Comrades 2020

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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Definitely not running today; yesterday's efforts obviously antagonised my bones... hope you are improving Getafix... its so frustrating isn't it.

    Gives me opportunity to snip the labels off 8 sets of togs I have recently accumulated for the event I hope I can start - ha ha! So far I have tried and sent back 2 different pairs of Solomon trail shoes, ordered some Merrells and Sportivas yesterday don't think I fit Solomons very well.
  • My issue was when I joined this site about 12ish years ago the email I used is now defunct and I never changed it with runnersworld, so had to set up a new profile.
  • Congrats Debra, sounds interesting.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Same for me, the account I'm using is quite recent and begins with a 1 (one) instead of an l (L).
  • Was hoping to run this afternoon but parents are visiting and we are relaxing by the pool, barbie lit and a pleasant 30 degrees. Hope the weather back in the UK isn't too bad!!!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I've got overcast but bright clouds, pretty cold, central heating is on. Just made "chaffles" for the first time, purchased a good old manual waffle iron a few days ago, you mix half a cup of grated cheese with an egg and burn away... I put a teaspoon of coconut flour in too - maybe I need to try it without - the web is full of people in love with them - someone just said to me - why don't you just make an omelette - ha ha! 
  • I've got perch, sea bream and king prawns with green salad and sauv blanc lowrez.
  • And flights are booked!!!!

    Well to Joburg anyway, I will book Joburg Durban return this week. Got Kenyan business class for approx £700 through Nairobi to Joburg, maybe should have booked some time in Kenya, my dad grew up in Mombasa.
  • Debra that sound like quite a time! 
    I did - while finishing nearly last (I hadn't realised how far back I was until the deeper came in with the last runner not long after I'd finished!) at Rugged Radnage - have a nice chat to the timekeeper who saw the Comrades badge on my club vest. He'd got a silver in the 80s and had known all sorts including the Ghost Runner (says he's named in the book so I'll have to look him up). Late 70s but looked about 10 years younger!
  • Well done on Wendover Woods, sounds quite a challenge. Not sure I could manage 20 squats never mind 50! Hope the hip recovers Lowrez, must be frustrating with such a big adventure planned for next year. 
    I’ve just returned from house hunting in Shanghai ready for next year, good news is runners world forums and Strava both work out there, found somewhere to live with a gym and next to a big park with a 5k running/walking path around the edge..... so I’ll have no excuse for not getting fit, but it’s totally flat so not  sure how I’ll practice for downhills!
  • Lowrez - no wheelchair needed though I can feel the quads a bit. Did 4 days straight but as I've just done a long run I'm giving them a day off.

    Took one of the dogs with me. He had an absolute blast in all the mud and puddles but took me ages to clean him when I got home! (Also he's a bit knackered!!)

    Lowrez - I meant to ask you how you were choosing your trail shoes. I bought some a couple of months ago but after todays mud I can't see that they're that much different from my road shoes. Maybe whatever the shoes you'd slide about in thick gooey mud. When are you next seeing the physio? You obviously need to get that hip flexor sorted.

    Dubairunner - I'm very jealous of your dinner. Sounds lovely. Also you're very organised having booked your flights already.

    Mc Hilly - well done on getting all that sorted for Shanghai. Very exciting for you. All I can think of for hills is bricks under a treadmill. Not much use though I shouldn't think.

    So when people do single leg squats do you hold on to anything? And is your other leg meant to be in front or behind you?
  • Becca7Becca7 ✭✭✭
    Well done Debra, that is one tough event but it's great that 99 is in the bag.

    McH- having been to Shanghai I'm pleased to hear that there's a park near you as I can't imagine trying to run on the streets.

    Dubai - sounds like you got a great deal.

    Snail - with the squats pay attention to your alignment.  Look at what your knee is doing as it can track outwards if hip stability isn't good yet.  Also the hips should be aligned.  Holding on to something could help with this, especially in the early stages of doing them, as it's not a balance exercise.  The other leg can be straight out in front or bent behind.
  • Becca - thanks for that
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Those are good business class flights Dubai! I still need to book a hotel for my intended extended stay in SA and my flights.

