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Comrades 2020

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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Milton Keynes is still going ahead at the mo, I'm concerned its a bit too big to survive though which is why I went for a micro-marathon field, plus it was where I crashed heavily a few years back, although it is a pretty flat option if Yorkshire bottles it.

    McH; glad you are enjoying a warm Barcelona; forecast for Liverpool is rain, definite chafing territory for fancy dress, might just show off in my 777 vest.

    Got my fingers crossed that restrictions are lifted for you and 2O Dubai.

    Hope the forecast is better for you Debra!
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  • Debra BourneDebra Bourne ✭✭✭
    Dubairunner: sympathies and hoping.
    lowrez: forecast is rain early on. People have been complaining about being made to carry a windproof for the HM option. On the Downs, in March, with rain forecast. Being a survivor of the SDW50 in 2013, which was a month later, I'll be carrying waterproofs for the ultra.
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  • Southern SnailSouthern Snail ✭✭✭
    Dubairunner - fingers crossed. As you say, strange times.

    Debra - how silly to moan about carrying a windproof. It's not going to hamper you even if you're speedy gonzalez.

    I am sometimes amazed at how little some people do wear to races though. I am not one of life hardy people and like to stand on the start line with loads of clothes on. Im such a wuss!!
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  • DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    Thanks guys, although a lot of people are worse off than me. At least my family live here with me.

    With Cape Epic now cancelled is it only a matter of time for 2 Oceans anyway.

    Good luck Debra!
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Wuss you are not SS, it takes a heap of experience to understand your limits, the complexities of terrain, the potential downside of conditions, demands of hydration and nutrition etc, getting to the finish line is not a black art, it's the culmination of the above and a massive dedication to training so you can achieve the distance combined with a determined mindset that keeps you going even though your body is telling you no... you are an incredible athlete who has conquered some of the greatest ultra challenges out there! And you've got a windstopper :D
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  • MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    Edinburgh cancelled now! (End of May) Sturgeon will have border control in place by Monday! I’m becoming sceptical whether Comrades will go ahead, with substitutions opening it’s be interesting the numbers who now can’t or won’t make it, reckon they’ll be more availability to get a place than ever before but yet only for a race that may not even go ahead? Whether safe to do so or not the numbers impacted that won’t be able to participate must have a unprecedented impact surely? Still clinging on to hope....
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    All countries at the mo are trying to avoid the worst case scenario of a thunderous peak of cases that brings the emergency services that could counter it to their knees. Assuming we are all bound to get this bug they need the hit to be extremely elongated and controlled so the services can sustain caring for those who need it. Somewhere out there is a point where cancelling or moving mass participation events will be futile, who knows where that is though!
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  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Ah well, since I couldn't run Comrades anyway I can be a bit more philosophical.
    I will be there unless the FCO / WHO make it out of bounds for SA or Egypt, in which case I can at least claim a decent % of flights, accom, scuba week, etc.
    Who knows, maybe Egyptair / Egypt may interfere with my flights and Egypt diving.
    Surely by my 2 June flight all the airline cancellations will have subsided (says he, living in hope).

    If I get the Covid 19 sometime (seems quite likely) I would rather have it here than in Egypt!
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  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    While I can be a bit philosophical,  I really feel for all of you who have been training hard and now, some who are finding it hard to even find a qualifier and all are wondering if Comrades will even happen.

    Maybe we can all go and have a big extended party.😄
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Count me in for the party! This will be toughest Comrades for me yet I think if it doesn't get shifted, definitely up for that test, but would love to sit around boozing and eating exotic cuisine instead for sure :D
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  • Southern SnailSouthern Snail ✭✭✭
    Lowrez - thanks very much, but I'm still a wuss when it comes to cold weather. Give me heat any day.

