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Comrades 2020

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    thomasclowesthomasclowes ✭✭✭
    MARK A ALDERSON said:

    *Note I heard from a reliable source on Wednesday that a crisis meeting took place on Wed AM in preparation for a possible cancellation of the VLM. First Brit died today, Brits with virus now at 19. The virus is very much blown out of proportion by the media, but the protocols of prevention are seeing large gatherings and sporting events cancelled. Swiss government banned all gatherings of 1000! For the benefit of doubt should this spread to SA (Africa in general then God help the continent it will not cope) how many will still look to do Comrades? I guess Comrades will be monitoring this too, put it this way I'd rather do VLM running running past excellent hospitals than 'hoping for the best' in SA. I shall be monitoring this and not confirming flights until April at least to play it safe.

    I am intrigued as to peoples thoughts on this too. Yes, I appreciate the media are hyping things up but I feel that governments wouldn't be cancelling mass participation events if it wasn't somewhat serious.

    What are everyones thoughts on Comrades/South Africa/Coronavirus?
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    The Far East are being proactive to protect the Olympics later this year, the Tokyo marathon took a hit to keep that dream alive, imagine the chaos if a plume of infections arose from that event first.

    Any major global event will be dusting off their contingency plans and looking at options. They'll just have to roll with the punches as this thing evolves. 
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    On 777 6 Chinese competitors were not allowed to leave China to participate, that was most likely controls being effective in China, but, one competitor had arrived earlier in Cape Town from China, they weren't showing any symptoms but they had a travel order slapped on them and were not allowed to leave, so all they could do was run the Cape Town leg. I assume the order on them will have been lifted by now if they have continued to be symptom free.

    I don't see why SA would be considered a bad place to be if things got worse? Is my perspective wrong? They've coped well with HIV/AIDS haven't they? Controls in and out were in place when I was on the 777 trip, temperature scans etc.  
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    DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    We are starting to see cancelations here, schools are closing Thursday for 4.5 weeks, my eldest sons school trip to Nepal is postponed as is younger sons trip to Cambodia. And Madness concert Thursday night is canceled!! 
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    DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    I'll still be going to South Africa, heading to cape Town in 5 weeks for 2 Oceans. 
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Isn't the UK one of the worst places to be if this thing really kicks off? Haven't we got a grossly under funded, under staffed and neglected NHS with vast waiting lists that will crumple under the pressure of a couple of dozen more Corona cases? Not actually my opinion but that's all people had to say about it in the last election?  
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    MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    Sa has the highest rates of HIV / AIDS of any country in the world, around 1 in 5 of the population having. Last year I read in KZN in some communities 60% of women are effected. They were also renowned for misleading figures from the Gov back in early 2000s. Since I wrote my post numbers here have increased to 51, the effects of this virus are having an impact at an unprecedented rate, I’d say a lot more impact is yet to come with regards to mass events and travel - freedom of. Still influenza kills more than this but man is feared of the unknown, hence economic crisis.
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    That must be an Embarrassment for them :D although they are just postponing it to November. We're going to see a ton of actions taken in isolation to limit damage I think, no one will want to look irresponsible or become liable. Risk aversion is kicking in big time.
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    That's my point, they are vastly exposed to HIV/AIDS but the country has not imploded, they are managing the situation and are well placed to handle this.
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    MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    hope so Lowrez. Have to say the care I received in the medical tent in Pietermaritzburg was perhaps better than that I’ve had in a as BMI hospital here! lol
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I've heard it said several times that those that have died were vulnerable in some way, frail, sick etc, but I can't find any individual evidence to back that up. The stats do show that the majority of people get ill but recover. And you are right that flu is a bigger problem right now. Trying to remember how jittery everyone got a bout SARS, that was a Corona type bug too, but it just frittered out.
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Dubai, did I hear they have had to change the route of 2O this year? Is it falling rocks onto the road again? Are you still climbing over Chapman's Peak?

    I just purchased my train tickets for London, usual dash, down Saturday to go get me number, bite to eat, swift kip, then up and at 'em the following morning for the run; straight through the finish (hopefully in under 4:50 :D) and on to Houston (I mean Euston) for a drink in The Tap and the train home that evening.
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    DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    Lowrez, change of route but not yet published, it's now 58k. I believe it's due to the number of runners on a busy Easter Saturday. 
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    DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    That's if it happens!! 
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    thomasclowesthomasclowes ✭✭✭
    Interesting stuff. We will have to see how things play out.

    Near enough everything I am doing for the next few months is affected by this - races, travels etc. Hopefully we can get it under control quickly.
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    Mac3Mac3 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Just an updated list as Peter H seemed to drop off.  We are both in the Hague this Sunday for a 1/2M, lead up to Rotterdam marathon on 5 April. Increasing cases of the virus in the Netherlands too but 18 I believe so far, hoping our events will continue, need that qualifier!

