Comrades 2020

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  • Getafix: sympathies for the calf; hope you can run again soon (but don't try too soon!).
    I'm trying to remember to do squats and lunges and so on. REALLY wish I could find a way to make doing weights/strength work not-boring.

  • I'm trying to remember to do squats and lunges and so on. REALLY wish I could find a way to make doing weights/strength work not-boring.
    Debra - if you find an answer to this please pass it on :)

    Thanks all for info about watch chargers. Will have to turn my gps on and leave the watch in the garden overnight to see how long it actually lasts
  • Debra I would say that the weights to music class at the gym (it's a small gym that does all of 2 classes a week which makes them very sociable!) has done wonders for me.
    (ATM I'm not going or indeed running but there are life-related reasons for that - I'm looking forwards to going back!)
  • F2D: glad that works for you. Pretty sure it wouldn't for me (I'd hate the music, probably, and I'm certainly not going to find the time to go to a class). I need a way of engaging properly with strength training I can do on my own, at home. I have barbells, I have a weights bench and a Swiss ball.
    Snail: ig I find a solution I'll certainly share it. I do find it fascinating that I have no problem heading out for a few hours of running but find it really hard to make the time for 20-30 minutes of weights.
  • Becca7Becca7 ✭✭✭
    I enjoy the strength and conditioning work I do.  Perhaps because it's done at lunchtime so a good break from work.  I'm not a gym class fan.  Recently I've been working on mobility, as well as standing core work and glute strength.  Last year I was lifting weights with Stronglifts, which offers a progression to lift heavier weights, but I think I went about it the wrong way but I might get back into that.  I'm planning to do the different workouts from Jay Dicharry's book Running Rewired as there is a bit of variety in those.
  • Basically the plus for me is that I only need the willpower to get to a particular place at ten past 6 on Wednesday and then 40 mins of good solid weight training kind of happens as if by magic! #routine #grouptraining
  • Also it is full of other runners and sprightly septuagenarians all of whom are fitter than me ;)
  • Matt..Matt.. ✭✭✭
    I’ve had good news on the injury front, doc has cleared me to run 3 days a week. Onwards and upwards.

    Loving the weight training debate. Personally I’m a big fan of mixing up the training, cross training with a lot of weight work kept me sane and literally got me walking again when I was crutch bound.
    Comptrain do a free daily program if you’re looking for some variety, most can be done at home with dumbbells. Or agree with the comment about squatting and deadlifts being a very solid place to start. 


  • You guys have got me worried, I hate gyms although I have free membership to some great gyms through work. My wife is a gym bunny and wants me to meet her PT, scares the hell out of me, told her new year maybe. 
  • I’ve been doing some strength and conditioning work recently and felt the benefit. But I’ve just booked on to the kettlebell class in the gym on Friday - if I can’t walk this weekend I’m blaming you lot...
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Comrades 2020 Qualification
    25Aug Qualification Opens
    21Sep
    Italy (IM) Peter R-Q3:51PenC
    22Sep
    Hull (M) marty74-Q3:32PenC, Britrisky-Q4:43Pen G
    29Sep
    Berlin (M) jkissane-Q3:22PenB
    06Oct
    Chester (M) Slow Duck-Q4:13PenF
    06Oct
    Isle of Wight (M) Debra Bourne-Q4:13PenF
    06Oct
    Loch Ness (M) Running Rodent-Q4:14PenF
    20Oct
    Poznań (M) Becca7-Q3:52PenD
    20Oct
    Abingdon (M) baldstan-Q3:28PenC, Millsy-Q2:55PenB
    20Oct
    Yorkshire (M) johnny1984-Q4:05PenF
    02Nov
    Thames Meander (M) Southern Snail-Q4:44PenG
    03Nov
    New York (M) Mac3-Q4:20PenF
    16Nov
    Wendover Woods 50 (U) Debra Bourne
    30Nov
    Nottingham Christmas (M) Debra Bourne
    01Dec
    Valencia (M) Getafix
    14Dec
    Usual Suspects (U) Debra Bourne
    21Dec
    Kathmandu (M) Dubai runner
    17Jan
    Muscat (M) Dubai runner
    24Jan
    Dubai (M) Dubai runner
    01Feb
    South Devon (U) Southern Snail
    06Feb
    Novolazarevskaya (M) 1owrez
    07Feb
    Cape Town (M) 1owrez
    08Feb
    Perth (M) 1owrez
    09Feb
    Dubai (M) 1owrez
    10Feb
    Madrid (M) 1owrez
    11Feb
    Santiago (M) 1owrez
    12Feb
    Miami (M) 1owrez
    15Feb
    Destin 100 (U) Dannirr, 1owrez
    01Mar
    Tokyo (M) Mc Hilly
    01Mar
    Malta (M) baldstan
    14Mar
    Sussex Coastal (U) Getafix
    15Mar
    Cyprus (M) Becca7
    15Mar
    Barcelona (M) 1owrez, Britrisky
    04Apr
    Exmoor (U) Southern Snail
    04Apr
    South Downs Way 50 (U) baldstan
    05Apr
    Paris (M) LoveLifeRun, Dannirr
    05Apr
    Rotterdam (M) PeterDHM
    11Apr
    Two Oceans (M) thomasclowes
    02May Qualification and
    Race4Charity (PenCC) Closes
    14Jun
    Comrades

