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Comrades 2016
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Bike It, I identify personally with all the valuable advice and insights that you've included in your last few posts. I couldn't have said any of it better. Particularly appropriate and useful for novices (or 1st time down runners) among our group.
That is golden advice Bike It; last year I had a very confusing approach to the start and despite my Pen.CC place ended up crashing Pen.C in the last 20 minutes. Those guys leapt away form me like gazelles. I made sure I was over to the edge of the road and kept calm. Did the first mile in 11:13 and recall a reasonably steep climb very early on. I stuck to the plan and walked it briskly, second mile was 12:55. That was scary because I knew my mile average needed to be 12:50 overall. But I stayed with the plan. What helped was the gamut of similarly moving people I was with by then. And so the day proceeded to evolve, my fastest mile was 10:31, a mostly downhill affair 31 miles in, the scariest was 17:16 just 2 miles earlier almost entirely up hill! What kept my steel throughout that time was the knowledge that the 12 hour bus had not yet swallowed me. For runners at my 12 hour finish level its all about preservation, never stop moving towards that finish line, but don't blow it!
McHilly- will you be in your club vest at London? Mrs OS is running her 1st and, she says, last (yeah right) marathon and so I'll be at mile 13/22 waving our club colours.
I had a great weekend in the Lakes on a 33 mile run with 4200 feet of up and down which should stand the quads in good stead.
Thanks for the heads up on the ATM scam
In a webcast before the downhill run 2 years ago, Lindsey Parry said two things that stuck with me and were absolutely true:
1.) keep moving forward, do not stop for anything except a quick bathroom break. don't stop for food. don't stop for a massage. don't stop to talk to people
2.) you will have a period where you feel like absolute crap - but keep going, because you will feel better again
Morning all. Just back from a 7 day trip to the UK got some great 25+K runs in the cool fresh UK weather. Back in 36oC now with a 40k tomorrow in the Hatta mountains so lots of hills both up and down then the big 56K next weekend.
A few of us from Dubai were staying in the Hilton, but we just swapped for the City lodge as staying a few more days and the cost is almost half.
I know a few on here are also in the City Lodge and we are trying to get a mini bus sorted to get us to the start on the morning (early) of the race. If anyone is interested in a seat, or has a bus booked and has 3 spaces please let me know
have a great weekend running.
Well done to the CC crew on the fundraising.
Last week was a cutback week for me and I didn't do a long run but, rather, a 10km. The fastest pace that I have attempted since early February and it was encouraging to run 46:28, my 3rd quickest time at the distance, on an undulating course.
This weekend I have an 8 hour race, originally entered with a view to running 40 miles, but it's one where you can do as many or as few laps as you wish. However I'm mindful that I have run 3 marathons and 3 ultras already this year, with London and MK coming up, so I don't need the distance, so I will do marathon distance at most.
Good luck to everyone running this weekend. Sounds like a great hill session you have planned Sky Blue.
Good running everyone.
I am determined to listen to the 'dont start too fast' advice. Many years ago I did the Etape and everyone warned me about starting too fast, which I dully nodded and then started too fast, died on my bike seat and ended up pushing my bike 10k up a mountain and not finishing. Finishing the Etape is not one of my lifetime ambitions though, finishing Comrades is.
I have 26 miles planned this weekend, which will take me to a 50 mile week which is the biggest week I have ever done. I am doing it on the Ridgeway trail in Herts, I am just hoping my map is delivered tomorrow.
Those are wise words BI - just hope i remember that as i head towards Pollys!!
Good luck to everyone running this weekend. And may bump into a few of you at Manchester. Hope it all goes well. I will wearing my club shirt with badges on the back so might stand out a bit. I think we shall be starting near to the 3.30 pacer as well, although certainly somewhere in the red pen. Go well everyone...
Posted early on that I was running but nothing since.. sorry..
After qualifying last October with Pen B 3:14, have been busy with work, and then squeezing some good training in. Few LDWA events, Wrexham marathon last month, then spring training camp got big week of miles in for me. G2E 90km last week (just missed out on sub 9, nutrition slightly wrong) so all being well, go for a BR this time.
At the moment, Manchester this weekend is my last booked event, was just going to train, hills and get specific pacing in.
Did anyone else get to the Salomon event yesterday in Keswick?
