Comrades 2019

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  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    edited December 2018
    Wow! So, running is a business to them. Maybe they looked you up on social media and saw how much running you do, then decided it must be a business  :) Which marathon is this, and when?
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I'm wondering if I shot myself in the foot, so to speak Terry, possibly, if I had simply said I was dropping in for 3 days as a tourist I may have got away with it? I am not too irked as I was in Manchester to see a concert in the evening. The marathon is Xiamen (formerly Amoy) on 6th January. You usually have to book visa submission appointments several days in advance, depending on time of year, however at the moment its pretty quiet, they gave me an open appointment to simply pop back with my letter of invitation and a business visa will be forthcoming. Glad I fully declared my intentions actually, it would have been a real shock if they turned me away at customs when I landed in Xiamen.
  • Amazing bling Debra - a big well done you
  • Southern Snail: the medals are fun - but it's amazing to have earned the right to wear that running shirt!
  • OK, managed to squeak out a slow qualifier, but after almost. year of injury, I'm delighted.
  • Dannirr, well done! Still plenty of time for a faster qualifier if you want one.
  • Dannirr, well done! Still plenty of time for a faster qualifier if you want one.
    Thanks Debra.  No, my attempts at fast running are over - thats where my injury potential always lies.  I'm satisfied with past Pb's.  Just rather keep running than be own the injury bench :smile:
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Good to hear from you Dannirr; my sleuthing; well, it wasn't that difficult; first guess got me your time and a video of you crossing the finish line - you were looking good sir! Do you mind if we identify where you ran and plonk your qualifying time in the table? Well done; must be pleasing to have a qualifier in the bag this early in the game? I hope your injury is completely fixed? No noticeable wobbling as you cruised over those finishing mats :)

    My run in China is currently hanging in the balance! The Xiamen Marathon Organizing Committee won't issue me with a letter of invitation to take part! I am currently discussing with them how, if at all, other UK nationals have achieved taking part in their marathon. Maybe they don't? I'm off to see if there is a Chinese Comrades Ambassador that can invite me over!

    Brilliant pictures Debra, very stylish T_shirt, what is that on the shoulder; "cowabunga" perhaps?

  • Mac3Mac3 ✭✭✭
    Impressive Debra to run these back to back.  What's you marathon/ultra count now?

    Lowrez - hope you get the visa sorted, work your charm!

    Congrats Dannirr, and that you are happy with your qualifier.

    Terry - glad you got your acceptance to Berlin, something to look forward to.  I got a rejection unfortunately! It must be frustrating with the heart situation where it needs to be more severe before the surgeons will act.  But with restricting your heart rate you are following all the coaches advice to develop your aerobic capacity! 

    Diever Boscross marathon (Bos is forest in Dutch, no relation to Hugo) for me this weekend in North Holland.  This will be a nice plod and a 4 lap route.  Great value at 12 Euros!  Entrants choose the number of laps they wish to complete but the last lap will be lonely.  I think only 50 or so did the marathon last year.  My new Altra Lonepeak trail shoes will be christened in the mud!

  • Lowrez: it's "Mega marathoners".

    Mac 3: Presently on 48 ultras, 22 marathons, so 70 in total. Hoping to make that 75 by the end of the year, and reach the 100 marathon club late next year - I have my A races booked (Sasmphire 100, NDW50, SDW100, Lakeland 50, Ridgeway 86), so I need to run another 20 during the year - probably mostly SVN events (reasonably close, friendly, low key, great medals, no need to enter months in advance) but I'm hoping to run Three Forts, Boston (Lincs), Vanguard Way marathon and Beachy Head.
  • Lowrez - sure!   I wasn't trying to be coy with it :).    4:36 finish.  California International Marathon 
  • Dannirr - well done on the qualifier

    Debra - I agree about the t shirt and earning the right to wear it but medals are cool too. Great for impressing the grandchildren!! I'm based in Surrey. The closest marathons I've found for January and February are Saxons in Gravesend.

    Lowrez - what a nightmare with the visa. Hope you get it sorted. Agree that it's definitely better to declare what you're actually doing though

    Mac - Good luck at the weekend
  • Dannirr - well done on the qualifier

    Debra - I agree about the t shirt and earning the right to wear it but medals are cool too. Great for impressing the grandchildren!! I'm based in Surrey. The closest marathons I've found for January and February are Saxons in Gravesend.

    Lowrez - what a nightmare with the visa. Hope you get it sorted. Agree that it's definitely better to declare what you're actually doing though

    Mac - Good luck at the weekend
  • Don't know why that posted twice :#
  • Nice one Dannirr.

