies!!

HazelnutCH

Delurks..

Lowrez, you featured on German TV this evening. (Sunday evening sport), a couple of short interviews and crossing the line in the suit in Miami. Fantastic achievement! Well done.

Relurks.. (but enjoys reading this thread)

1owrez

HazelnutCH thanks for decloaking to report in is the German news footage available on replay anywhere? Perhaps YouTube, or the station's own service? There is very little public video of me available as far as I can see, although slices of me were taken at every event. We were all interviewed at various points in the trip, me being a bit of a snail due to current fitness meant there was very little down time available though in which I was available to contribute so it would be wonderful if I could somehow capture this one.

Bike It

I've just been asked to go on a business trip - starting 13th June.  What do I say?

HazelnutCH

lowrez: can you view here? https://www.zdf.de/sport/zdf-sportreportage/zdf-sportreportage-vom-16-februar-2020-100.html As of 23:12 if yes.  Not sure about viewing from other countries, I can from Switzerland where I am based.

Screenshot:

Dubairunner

I see Tokyo has been cancelled for the masses. 

Debra Bourne

There are going to be a LOT of unhappy people.

Southern Snail

Bike It said:

I've just been asked to go on a business trip - starting 13th June.  What do I say?

Say no 

Mc Hilly

I’m on a few Facebook and WeChat groups associated with Tokyo marathon, and yes, a lot of unhappy people. I’d already made my decision not to go a few weeks ago (because at that time I thought I’d be stuck in China) so I’ve had a few weeks to get used to the idea, but can understand how gutted everyone must feel. 

Bike It

I found out my Director was a 72 minute half marathoner in the day. Now someone else is going for that meeting unless I have to withdraw from the important stuff

Debra Bourne

Bike It: how wonderful to have an understanding Director!

1owrez

Brilliant Bike It, another case of running being a very strong bond when others understand it.

Wow Tokyo bites the dust? That is very serious

HazelnutCH thanks for that, got two IT savvy colleagues looking at grabbing me the content. Haven't had time to watch it myself yet been at Kennedy Space Centre all day and currently in Denny's scoffing tea. SpaceX launch was very good indeed

Debra Bourne

lowrez: wow for the launch - definite envy. Good luck with getting the TV appearence captured. You appeared (finishing in your suit) in a brief clip at the start of the broadcast but I was too busy yesterday to watch the whole thing.

Peter R

Lowrez: watched the video last night.  Looked amazing and you certainly had some coverage at the beginning and the end.  I am also very jealous of the Space X launch, everytime I go to Houston there is never a launch on but its on the bucket list.

My Garmin went nuts on this mornings run.  I know have fastest km and a fastest mile that are absolute nonsense but don't want to delete the run.  Its never played up before but I notice they have an incredible sale on at the moment so I wonder if its playing up deliberately (I have the 935 and they are on sale for about £40).

Debra Bourne

Peter: where on earth are they on at that sort of price???

Debra Bourne

I think it's a scam. Trying to cancel...