    Accommodation
    Belaire
    baldstan, Terry48, Debra Bourne, Becca7, pottermiss
    Hilton 1owrez, Mc Hilly, Dannirr, Britrisky
    ONOMO Slow Duck, justanothrrnr, marty74, Getafix, johnny1984, Southern Snail
    Protea Dubai runner, LoveLifeRun
    Elangeni MARK A ALDERSON, PeterDHM, Running Rodent
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Dubai - on the shoe front I have not been in a store in years I purchase on the web and simply return them if they don't fit. There are return postage costs but I consider that cheaper than my time and petrol to get to a shop.

    I purchased some kettle bells at Aldi last year, haven't used them much, but plan to do something with them after physio is finished. Physio takes me about an hour per day, when at home I am playing music which makes the time something to look forward to rather than the exercises being the focus as a chore.

    LoveLifeRun I found Canalathon a good ultra
  • lowerz, used to be a Saucony shop here and I could pick up several pairs at a time when they were on sale, unfortunately it closed without notice and the last few pairs I have are being held together and are needing replaced. Web shopping is not a big thing here.

    Found we have some kettle bells so that's maybe a option for me as well.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Dubai, can you not order internationally I buy most of my shoes there.

    Do you know Nicholas, mentioned in the latest Comrades Newsletter? Where do they get theirs?
  • Thanks lowrez, I'll have a look. Where is the comrades newsletter?

    But right now, just home from work it's 0630, glass of whiskey and then bed!!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Dubai - its an option to subscribe to in your on-line Comrades account - usually some useful info in it, along with dross like "shop here for coasters", apparently there is a UAE Comrades running group...

    So you are on the whiskey diet too :D

  • Getafix, hope the physio goes well and you're back in action soon.
    Southern Snail, I always listen to podcasts at the gym, in fact I save them up so I actually look forward to going to the gym in order to catch up with them.
    Debra, good luck for Wendover Woods tomorrow. I expect they'll be looking beautiful just now, although it could be a bit muddy. Good excuse for some of that Kendal Mint Cake.
  • Thanks lowrez I'll check it out once I get a chance 
  • Got locked out by runners world and had to rejoin!!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I was forced to reset my password this morning. But it didn't lock me out.
  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    I’ve just had to reset too! 
    Have my last road race of the year tomorrow (Gosport half) it’s quite nice focusing on the shorter stuff before the Comrades plan starts in Feb. 
    That wendover woods race looks brutal. 
  • Yes, I got chucked out as well, had to get a new password. Not the first time that’s happened to me, this site is really quite pish. 

    I believe people use Wendover Woods to train for Barkley, which is enough to make me think  I want to stay well away. 
  • Debra - how did it go. Sounds like a brutal race.