    Lightening has struck twice for me (fortunately not literally), and I have a place in both Western States and Hardrock!

    I’ll still be doing Comrades but will be plodding for a sub-12 finish rather than having a go at the new sub-10 medal...
  • Amazing Slow Duck. All the best with that. Sounds like a lot of running coming up. Are you going anywhere specific to train?
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    SD that is astounding :) you need to purchase a national lottery ticket next, these things come in threes!

    I am currently in a catch22 on China - visa authority advise I need an invitation from the marathon organizing committee, and, of course, if you think about it, the marathon organizing committee are unable to issue said invitation - it is quite a formal document with various assurances - and they don't know me from Adam so how can they? My analysis is that the initial assessment is incorrect; they are telling me I need a business visa hence the invitation requirement; I actually applied for a tourist visa; running a marathon is a leisure activity not a business activity. So, I need the visa authority to accept that a tourist visa is perfectly OK. I am concerned though that if I go back in there and even with the kindest, calmest approach make that request, I could end up being slung out with no resolution. So, I think my only route is going to be to commission some expert help... I am off to make some calls :#

  • Slow Duck: that's amazing luck - I hope they go well. My two 100-milers for 2019 are much less prestigious!

    lowrez: sympathies. Best of luck getting that visa sorted out.
  • Southern Snail - I am seriously considering spending the 3 weeks between WS and Hardrock living in a tent up in the Rockies to get acclimatised... lots of negotiating to do with Mrs SD (and work...)

    lowrez - May be it is a business visa because they think you’re a professional athlete earning your living via prize money?

    Debra - thank you. It was my 5th consecutive application for WS and 4th for Hardrock.
  • DannirrDannirr ✭✭✭
    edited December 2018
    SD - how much altitude do you need to live at to get the benefit?   I can offer you a house in New Mexico at 6000 feet with mountain trails to 12 000 feet for daily training.   Yours for the asking, rent free.  Vehicle too. All you gotta do is take out the trash from time to time :)
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Wow Dannir! What an amazing outlook! I need to start altitude training too :)

    Thanks for your perspective on Visa SD - I am slowly whittling down my options and preparing for a re-attempt - even the visa fixers don't want to go near this one - although they are a cagey lot - quite black and white - because I have already commenced a line into this they are reluctant to step in and help - I think they operate on a fixed template - if I had gone to them to start with I probably would have sailed through the system - but stumping up part processed with a weird perspective in place already; they are not up for trying to skew me out of it - reading between the lines I think they are afraid that argument tinged with potential failure will weaken their case on future bog standard submissions. I think I have to do what Mac3 suggests, arrive with a smile and a bucket of charm!  

  • That's an amazing achievement Debra - well done!

    Best Wishes SD - that is a dream for many people to be in such races

    I'm living at around 1350m and work at around 1700m.  Even 'modest' altitude took a lot of getting used to for me.  I understand that the response is very individual.  You will know from Leadville SD what would be best for you.

    I only went to China once and applied for the visa when I was in Japan - I got turned away on Friday lunchtime because the boss had gone to play golf.  I had to go back the following Monday morning.
  • Dannirr - OMG your place is stunning! Thank you for the incredibly generous offer!
  • Hi all..
    Lowrez we were lucky with out visas for a 10 day trip in China a couple of years ago... As our son was studying there we went on a special family visa where he had to sign that he was responsible for us and that he would finance the trip... The visas were set up so that foreign nationals who worked there on high paid jobs could easily arrange for their families to visit without the normal hassle.)

     As if he had enough money to pay.. we paid for everything as usual  :):)

     Good luck.. 

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the additional background seren :) I am not out of options yet so I will trundle on with the process
  • mordomordo ✭✭✭
    Very nice medals Debra well done
  • I've got cut-off stress.  The manual entries are supposed to complete today.  Fingers crossed as I haven't received any acknowledgement so far
  • mordo, thanks.
    Bike it: sympathies, and here's hoping. (And if all else fails, train as if you're in and look for a substitution place in April... but I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that)
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Got everything crossed for you Bike It - not meaning to add to the stress, but, if they post you a confirmation won't it take at least a fortnight to get to you, and maybe not at all? Or, will you get an e-mail :)

    Feel like some things are coming together a bit, trundled out a half marathon training run in 2:20 at the weekend, started relatively slow but managed to string some pace together (well for me anyway). Would have been a challenge to keep that going for another 13 but its helped pep me up a bit on indicating I could qualify soon. On that front I have started contingency planning in case Xiamen falls through - Gloucester is looking nice if it doesn't fill up before I have to jump.

    Plus got wind of a flat ultra in the planning 

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