Comrades 2020

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  • Debra with reference to self employed rights they should be the same in anycase, there was a show on R4 only a few weeks about it which wound me up somewhat. It'll be a blessing at least if C19 makes change for this, but I do not see how it can be implemented given most do not earn the same each week / month, can only be based on previous earnings / projected and be given the basic £94 a week whatever it is, which is ridiculous.
    So with nothing further from Comrades until 17th April, the after subs close, what to do, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Interesting how they may postpone it though. I now have no accommodation, cancelled Elengani yesterday, guessing the room rates might drop significantly in coming weeks amid a lot of cancellations though so might work out to be a good thing?
  • I don't need to cancel my hotel until a few days before, and I have to wait and see what BA are going to do regarding flights, and whether South Africa will be letting people from the UK into the country or not. Everything is 'wait and see'. I plan to keep on training as planned, except more runs are likely to be by myself rather than with my running club, since club runs have been officially cancelled.
  • Debra re statutory rights for Self Employed, this should be the case in anyway, and not just now, interesting debate on R4 few weeks back fighting for it, could be something good to come out of Covid 19 at least if it goes through.
    Interesting how now looking to postpone perhaps but no further statement (atm) until 17th April, the day after subs close!
    Just seen this, might be worth a shot: Lowrez, and may even Terry has a chance now!

    For runners facing challenges with regard to qualifying due to the cancelation of races, they can email Comrades (jared@comrades.com).
    Explain which races where canceled that had been entered, and a history (with proof) of your recent marathon times, that fall outside of the qualifying period.
    The CMA will then look at each runners submission , case by case, to help with the challenges around qualifying for this year.
    It is obviously pereferd that runners qualify where possible and runners are encouraged to try qualify.
    Emailing should be seen as a last resort.
  • Well I have an elderly mother I need to look after so I have to go out and about. She has AMD (amongst other things) and needs eye injections every couple of months so we need to phone hospital up to see whats supposed to happen there. Also our friends that we visit in Jo'burg, her mother is very ill and is here in England. Soon they won't be able to visit her meaning if she dies she'll be alone and when my friend goes back to South Africa she'll have to quarantine herself.
    All very sad and I'm sure everyone has distressing stories.

    They should just make the call on Comrades as we know they're going to anyway. Apart from anything we need to isolate ourselves for 14 days on arrival and none of us are going that much in advance.

    I was very unmotivated for my run yesterday. A complete, what's the point and who cares. Everything's being cancelled. I ran 12 miles very slowly feeling quite down the entire way and then brisk walked another 7/8 miles home completing my 4+ hours. Went straight out to tackle the supermarkets and felt much better when I'd got that out of the way. Now back to my normal happy self. Will keep training for NDW100. Exmoor about to get the plug pulled by Thursday.
  • With regards to self employed people it will be difficult to work out what to pay. I have a self employed daughter in the entertainment industry. The rugs well and truly been pulled from under her but she won't get a penny. Absolutely no work for the foreseeable future.
    Unfortunately the government also can't afford to pay everyone and all the businesses that might go under. It's a bit of a no win situation.
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Thanks Bike It for posting the official release. Like everyone I expect I've just had a text saying it's going ahead as planned until they tell us otherwise.
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Southern Snail that's very sad about your friends and their mother. And I hope your mother isn't getting too distressed about things. That's a lot for you to be dealing with. Time to reassess and reset, so, for now, NDW100 is my new training goal too.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Son and daughter are now out of work with no pay, mother in law living plenty of miles away is still able bodied but at high risk, brother in law is paralysed due to incurable disease already and at extremely high risk needing 24x7 care... but, we battle on.

    I'm going to buy some shares, don't know if we've hit rock bottom yet, but it'll recover some time.

    I'm still working, preparing the company to work from home, should be packing everyone off tomorrow and probably working from home myself by the end of the day.

    Somehow I don't think 7 marathons in excess of 6 hours each run in 7 days plus a recent half at 2:14 will hack it under Comrades scrutiny. What is your source for the process you have described Mark?

