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Comrades 2020
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11 seconds before cut-off at Drummond - and I don't know anyone else who comes anywhere near to a 22 minute negative split
There is only one person in the above picture that makes all the ensuing cut-offs! Bloody show-off!
Had to get in - it was back-to-back year. See Johan next to me - 11:59:58 and he didn't get any flowers! See - its not all me, me, me - ha ha!
I better shut up and go and calculate some Martian times!
Seeing as I had to do some calculations I have brought us up to date. Dubai is in the club house! I'm closing in on the remainder of the field! And I always get a mega boost from Mields Mill! I bet Thomas is really worried as he struggles up Mowies Mill as must JAR be with Max breathing down his neck!
Debra had a colossal finish pipping LoveLifeRun and PeterR on the line (Mebra - my spreadsheet only works in whole number of miles so has treated you better than you calculated). I don't have a full 2 weeks worth of data for you Mark so your result is a hybrid of this week's data and your 4 week 11 minuter per mile average. Dubai, you must be pleased at cracking nine and a half hours! Still out on the course I am sure Thomas and Max are going to keep PeterDHM worried as to whether he has done enough to hold on to first place!
I've had an injury for a while that is resistant to anything I've tried. Including physiology, total rest etc. So I've decided I might as well run, give I have no races anytime planned, I don't really have to train hard, I can just run (or not run). I'm only running on the AlterG treadmill - nothing else - will move off that if things are ok in a few weeks. SO treadmill and Netflix - and I'm. having fun again. Hey, 3 miles yesterday!
As for Comrades. Insider knowledge. My mouth is shut. However, it matters not anymore. SA health officials announced yesterday that they expect their peak infection rate will not be until September. So, with that, I can only now conclude that cancellation is the only option. My conclusion - no input from others.
Congratulations to Dubai on his amazing persistence for running swiming pool laps.
I'm down the farm doing my normal work, operating a farm and all the other things like being husband and dad.
'Training' is irregular and diverse, e.g. build a livestock corral out of 40kg panels; move said corral; dig post hole, move steel poles, move hundreds of metres of electric fence, move feed bags, move concrete bags, mix concrete, smash old concrete, lift giant rocks into mercat holes, etc. There has even been a small time for running. I am running a small section of farm road that is dry, clear of grass and holeless. It is probably about 350m long.
Lockdown here in SA will continue until the end of the month, but as cases are still on the rise here, I expect this would need to continue for months, although many people are already in severe financial trouble as there is no government support. In this country there is more people going to be bankrupt than die from the virus IMHO.
Isn't the announcement date of the Comrades board this Friday the 15th? Personally I want them to choose to delay to 11 October (11/10) as it has meaning in both binary and decimal....... Seriously though I think it must be cancelled this year. Although I can see it being rescheduled now and then cancelled closer to the rescheduled date. If it does go ahead this year it should be announced as 'fanless' and there should be starting changes so that the seeding groups go off every 5 or 10 minutes with mat-2-mat timing.
40kg panel = 2 miles @ 10 min per mile
post hole = 5 miles @ 11 min per mile
steel pole = 1 mile @ 7 min per mile
100 metres of electric fence = 3 miles @ 9 min per mile
feed or concrete bag x 2 = 1 mile @ 12 min per mile
concrete mix = 4 miles @ 10 min per mile
smashed load of old concrete = 6 miles @ 8 min per mile
1 mere cat hole filled with 1 giant rock = 1 mile @ 9 min per mile
multiples of the 350m of farm road you can report at the pace you run
Willing to negotiate on quantities and miles and pace if my initial pitches are off based on your perceived effort. Just give me the quantities of each completed and I will track you on the run
OK Comrades; you are all back on the road competing for the appleades, I mean accolades, in the Fruitland Ultra. This year is a 56 mile (90km) down run from Pomegranitzburg to Durbanana. Already with just a few days of virtual racing commencing Monday this week the field is quite strung out. Futhern Snail is currently leading coming down Bo-feijoas Hill. Whilst a cluster of runners are battling out having conquered the highe-star point. Last week's conquerer of Mars, FeterHDM, looks like it took a lot out of him as he takes it easy coming down Peary Shortts. Good to see Fike It joining this week's fray! The board is a pretty cramped place so I haven't added in too many people that are not currently contributing to the forum or who do not have a good chance of completing the distance in training, but I can easily add them in if required.