    Lingela, Tsogo Sun: Friday 12th June @ 18:30
    Mac3 + 1 (Cristina)
    becca
    dubairunner (Keith)
    Terry48 (Terry)
    Mark Alderson
    McHilly
    Southern Snail + 1 (Lars)
    1owrez
    Marty74 + 1
    Debra
    Peter H + 1 (Debbie)
    baldstan

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    Mac3Mac3 ✭✭✭
    @ Lowrez - formatting guru, when you have a moment can you tidy up the list - can't seem to remove the blank lines!  Hope you get back to training soon, and sneak in under 4:50.......
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020

    Mac, in general, depending on the browser <enter> does a line with a space in between <shift><enter> does a line with now't in between (but it doesn't always display like that before you hit post), will I have cured it...

    Lingela, Tsogo Sun: Friday 12th June @ 18:30
    Mac3 + 1 (Cristina)
    becca
    dubairunner (Keith)
    Terry48 (Terry)
    Mark Alderson
    McHilly
    Southern Snail + 1 (Lars)
    1owrez
    Marty74 + 1
    Debra
    Peter H + 1 (Debbie)
    baldstan
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I had to have 2 goes at that, you will note it has been edited to fix the first try, it looked OK when I posted it, but somehow another gap appeared after Marty after posting it? Its witchcraft!
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    PeterDHMPeterDHM ✭✭✭
    Thanks Mac3.. whenever I post anything on here it seems to mess the formatting up.  Even though it's fine in the preview.  I blame my phone!
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    MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    I`m just carrying on with my training and hope for the best.

    Still planning on doing London as a key race in the process. Still not sure whether to try and go for a PB at VLM. I managed it last year and still recovered in time to smash my target at the SDW 100 6 weeks later.

    Hopefully I`ve managed to add myself & Mrs Millsy to the list

    Mac3 + 1 (Cristina)
    becca
    dubairunner (Keith)
    Terry48 (Terry)
    Mark Alderson
    McHilly
    Southern Snail + 1 (Lars)
    1owrez
    Marty74 + 1
    Debra
    Peter H + 1 (Debbie)
    baldstan
    Millsy +1
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I think some of these events are being shifted because the organisers are concerned that people will stay away anyway so it will be wasted effort staging them right now. The media are blowing this out of proportion. Good to see VLM standing firm so far and relying on best advice... Wednesday 4 March, Brasher added; "The Government’s current advice is that all mass events should still go ahead. There are many mass events scheduled in the UK before us and we are working closely with the DCMS (the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) and other mass event organisers to coordinate and agree appropriate advice to the public."
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    MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    Just heard from one of organisors Paris is to be re scheduled, hope nobody was planning to do that!
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    Fido2DogsFido2Dogs ✭✭✭
    Well I'm not running at all at the moment - limping when I walk the dog - but have gone and seen the physio now and am being treated. First step on the way to being less lumptacular.

    We *had been* going to visit McHilly in China but I suspect that is going to be postponed to next year now!

    Trouble is with the new ailment - you have no, or mild, inconclusive symptoms for days and weeks;it  appears to spread much like the common cold ;andi can kill sick old blokes:- so the prospect of unwittingly picking it up from someone young, healthy and symptom free and giving it to your Grandad or (I am that old) Dad and polishing him off, well it's a bit unsettling.
    We did have some scare at work (viz someone came back from Asia with a lurgie) and everyone got to WFH if they liked so it was lovely and quiet. Now we are all back, wet wipes & hand sanitizer is everywhere and I'm DELIGHTED to say the standard of handwashing I see in the ladies has shot up. 

    Bumped into a guy setting out flyers for the Compton 20 on Sunday (carpark duty at XC) - old Comrades runners will remember the "40" as being a popular prep race. It was 40 miles off road and SlowDuck always said your Comrades time was 1.25 Compton40 time. Now it's only a 20 and in August, sad times!
     
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    PeterDHMPeterDHM ✭✭✭
    Barcelona marathon also postponed until October for those who were planning on going over to that..
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    Debra BourneDebra Bourne ✭✭✭
    At this point I have to be VERY relieved that I qualified at the end of November, for my preferred pen.
    Best of luck to those who still need a qualifying marathon. I do recommend looking at the 100 Marathon Club list to find available smaller marathons that might be suitable.
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    Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭
    With Barcelona I’ve now had 3 cancelled marathons this year, think I might give up! (I’ve obviously been completely ignoring the fact my hip is a bit dodgy and I haven’t done anything longer than 10 miles for months) I’d been looking forward to Barcelona was planning to start and do 10k or so, never realistically stood a chance of qualifying! Still looking forward to spending a weekend there. I have had no response to my email to Comrades last week asking if they might waive the requirement to qualify.... I imagine they may be getting a few similar questions as more things get cancelled! Just in wait and see mode at the moment!
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I have non-cancellable flights so still up for a weekend away! This was always going to be a big challenge for me too McH, I don't think I stood much chance of qualification either. Bit of a relief it's not gong ahead, plus we still get to run it anyway later this year, always assuming SARS II doesn't get me :D Do you still fancy doing breakfast?
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    MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    Given the window of qualification period I’d be very surprised if Comrades allowed anyone who had not qualified and blamed it on C19, they’re are 100s of low key marathons and ultras out there which won’t  be effected. 
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    1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    McH, plan B - we change our names by deed poll to some minor elite marathoners that were allowed to run in Tokyo and submit their times :D
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