    I have an Air Relax system arriving tomorrow, all the rich kids were using them on 777 and given the rate at which I need to improve I splashed out to help me with recovery. Still going to keep training - even if no events run this is great space to improve fitness without the trashing that events cause.
  • Sad stories / posts read here, so sorry guys.
    Lorez I found that statement from Grant Matkovich on FB - Comrades UK, it's as a comment on John Sneddon's post earlier today. I've already emailed Jared with my upgraded marathon time from 2 weeks ago as I forgot to send before I was in hospital.
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    If I was on the CMA Board I'd be all for announcing that in the light of the number of race cancellations worldwide the qualification time criteria has been lifted this year. It's about the only bit of good news they can put out right now, it'll save them having to handle thousands of enquiries from people whose qualifying races have all been cancelled, they don't make any more money if people don't turn up because they haven't got a qualifying time and it might mean they can resell the transfers that otherwise no one will now be applying for, and as the race is full anyway it won't make any difference at all to the total number of entrants. But of course someone may say that they can't do it "on principle". I expect they may have to put everyone without a qualifying time in the slowest start pen, but I guess almost everyone would rather that than being told they can't run at all, and those who have qualified and get antsy will hopefully accept that those that haven't (for no fault of their own) don't get an advantage. Don't expect it to happen though.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    The charity opportunity would still stand I hope; collect 6000R or more and get boosted to pen C! Mind you, on a down run, that advantage typically gets wiped out for me within 1km of the ridiculous starting stampede :D
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Dang, my Grim marathon has caved in, quite rightly though, due to the government's measures, I now have zero prospect of qualifying unless I go out and run 26.2 and submit the Garmin trace.

    Bike It, a few posts back you said travel into SA from high risk countries was banned until 18th June; I can't find that date in what I think is a transcript of the speech; it just seems completely open ended: https://allafrica.com/stories/202003150328.html

  • marty74marty74 ✭✭✭
    Have just seen this article on Facebook. It's from eyewitness news in SA.

    https://ewn.co.za/2020/03/17/sports-minister-assured-comrades-marathon-will-not-go-ahead?fbclid=IwAR0DhiPkUZ6AKoNPL39QYp71pwAqY28a6QfBQIvUvi-b-MoED15u-xrpKmk

    Even though this is pretty much the last high profile race still standing, we are only hoping in our hearts that this will still be run. My head is telling me it's off the table for 2020, just waiting for the official announcement really.

    I still will continue to train because i love to run....
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Wow! You can still enter Milton Keynes!
  • johnny1984johnny1984 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    1owrez said:
    Wow! You can still enter Milton Keynes!



    MK is postponed until September, sadly

    I am only really training on bike turbotrainer at the moment (basically staying indoors now as have a few historic health problems which mean my immune system isn't 100%) and well behind Comrades schedule, so doubt I'll be fit for 14 June. On the other hand, I really can't afford to swallow flight costs and entry fee. So best case for me would be postponement together with some generosity from Emirates....

    I think the postponement is inevitable. I have doubts as to whether international travel will be feasible come Autumn though- perhaps they will make it SA entrants only?

    :/

  • goodness knows what ive done with the quote there!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    They should do something with their website then!
  • baldstan: yes, got the text.
    Snail, lowrez: sympathies. it's tough, particularly when there are people with ongoing medical conditions, and for self-employed people.
    I'm continuing my training - my coach thought I had too many races on my schedule so he won't be so displeased they are being cancelled/postponed. Alas even SVN events are suspended at the moment.
  • lowrez: I love it!
  • Peter RPeter R ✭✭✭
    Lowrez: brilliant (re marathon course), and sorry to hear about the other difficulties. Its very sad to see people losing jobs already.

    For those who have tickets booked with BA which I had for the IM, they changed their voucher policy to full refund (for travel up to 31 May).  Lets see what happens re Comrades/travel etc but I applied for the refund.

  • Bike ItBike It ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I got this via my running club WhatsApp this morning. The Minister is the Minister for Sport and Recreation. Political games being played.


    Lowrez, you were asking about the 18th June date. The initial period of the 'State of Disaster' is three months. It was supposed to officially start today for 3 months. It is a bit arbitrary though. I will try to find the official information when the power is back up
  • Southern SnailSouthern Snail ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I agree it won't go ahead but foreign nationals still need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival so even if it did we couldn't run.

    And they're still sending us texts and emails saying they haven't cancelled. Yes, undoubtably political games.
  • I know things are up in the air, I can't see how it can go ahead. A postponement probably wouldn't work for me and my enthusiasm has waned this week. Been busy and then 2 St Patricks day BBQs but did get back out for a very enjoyable run this morning. 

    Has anyone dealt with Hilton yet? I had them booked for 2 Oceans as well. Also need to contact Kenya Airways.

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Dubai, latest Hilton info I have:-

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    No update on the above as yet if you use the click through
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Bike It - no rush on that date, but if it is a cast iron line in the sand then it effectively wipes out the event for all UK participants and the rest of Europe and many other countries I think, and that is irrespective of SS indicating too that we'd have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival!
  • Thanks lowerz, found it in my junk.
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