Of course Mars is still to be concluded with a few runners out on the course. Plus if we get a high number of completions this week I can spin up another virtual world next week
A local running group hit on the idea that we should all run a mile in our gardens and I did this but my garden is tiny and I don't think the Garmin was picking up all of the distance covered. I wouldn't want to do more than a mile and I could probably run more easily in the house, thinking about it, so Kudos to Dubai for all those laps, although I suspect that running round the pool is nicer than running around my back yard with next door's dog barking and another neighbour yelling into Skype.
Sorry to hear of stubborn injuries, Dannir and McH.
I hope everyone is virus free.
Comrades announcement day tomorrow!
Debra - well done on the running. Sounds like its all going in the right direction. Lets hope theres a run you can do to prove it!!
Marty - quite right about not doing too much and I have now backed off to my 4 days of running a week but still obviously training for the 100 miler
Bike it - sounds like some great if not very different trying going on there. I can't remember... do you also have another job as well as your farm?
Dannirr/Becca - hope the injuries improve soon
COMRADES MARATHON 2020 POSTPONED - NEW DATE TO FOLLOW ONCE AGREED
Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 9 April to extend the lockdown of the country by 14 days in order to slow down and manage the extent of the coronavirus, Athletics South Africa (ASA) has taken heed of the latest pronouncement and has aligned accordingly.
“In compliance, the suspension of all athletics activities is therefore also extended,” announced Aleck Skhosana, president of ASA, announced via a press statement.
“This will remain in place until is it deemed safe for us to resume by the national government. This affects all fixtures and programmes from 26 March until 30 April. We will review our position when the government issues new measures to be followed.
“As a responsible national federation, ASA accepts that the protection of all lives outweighs everything else. We also note that everyone is affected the same way by this law and this include athletes, coaches, event organisers, athletes’ representatives, administrators and communities.
“As it stands, however, let us prioritise the safety and health of every person, so that we can all return to our athletics programmes once it is considered safe to do so. We urge everyone to join hands with the Government to fight this pandemic by obeying regulations of the lockdown.
“The Comrades Marathon is therefore postponed from 14 June to a suitable date that will be determined between ASA, KZN Athletics and the Comrades Marathon Association as soon as conditions around the management of the virus allow us to under the guidance of the Government.”
The decision to extend the postponement includes the following:
1. All schools athletics activities including the ASA National Primary Schools T&F Championships scheduled for Pietermaritzburg. The event will remain at the same venue on a new date
2. All clubs and provincial activities, including, Fun Runs, Parkruns, Road-Running, Cross Country, Trail Running and Track & Field events
3. All ASA championships including the ASA Twizza National U16 - U20 Track and Field Championships, the 2020 ASA Athletics Grand Prix Series and the 3Sixty Life & Sizwe Medical ASA Senior T&F + Combined Events
The chairperson of the Comrades Marathon Association, Cheryl Winn, said: “We welcome the announcement by ASA, which includes the postponement of the 2020 Comrades which had been scheduled for 14 June
Ah well, time to cancel my Belaire booking before I forget.
Terry - just cancelled my hotel!!!
Yes Snail I have a full time job in technology. We also have a farm since late last year - My wife is the CFO (Chief Farming Officer) and I am the CIO (Chief Infrastructure Officer). We did have 2 workers, let one go back in Feb and the other prior to lockdown. So we are doing all the farm operation ourselves currently and trying to develop the infrastructure too. Our plan is to progressively move closer toward self sufficiency as well as farming production for income.
Anyway this week I have learnt to milk a cow and we are taking about 2 litres per day from one cow who has a big calf.
I'm OK with the decision to postpone. I'll just keep on with general fitness and get specific with the longer runs when things become clear. However I suspect we will have a later cancelation of the race for 2020.
"With regard to possible postponement, which would require ASA sanction, the CMA Board is of the view that the race cannot be staged later than 4 October 2020 owing to climatic conditions, failing which the 2020 Comrades Marathon will have to be cancelled." - So the ASA must have sanctioned a postponement then? But not a cancellation? In my opinion they will have to cancel given the other factors mentioned so far regarding the virus - so why haven't they - there is no reason not to and I refer to their first commitment above.
"With regard to the issue of entry fees, we wish to assure Comrades runners that in the event of postponement or unlikely cancellation, an announcement will be made of a policy that is in line with CMA’s commitment to always putting our Runners First." - Your money's safe! Where have I heard that before