    Yes I had to reset too and get a new password

    Baldstan - I don't think listening to podcasts (which i do anyway) is going to entice me into the gym!

    I have decided to do some squats at home and went straight in with 50 a day (not weighted). Needless to say the quads are a bit sore but not too bad. I have to learn to build up to things :)
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    This forum runs on software from a company called Vanilla. There are lots of other forums built on it if you look it up. I think they've put the latest release in... Did you notice that email notifications now include the comment made, so you don't have to click the link to come here and read them anymore.

    Hope Debra made it out of the woods and did not get involved in any porage eating incidents with the bears!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    After a mid-week 5 miler I have a surprise hot spot of pain somewhere on my left hip. The physio exercises don't really get at it. It really nagged me on my 7 miler yesterday. After I had warmed down with it obviously worse I was trying to stretch any way to get at it but couldn't... then this talk of single leg squats made my try one... Yeeowoo! That is excruciating! Right on the outside of my hip... is that called a flexor? If I give it a good old poke with a finger it is jolly sore too... how do you stretch that? I can't find a way to put it under tension to get an "ahhhh that's good" out of it? Thinking I better not run on it today? Was planning something quite long, maybe 15 or more :(
  • I just had to rest password as well. Grr.
    Wendover Woods 50 was indeed brutal. It stayed dry on the day, thankfully, but with a lot of rain in the previous week or so it was very muddy, and steep uphills were horrible. I started too near the front and set off too fast, so I completed the first 10-mile, 2000 ft ascent/descent loop in just under 2 hours. Remainder were a lot slower. Stopped near the end of the second lap to help a runner who was sitting by the side of the path looking very pale and slurring his words. Three other runners stopped as well, so we got his emergency top onto him and a foil blanket round him, and his hat on, and fed him sugar - the last piece of Kendal mint cake I had on me and someone's Shot Blox and some chocolate. Meanwhile a guy out for a run stopped and since two people had tried to phone the medic & HQ without success (they were probably dealing with the guy with the busted collarbone), he offered to run the 1/2 mile or less to HQ to get them to send someone. Two of the guys said they were going to drop at the end of the lap, and I was starting to shiver, so they told me and the other runner who was continuing to get on our way. I had to put my jacket on for a while before I warmed up - it was only 3 degrees or so. Lap 3 was uneventful, then it got dark and I had headtorch batttery problems - batteries I though were new and unused evidently were not, and I must have changed batteries 4 times - and taking a long time on one occasion as I lost track of which way round to put the batteries in. Also ended up borrowing spare batteries from someone to reduce worry about running out of light in the middle of the woods. Finished in just under 13 hours, so a good half hour slower than I had expected - I think due to the combination of stopping to help the other runner (which I don't mind at all) and the torch problems. Not checked the results yet but I think quite a few may have dropped out. Anyway, marathon/ultra #99 completed!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Like how a guy with a busted collarbone came in from left field like it was usual casual attrition for The Woods. I've seen the boot of your car Debra so I know who amazingly well you are prepared for these events. Sounds devilish conditions, especially with weird battery depletion too. Well done on persevering and completing.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    SS 50 in one go from nowhere :o shall I order a wheelchair for you :D
  • Getafix - hope you are resting and recovering well. Don't stress over Valencia, what will be will be plus you have loads of time...

    Debra - well done on your 99th. Hope you have a well deserved flake today to celebrate :)
  • Marty, alas as it wasn't an SVN event I didn't get a Flake!
    Lowrez: as far as I know there was only the one collarbone and a few walking in on injured ankles and the guv I helped . Maybe a few more. Not unusual for an event like that with steep descents and lots of tree roots, not to mention the mud. Devil's Challenge one guy fell and smashed a couple of fingers on the first day.as for batteries, in future on races I will only use ones straight out the packet so I can be 100% sure they are unused. I had checked these but...
    Snail: 50 squats!!! I had sore quads after 20 a couple of weeks ago.
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