I got photos with Kilian Jornet amongst others but also the lovely Ellie Greenwood who won the 2014 down run. Got her signature on my Comrades street sign from last year to go with Bruce Fordyce and others... much giggles as they thought I'd pinched it. She even asking me about my training was going.. really sweet and friendly. Very inspirational day all of the 20 plus runners.
Hopefully see some of you sunday at manchester, maybe Marty74 and others?
OS - I haven't decided what I'm going to wear for the Compton 20 that starts in a few hours,never mind London in 2 weeks! ( I know I should wear club colours, I'm just not a fan of vests unless it's very hot or i plan to run fast and neither apply), I'll post nearer the time and look out for you on the day!
good luck to everyone doing Manchesternor other runs this weekend
Met Marty, plus assorted others. Angie? Plus Steph and another with broken metatarsal who posted on the UK Facebook group.
3:37 for me, toilet stop needed and feeling the effects of last week's 89k ultra once I got to half way, 1:44 and then just managed my pace, legs and quads tired and already qualified so no need to push hard. Will be out tomorrow for some hills.
Races likely done for me till end of May now I think.
Well done on the Manchester runners results. Mr K-did that move you up pen? For me, having got over last weekend's 33 mile run in the Lakes, I did a 2hr run yesterday, then 65k on my bike today and an 11 miles walk with the family this afternoon.
FRC - I had my club vest on with Mr K. printed on. I saw another Comrades runner who had a vest on with three Comrades badges on the back...I didn`t see the front of him.
Nice training btw
Thanks OS. Yeap moved up to Pen D where I was last year so happy with that. (last year I got that Pen with a 03:46:29 so happy with the 25 seconds improvement
)
I am working in the Finishing Area of London so hopefully see a few of you there.
Well done all in Manchester yesterday. My target was 4:45 and I managed 4:43, that would have normally meant the slowest pen H start - fortunately I have my permanent pen E. After 2:11 at the halfway, the wheels fell of somewhat and I finished exhausted and sore, which doesn't bode all that well for Comrades. I'm starting to feel a bit terrified of the big day - just hoping that a proper taper before Comrades will make a big enough difference.
Sorry I missed OS and McH at Compton, didn't know beforehand if anyone from here would be running Saturday but I had a 2014 Comrades shirt on just in case.
Finished in 3:15 and going on holiday definitely had an impact on my conditioning (I'm never doing that again
)
Next race is London which I'm looking forward to very much.
Mr K- I'll be at mile 13/22 cheering on Mrs OS- if you are still at the finish at 5hrs or so, you may see her. She'll be in our club vest which you will probably recognise.
Good running everyone. I managed to squeeze a 30 miler in yesterday which was tough going. I did most of it on the ridgeway trail so at times it was muddy and required me to pick my way around the mud but its not flat so that's got to be good. My plan had 26 miles but looking at how many weeks i have left, the fact that i have London in 2 weeks means i think i only have 1 more week (4 weeks from race day) where i can do a run that is longer than marathon distance. My legs and the rest of me are pretty knackered today. I've already had 2 lunches.
Terry hope you feel ok today. I wish i could offer some wise words but I am a Comrades novice so you know more than me. I did keep telling myself that yesterday was training so when it was hurting, i told myself that it would improve my fitness for race day.
Mr K do you know what you are doing at the London finish?
Good running in Manchester. I heard there were some problems with Manchester again. Hopefully no-one's actual run was affected.
Yes it is the time to start thinking about the last long (or very long run). I've already done 45km, 50km (yesterday) and my current plan is then to make another 50km in 2 weeks (5 weeks from raceday). It should be enough. Thereafter my plan is to do the last 32km (20 miles) run 3 weeks out from raceday.
The last 3 weeks have all had high mileage and currently I'm taking a cutback week - cycled into the office instead of running for the first time in 3 weeks today. Then another 2 weeks at high mileage before progressively tapering.
The last 10km of yesterday's 50km were hard on top of a 140+km week. I resolved to trust the training and the taper and I will be better on the day. Still it was a nice practise of pacing and walk-breaks so I know better where I will be on the day.
FRC - nice to chat to before and a bit during Manchester yesterday. You did well considering you had run 90k the week before. I did 3.30 in the end which was fine and also chatted to a few others on route. And Mr K, I think that was probably me with the 3 badges on the back of my vest. Its certainly a talking point when people pass me.
Well done on everyone else this weekend, sounds like we are all coming along nicely.
