Comrades 2020

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  • Peter RPeter R ✭✭✭
    I have Ironman South Africa in just over 2 weeks and that seems to be progressing as normal, and although I cant see it referred to above I guess you all saw the post from Comrades on Instagram saying currently no intention of changing but monitoring the situation.  I am qualified (C) but was hoping to do a few marathons and training runs before the big day so hopefully normal order is restored soon.

    Arrived at Heathrow on Saturday morning from the USA and it was completely normal apart from the odd facemask.  

    Mark: Hope you get well soon.
  • Mark, I’ve qualified at Dubai marathon. The only 2 marathons in UAE are Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The only company I know that organise ultra are Urban Ultra and they only have a 30k this month in RAK.  I was just wondering if Comrades would allow previous competitors in based on the current issues in Europe, I’m a newbie and would expect nothing less than having to qualify. Anyway hope you get well soon!

  • Dubai that’s great news. <div>Having been in Dubai several times I’d rather be there right now I think than here. I’ve just witnessed a doctor knock a urine bottle over by the side of patient’s bed only to continue taking his bloods while a nurse wiped it with paper towels with her feet, picked them up wearing gloves but then opened toilet drawer with same gloves having dispensed countless towels with sand gloves, talk about cross contamination! The joys. My pain has reduced significantly so I’ve asked to be discharged in the morning then I’ll have colonoscopy at my chosen hospital. Hopefully I’ll be running by Wednesday, that will then be the longest I’ve not ran in 8 years! Meanwhile 95 days to go I think....</div>
  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    All who have not yet booked flights from UK:

    I see BA non-stop flights to Durban for £507 around Comrades time (Don't know if they add more for baggage above the carry on limits). You can also get a car rental for about half usual rates if you buy it in their package.
    That is quite a drop in price - Covid 19 scaring their passengers away?  I've not looked at Emirates but they may also be reducing prices.
  • Teery: Damn! I paid about £150 more than that for those flights in January. Not planning to rent a car - will get taxis to/from the airport and hope I can share with other runners to keep the costs down - ought to be a few on those flights, I hope.
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Mark, hope they can get the pain down further and it's nothing that needs an operation.
    Interesting to see how Centurion are planning for coronavirus for their races, especially as I'm doing South Downs Way 50 in four weeks: all aid station volunteers to wear nitrile gloves, all runners to use the handgel provided on arrival at every aid station, runners fill their own bottles and cups, and no food to be touched with bare hands. Anyone who isn't happy following the rules will have to carry all their own supplies and can't use the aid stations. Feels like I'm going to be much less likely to pick up the virus during the race than getting there and back on the train.
    Unfortunately didn't make it to Coach Parry yesterday as I had to work. Did anybody else go along?
  • Mark - get well soon. Doesn't sound good

    Baldstan - I noticed the Centurian advice too as was looking with regards the NDW100. Sensible advice though as a smaller event I'm assuming it should be easier to deal with.

    So shopping with my mum yesterday. Absolutely not a single tissue, toilet roll or kitchen roll but at least it wasn't manic in there.

    Dubairunner - absolutely agree about the kids all congregating in Starbucks. Totally ridiculous. Definitely might as well be in school.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I've cancelled the Barcelona trip after looking up the hotel reservation and discovering I hadn't paid for it yet. I need to run a half marathon distance this weekend and it didn't make much sense traipsing all the way abroad and trying to figure out how to fit that in. And, as luck would have it, on seeking a HM event, there is one in Liverpool on Sunday, yay! So... do I need a costume :D
  • lowrez: it's a pity you're not further south as it's the Croydon HM on Sunday as well - I'm marshalling at it 9after runung CTS Sussex Ultra on the Saturday and before going out for the additional 2-hour run on my training schedule for Sunday). Anyone else in the area, it's a nice undulating course and we have great medals!