    I've had salmon with spinach and edam, followed by berries with 90% cocoa chocolate topped with the lowest sugar rated peanut butter I could find in Sainos. The discount shelf still feeds me but I am trying to pick the "healthier" options :D Although asking the Internet about that  generally ends up in confusion and a fear that everything will kill you. Also had a dark rum and coke and a whiskey and coke on the side :)

    I keep the spirits in the freezer and recently some gluten free foods went on discount so I was like a supermarket dash contestant throwing everything in the trolley I could find (these are for my son). So the generally sparse freezer is now absolutely chocca full... the spirits have frozen solid in their bottles! I have had to turn it down from -18C to -15C!

    SS it will be around -10C in the Antarctic and the recommended shoe is this one but with the caveat that its meant for much harsher conditions and any good similar shoe will suffice, so I have tried these which were crushing my forefoot even though they were a bit loose on the heel and these similarly. So now I have switched brands and gone for these and these which should arrive mid-week. Hoping the Sportivas fit as the Merrells are a bit short on tread depth, chucked them in the bag because they are well discounted. Making sure I get Goretex; previous runners say the ground can be quite variable from rock hard frozen to sinky-in-snow. My polypropylene inner socks arrived today and fit perfectly, Merino wool mix outer socks are in the post. Am hoping that whatever shoes are Antarctic compatible will suit me well on the Florida beaches too :)

    Seeing Phys on Friday, will discuss the hip flexor thing but will remain cagey about my mileage :D Today's alcoholic rest has gone well; still sore but less so. Hoping another day might get me closer to normal but having flared this up with running I need to take care on when I next step out and how far I go.
  • lowrez, sounds a good plan to rein things in a bit until you see the physio, and make some space in your freezer at the same time.
    SS my trick is I only allow myself to listen to podcasts when I'm at the gym, so if I want to keep up with them I have to go. And I always have a hand on the wall when I do single leg squats (raised leg out in front), but then I only do 10 at a time.
    Debra, considering the conditions and everything that happened at WW50 that sounds a good time to me, and I see you were still second in your age category.
    Last race of this year for me this morning, three and a bit laps of a local park to make up 10K, with a couple of small hills on each lap (and a lot of small dogs to dodge). Quite pleased that I managed to run up all the hills and didn't have to walk any of them, and just managed to sneak in under 45 minutes. Someone shouted "If you sprint you'll make it inside 45" about 50 metres out, and it was just enough to get me to speed up a bit.
  • This weekend, I have been sufficiently excited/motivated by Comrades to:

    1. Go spend money I don't have in Decathlon
    2. Watch c.7 hours of tv coverage from the 2018 down run
    3. Look up how the qualifying times for races longer than 42k work (they seem harsh to me. I can run close to a sub4 hour marathon, but the same pen D qualifying time for 90km- i.e. same distance as Comrades- is sub9.45 which feels completely unobtainable)

    yet sufficiently lazy to:

    run a paltry 2 miles. Debra- just reading about your race used more energy than I have!

    My plan is to do 10k a day for the 30 days up to and including Xmas day (a semi-traditional December challenge for me) and then start on the Comrades bronze plan on 1st Jan. I don't have a good track record with long training plans, so hoping that a 5 month block will be long enough to get strong but not too long to promote injury or loss of determination.

    P.S. heard on marathon talk that brian Williams has entered. Going for back to back at [74] years young- fair play!
  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Well done Debra, I saw a lot of reports of people dropping out. It’s probably the Centurion event I’d least like to do.