But the organisation at manchester was shocking. The car parking had no directions telling you which car park to drive to meaning one HUGE queue of cars. Then dropping the bags off was terrible. 5000 bags basically being thrown into a small garage, you were left wondering if you would see your bag ever again. There seemed to be no obvious start line apart from the mat on the floor and the least said about the baggage fiasco at the end the better. I had to wait for 1 hour 20 minutes but at least i got my bag back. I dread to think how long some people would have stood waiting, probably 2 hours +. Thank god it wasnt raining otherwise many people would have been hopsitalised with hyperthermia. The race was fine however and these issues didn't affect my run, just leaves a bad taste in the mouth after. Would recommend to anyone NOT to run this race in the future!!!
Right, rant over
Well done, Manchester runners. Marty - the disorganisation sounds epic - I'm glad I wasn't planning to run it anyway!
My own training has had a setback - I damaged a disc in my back while strength-training using light weights last Friday and have been in agony ever since. I crawled a painful 13-miler on Saturday, but my physio said this afternoon I need to take 10 days off to let it settle down.
A back injury is a new thing for me, but as the saying goes, there are 3 types of runners - those who are injured, those who've just recovered from an injury and those who are just about to get an injury.
In my experience it generally happens just when you think everything is going really well... Be careful out there, people!
Sorry to hear that John. Never nice to get injured, be patient and you will be back very soon.
What an energetic few days everyone has had, I am exhausted just reading the entries. I did Manchester in 2014, organisation was fine then, Ron Hill started the race and ran the first 10k or so. Start was obvious, got my bag back easily, I wonder what has gone wrong? Have to say I hated the run itself; no character whatsoever, monotonous flatness. Highlight was realising I was running past my parked up car in Altrincham!
John - damn! You just gotta rest that. Sounds similar to my injury earlier in the year, it settled back down with a few days off.
Frustrated at my Garmin synching for ever but achieving nothing, looks like I am a lazy dog on Strava... suppose I am compared to everyone lately even if my Garmin was feeding it (ha ha). I have a charity 20 miler coming up at work on Friday, I'm running it dressed up as a female clown - so no change from my usual work attire there then!
Should've been big enough if they'd worked out how many runners... But they must've run out of fingers.
No marshalling of people dropping bags off, just a big wide table with 5-10 taking them. So 8:00-8:30 mayhem with hundreds waiting to drop their bag. With 0.5-0.75m to start line.
When runners returned.. Marshals had tried to sort the extra bags outside. Cue lost bags, tags falling off and even bags open. Possibly some thefts even, all whilst 12000 plus runners queued up at a couple of tables to try get their bags.
Massive fail. They have offered a discount for next year... If they get any entries!
Sounds like some great runs coming together.
Bummer about Manchester, i also did it in 2014 and echo Lowrez thoughts about the course but at least they managed bags that year.
Pretty much the anti-comrades for me this weekend. 50km on Chicago lake front, flat flat flat and icy ground for the first half. Was happy to roll in in a 4.01
I decided I needed a bit more hill training, so on Saturday I went into the North Georgia mountains, about an hour from Atlanta. It has long, long winding mountain roads, and is where the film "Deliverance" was made.
The road has no shoulder, and visibility is poor due to the many turns. Anyway, I set off uphill - and every so often I had to flatten myself against the rock face to avoid being run over. Not a great plan, but I was there so might as well continue. Every so often a beat up vehicle would come by with a couple hill billies staring at me. After 4 miles of straight uphill, I could have sworn I could hear those dueling banjos, so I turned around and about sprinted the downhill to my car.
Next time I want long hills, I'm firing up the treadmill.
John - hope the injury settles down quickly. You are right about the injury note. My calf seems to have settled down so i am waiting for the next thing now.
Dannirr - that sounds awful. I thought i was living dangerously running up a hill in Herts where there isnt a pavement. Treadmill next time.
I ran to the train station this morning (only 1.5 miles downhill) and need to run at lunch time from work so i just put a dress over my running kit and am now sat at my desk. Skank.
Dannirr I had nightmares after watching Deliverance and I have a clear picture of your run in my mind, very creepy
. It is also a warning how dangerous running on roads is for all of us
John. Hope the back sorts out. My PT last week did some assessments, aced the legs tests but low score on overhead squats and flexibility in shoulders. In his words, an injury waiting to happen.
Hello Patricia! If you can look past the cat, we finished together last year. Actually more photos to send you.
Not too shabby last night, 12 hills in 8 miles after marathon the day before. Legs not too bad.