    Personally I will be very surprised if Comrades does go ahead but we'll see. Still training anyway.
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Just advised a mate from Oz to slow down, he defo has something wrong with him but the doctors haven't figured it out yet and he reckons he's going out to do a 50k training run against their advice; he says he feels fine but half his left hand has ballooned up to twice its size and an ecg has indicated heart rate irregularites that need more tests. I've said same to him to make him pause more than anything; I reckon Comrades will get delayed, and the qualification Window will move with it, so, he doesn't need to go running today.
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  • Debra BourneDebra Bourne ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    CTS Sussex Ultra done. Garmin gives 34.25 miles in 6:23:32, which is about 20 mins faster than in 2016, and a lot less painful (I had my developing pelvic stress fracture last time I ran this!). Rain before we started and early on, with further light rain periodically for about the first 4 hours or so. Hill fog/low cloud as well. Brightened up towards the end. Quite a bit of mud and some puddles, lot of downhills slippery. Concentrated on running as much of the uphills as possible as training for Comrades. No idea yet where I've come in the field - they decided against chip timing due to concerns over virus transmission with chip handling, so I will have to wait until they have finished manually entering and uploading all the times. However, I did get a spot prize of 12 x Kind bars for litter-picking on the way round. Tomorrow I'm marshalling at the Croydon Half, then have a 2-hour training run to do!
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Terry, what do you reckon if they have to cancel in June? I looked at a South African temperature chart... it just gets hotter and hotter! Did they used to run it when it was warmer, or do you think they'd just cancel and not re-schedule?
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Sounds like you smashed it Debra! Wonder if you have just taken part in the last run of the season?
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  • MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    Great work Debra! I see Fleet half cancelled tomorrow now. Worse I’ve just seen a post from the Great North Run, yep the race in September!!  Peter this can’t be serious surely? Seems a bit advanced 6 months out? I appreciate this is going to escalate somewhat but I really thought by September it’d be somewhat controlled? Although with out a vaccine I guess we only have the reports of warmer climates not being favourable to Covid 19....
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  • Debra BourneDebra Bourne ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    lowrez: thanks. And let's hope NOT. That's good advice you gave your friend - hope he takes heed.
    Bumped into a runner today who remembered me from the Three Forts two years ago. It was a really hot day and afterwards his feet were a mess of blisters. I recommended toe socks and he told me today that he's "never looked back since". So nice when a recommendation works! Gave another runner a lift down and back - makes me feel less guilty about the car journey if it's not me and it means a navigator and someone to talk with to stay awake and alert.
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    It's a zombie apocalypse... without the zombies!
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  • DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    Congrats Debra!

    October comrades no good for me, training in mid 40s in the summer here continues but not for that distance. 
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  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    ... and without the loo rolls!
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  • MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5WpJufWxdg&feature=share">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5WpJufWxdg&feature=share</a>; It’ll be the taxis they say! 
    <div>
    </div><div>I’m wondering if a back to back will still be viable if the postponed to 2021, at least it’ll be another down year! </div>
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  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Lowrez, your question about Comrades temperatures if deferred. I've not looked at charts but from my experience of Natal temps I don't think they could postpone any later than mid August or everyone might fry.

    It used to always run on 31 May the old Republic Day national holiday, regardless of what day of the week that was. Then the holiday changed and the field got too big for a weekday and was moved to a Sunday. On average, slightly warmer than current schedule. I ran many times on 31 May.
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  • PeterDHMPeterDHM ✭✭✭
    Hi Mark, I think the GNR post is just a reassurance that it's being thought about and not ignored.  Rotterdam marathon was also postponed last week until the autumn so pleased I got my January qualifier done.  Strange to feel like I'm reaching a good level of fitness and not having a race to do!  Just hoping comrades does go ahead.  
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  • Southern SnailSouthern Snail ✭✭✭
    Well done Debra - takes me another 2 1/2hours to do that. Hope its not the last as mine is in 3 weeks. 

    I think it's ridiculous to cancel events 6 months out and the endurancelife events are small fields without large groups of spectators.


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  • MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    In case you didn’t know another major event cancelled in SA, first was the tri now Two Oceans....
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  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Anybody else wondering whether for them personally it might be better to get the coronavirus now and get it over with? I get seasonal asthma in the summer, and have to use an inhaler from June to September, so I'd rather not get the virus then. I also wonder whether once I've had the virus (assuming it can't be avoided, and I recover) I'll then be in a much better position to help out others. I've got some elderly neighbours who I wouldn't want to put at risk at the moment. 
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  • MARK A ALDERSONMARK A ALDERSON ✭✭✭
    Very good point Baldstan that I am not sure if there is an answer, if you have it, recover, can you get it again, assume so as per other strands or SARS / Flu etc. Just seen no refunds for TO, and same on Comrades, could be the year when Comrades make an awful lot of profit. Seriously considering using the Substitutions facility as of tomorrow at least to save £220! Then I guess accommodation too before that gets taken and out of the booking agents hands. Anyone feels the same, or shall we remain hopeful, and I try to a light jog tomorrow and go again?
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  • DubairunnerDubairunner ✭✭✭
    Was looking forward to 2 Oceans, was hoping might be allowed to travel but with the cancellation guess I’ll have to wait till next year, no official email yet.
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  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Just seen that South Downs Way 50 is now postponed to the end of October. The October race calendar in the UK must be pretty full now. I wonder whether races here in May will just have to cancel because there won't be any dates they can move to.
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  • Terry48Terry48 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    With Two Oceans already canceled when Covid 19 is only just starting to really kick off in SA, I'm not too optimistic about Comrades chances 😒. Judging by other countries' epidemic progressions it seems likely to soon be a much bigger issue in SA.  Just imagine the petri dish Comrades start line with up to 20,000 runners!
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