  • Probably a good call Lowrez. Lots more cases just confirmed in Spain (and Barcelona area)

    Debra - Good luck on Saturday. Done a few of their events. Next one in 3 weeks.
  • Finally I’m home, still not in a running state, sofa / bed bound but hey ho, back next week to diagnose what they propose it is from scans so far but colonoscopy will confirm - ischeamia collitus. Sadly marathon running can cause this so I need to go very careful hereon, any of you guys ever had cramp after a gel while running empty then that feeling you have is similar to and can cause IS, obviously while running blood flow is predominantly keeping the legs moving and not much to the stomach them boom a gel reaches the stomach and he blood is restricted. Good news is I’m probably less at risk of C19 at home than in a hospital, 8 days of no running for me now which is longest since 2012, but my legs were due to a service / hopefully I’ll be back in next few days! Haha
  • marty74marty74 ✭✭✭
    lowrez - surely your costume should be full blown mask, goggles etc to avoid catching the virus??
  • Snail: thanks! They've just emailed us all to change it to semi self-supported: carry all your own food as the checkpoints will be water only - and no water stations for 10K or HM, so presumably none for us on the final loop either. Good practice for distance bweteen checkpoints on the NDW100, I suppose! Must work out this evening what I'm going to want to eat during the run, then go get the stuff. Kendal Mint Cake and home-made energy balls, but maybe also pretzel sticks, couple of peeled satsumas and a peanut butter and jam sandwich cut into halves? And we need to carry enough water for 12 miles between checkpoints, so better take a 3rd 500ml soft flask.
  • Mark: glad to hear you're home and good luck for resolution of the problem and resumption of running asap.
  • thanks Deborah, hope to be running again slowly in a few days
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Mark, glad to hear you're back home. I'd never heard of IS before, but looking it up marathon running is listed as one of the risk factors. Always good to discover something new to worry about on long runs!
    Good luck for the Sussex Ultra tomorrow Debra. Over 6300 feet of ascent, that's a tough one. Hope it's good weather. Shame I can't make the Croydon Half (that looks a hilly course too), probably won't be many more chances to have a race for a while and having met some of the Striders I know it'll be a friendly event.
    I ran the club hour race yesterday evening. Managed 33 laps, which meant I was lapped 11 times by the fast group. Really impressive to see up close how fast they are, but running round and round the track did remind me why I much prefer running on roads or trails. Quite happy not to do that again for a while.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Hilton have just notified that even if you have a booking that has a non-refundable condition on it, they will in fact allow cancellation and refund the dosh.
  • jkissanejkissane ✭✭✭
    Been a while since I checked in as not taking part in Comrades this year. Every race I've entered for the next few months has been cancelled so hopefully everyone is sorted with a qualifier. Presume the event is going ahead as scheduled, I'm based in Ireland and the whole country almost shut down from yesterday.
  • Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭
    Lowrez, my email from the Hilton said can cancel even if non refundable, but only for bookings with arrivals before end April. Did say anything about bookings for further ahead. 
    Mark best wishes for a speedy recovery, 

    Lowrez and Debra have great runs at the weekend 

    im currently enjoying the Sun in Barcelona , leg is complaining after a days walking around so just as well I’ve no plans for running:-)
  • Peter RPeter R ✭✭✭
    Ironman South Africa just got moved to November.  Not sure whether to enter any races as I assume there is a good change it could get cancelled.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    McH I must've skip read it :D hopefully if it drags on they will extend the offer.
    Marty... would have to be a nurse :D
    Peter, come up North, we are hard as nails, nowt being cancelled here and we are french kissing to boost our immune systems.
  • and that's it Folks, there goes London!
  • Debra BourneDebra Bourne ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Got a Comrades 'International Runners Information' email.
    McHilly: thanks. Made my energy balls last night. This evening I'll make the peanut butter and jam sandwich and peel the satsumas. Glad you're enjoying the sun. Rest the leg!
    Meanwhile the conference I was going to attend 1st weekend in April has just been cancelled and I'm still waiting to hear regarding the one in the middle of May just after NDW50.
  • Mark: I suppose it was becoming inevitable.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Plan B rolled into action, marathon the day before the qualification window closes in Yorkshire. Off to see if I can cancel my London accomodation now...
  • Which Mara is that Lowrez in Yorks?
  • lowrez: what about Boston (UK)?
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Boston's too early Debra, I was busting a gut to make London, now I have another week, still a bit of a tall order I fear.

    Mark, its one of the not so grim Grims

  • I work for the Dubai government and as of now am banned from traveling outside of the Emirates unless it's emergency travel. 2 Oceans doesn't count as an emergency. So my race isn't cancelled yet but my travel is.
    The race is 4 weeks away so things may change but colleagues returning from ski trips this week are being quarantined for 14 days. 

    Strange times... 
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