    I managed 1:23:33 at the Gosport Half. A couple of minutes off a PB but I’ve done quite a few races recently. Going to focus on nailing a decent parkrun time between now and Xmas before the Comrades focus starts.
  • hey lowrez, I checked out sport shoes, delivery is £15 standard or £25 express, I'll keep looking thanks, might find something in Nepal but probably not in a size 47.
  • Dubai: glad you're happy with your flights.
    Fido, Mc Hilly, Becca, baldstan, johnny, Millsy: thanks. I felt a bit 'flat' during the last couple of laps, even once the batteries were sorted. Possibly explained when yesterday afternoon I went down with a viral thingy - shivering and unable to focus my eyes (or my brain) and guts painful and headache and so on. Couldn't eat dinner. Tried to work this morning (working from home), gave up and crawled back into bed (my third ever day off ill in my whole working life). Seem to be rising out of the fog now so hopefully I'll be back to normal by tomorrow morning.
    Becca: thanks for that single-leg squat advice.
    baldstan well run in your 10K.
    Millsy: well done at Gosport.
    jonny: I agree regarding the qualifying times. I think it's a lot easier to qualify based on a marathon than anything else.
  • SS I remember weeping with rage and frustration re. single leg squats. Try the big gym ball at your back or hanging on to a TRX thingy or a resistance band or rope slung over something solid. They get easier once double leg squats with a decent weight have helped build a bit of strength ... 
  • Debra - that sounds a bit grim, there are some nasty bugs around at the moment. Make sure you have a proper rest and don’t feel tempted to go back to work too soon.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Dubai, intel on the ground advises you should switch to Mizuno  or switch countries
  • So.. apparently I am not qualified for Comrades.
    I couldn't find the results for Thames Meander marathon so emailed Dave Ross. It has taken him a full week to get back to me with a rather condescending email telling me where to find the results. (Which were not under the heading "results" where I was looking). I couldn't find my name anywhere but eventually did,... blanked out, crossed out and dq'd. I fired an email straight back where he deigned to reply immediately telling me it was because I was wearing headphones and over 40 people were disqualified. I wear Aftershokz which are the only make allowed by UKA in all road races and also didn't actually have them on half the time. Most races say no headphones yet over half the field will wear them. This was a race done on the riverside, Mr SS was not dq'd and I am mightily p....d off. I was given a medal and a finish time via text
  • Becca7Becca7 ✭✭✭
    Wow, Snail that's shocking, since Aftershokz are normally OK, as you indicate.  Was the likelihood of DQ emphasised in the race instructions?  
  • Southern SnailSouthern Snail ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    It says so in the FAQ but so does every race. He says we all had an email telling us beforehand but I can't find one and apparently he told us at race briefing but I could hardly hear anything he was saying and obviously neither would many of the people. It was absolutely filthy weather, pouring down and 40+ mph winds. I didn't even hear him saying the race had started. The group round me only noticed because the field ran off!! There was some army guy that told me to take headphones off at about 7 miles which I did. 

    Edited to add that Mr SS wasn't dq'd because his number was underneath his coat and everyone wearing hats and bandanas also weren't dq'd because their headphones weren't showing. Doesn't seem quite right to me.
  • RR: thankfully it was one of those 24-36 hour viral things and I was pretty much fine by Tuesday. Ran with the club yesterday evening. Thinking about Gatliff 50K this Sunday, because I've never done it and I just discovered it starts and finishes at Edenbrdge, which really is quite close. Or I might be sensible and stay home. Haven't decided yet.
    Snail: that's crazy. And Dave Ross of all people to take someone's Comrades qualfier from them!
  • @SS- I'm gutted for you, that really sucks. Hope you have another qualifier planned soon.

    I'm back running!!! Woop Woop.

    I managed a 2 mile run on Tuesday and a short 30 min interval session on the treadmill yesterday. Calf about 95% happy so i think I'm going to run Valencia.The dream of running a PB has gone as I have missed 3 weeks and 3 long runs but I will try and run with a friend and get my Comrades qualification and go for a PB next year.

    I have also reached out to a physio friend who is going to plan out a strength and conditioning routine for me as part of Comrades training for next year to hopefully help avoid another injury.
  • SS really sorry to hear that. It seems a really tough policy (and much more restrictive than UKA rules) especially as it's not a road race, and you were wearing Aftershokz so you could still hear any instructions from the race marshals. I expect quite a few people have chosen Hermes races as qualifiers thinking they could wear headphones. Hope you can easily fit in another qualifier.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Right, that's me boycotting Mugg&Bean breakfast from here on. Bloody ridiculous behaviour when he's the official Comrades ambassador and hanging out his events as qualifiers too. I'm off to look at alternative breccy options, will report back... SS you are pitching for several ultras in the lead up to Comrades, you must have some marathon distances in your schedule, I know it'll be a bind but hoping you have the opportunity to convert one into an event. Was never keen on people called Ross anyway; Diana, Jonathan, Kemp, Berkley, Perot, Noble... deplorable people! Not going to enter any of his events after this crap.
  • Lowrez- you had me nodding along in agreement there until you got to Ross Noble- I like him!

    SS- sorry to hear about the DQ, its ridiculous to me. You're on a canal path, they are bone conductors and you remove them at the first time of asking. Jobsworths. I'll make a note to avoid that organiser's races. Hope you've got another qualifier event scheduled in anyway and don't need to go out of your way to book in another.

    Getafix - good news, and good luck for Valencia. I'd like to do that marathon. Great city and supposed to be fast course.
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