Comrades 2022

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Comments

  • Dannirr: so sad to read that article. But important to know what's going on.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Horrible news indeed. I have contacted my friend in Durban to find out if they are safe... meanwhile the army is being considered...

    Zuma Unrest: Eastern Cape asks army to stand by as people gather outside malls | News24

    Are you sure you are not drawing a line around Fulton County and calling it "The World" Dannirr :D In that sense I will be running the biggest 10k race in the world in Chester on Sunday :D - could do with a golf cart though :D 
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    It's bad, here is her account...

    What a dreadful, stressful, depressing and draining week it has been and still is. We are all in the midst of everything that is happening in SA.

    The riots are so, so close to us, literally less than 2km from my home a major shopping centre, supermarket and KFC was looted. The police were no where in sight. The Community Policing forum (my husband included) had to set up at the entrance of the residential area, to prevent rioters from taking over our homes. They could not stop the rioters from taking over the centres. A day after rioting and totally destroying the mall, they returned the next evening to burn the building.

    Every suburb has set up community camps, with men and a few women, manning the entry points 24hrs a day. The defence force was deployed too late.

    Every area in greater Durban has been affected, very badly. It has been happening simultaneously, in many places, making it difficult for an already strained police force to help. They have attacked, looted, burnt, trashed, stolen, destroyed so many shopping centres, businesses, the blood bank, pharmacies and more. Everyone at the office has been affected. The petrol stations were burnt! There is nothing. We are under siege.

    It has not stopped. Last night Clover dairy was burnt, SA Sugar and the Isipingo market. They loot, damage and burn. Why? Such demons.

    We were all panicking, with no food, fuel and fear that our electricity and water will be stopped by rioters. The looters burnt trucks, cars and delivery vehicles from JHB to Dbn, so supply stopped. The shopping queues are endless. With few shops left and little stock, people queue from 5am to 2pm, only to find non-essential items.

    The support from the community has been amazing. The muslim association in JHB has sent trucks containing 32 000 loaves of bread, milk, baby formula and diapers, to Durban, with armed guards – they have been doing so since day 1 and will continue until the supply is restored. Anyone is permitted to drive through at the mosque, collect a loaf of bread and milk. In the suburb where my parents live, the milk and bread is delivered to each residents door. I could not manage going to stand in the queues. Between my sister and I, we shared what we have and will manage. Today the local small shop received some goods. All this is happening in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

    There is no structure to what I am writing to you. There is so much to tell. They have targeted the major income hubs eg. Massmart (owned by Walmart), this will force Walmart not to invest in SA – Walmart and LG were badly hit. Looters arrived in their bakkies and took flat screen TVs, fridges and every single thing in there. They even drove the store’s Hysters to carry heavy items to their cars. Then, they burn the place. Imagine the job losses, the insurance claims. I don’t know how to feel. We are still in our homes, imagine how we are going to feel when we drive to work and see all the places burnt. Our memories.

    People had their storage facilities burnt, losing their kids photographs etc. We are thankful to be alive and not displaced from our homes.

    We all packed a small bag with our ID documents, medication and set of clothes, ready to flee our homes if they invaded us.

    The men are continuing with guarding our suburbs, we have to. We fear that they will target our communication and then we are doomed further.

    There is so much more to tell. I am sure you are seeing lots on Facebook etc. There is so much more. The looters have the audacity to now start selling the items on Facebook. Some are posting videos of new, fully stocked fridges. They are so shallow minded, not thinking about their own jobs, future and where they will now shop – let alone our economy dwindling and cost of living escalating.

    Sorry for all this depressing info. We all have worked from home this week. It was draining, I was unfocussed in tears most of the time.

    I don’t know how we can heal. But I pray and believe that the Almighty will grant us all something better than what we have lost.


  • Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭
    It is heartbreaking to read and sound horrific. I hope your friend stays safe, and that control is restored soon
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Fingers crossed normality will return swiftly, there are good people helping her.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    On a lighter note, this Daft Punk is ready for the Chester 10k in a few hours.

  • Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭
    Looks a bit warm for running in. It’s not that dissimilar to the outfit worn  by the person who knocks in the door twice a day to take my temperature!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Sounds like you're hot stuff McH :D
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Wow! You must be in China ???
  • Good luck Lowrez - its a hot one for that outfit
  • Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭
    Yes, now in China, I think having a good long proper rest from running while quarantining will be a good thing!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    A change is as good as a rest and you have both McH :D
    I clocked 64 minutes and that included a several minute stop at half way to de-helmet so I could swing some water. I was virtually blind in the last k with sweat raining down my face, but could see enough to clock the 9k marker and make the woman just in front of me jump out of her skin when I shouted "One more time!" :D 


  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Well done 1owrez. I'm amazed you only had to stop once for water in the heat and that outfit. And thank you for your friend's account from Durban, so vivid a description, and frightening for them. I hope they are ok.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Thanks Stan :) my friend advised the situation, whilst still frightening, is improving daily, almost a constant stream of supplies coming in from JHB, a key aspect is having to go out to get supplies daily in the middle of the covid situation which has been totally mismanaged, infection rates are ridiculous, but if they don't they will starve, supplies are currently rationed to just daily amounts, that is expected to improve over the coming days. Big cleanup operation is ongoing and things are expected to get back to an uneasy even keel in coming weeks.
  • lowrez: your friend's account was frightening to read, although good to see that at the same time communities are pulling together and people helping one another. And thanks for the update.
    lowrez: well done running 10K in that outfit! And on a very hot day.
    I recced Otford to Hollingbourse yesterday. Crazily hot, so good acclimatization training, and with an unintended diversion, 34 miles. The heat dictated the pace, so it was a very slow recce but as a bonus my legs are not nearly as stiff as they were after WW night 50K last weekend. It was my only chance to get the recce done and I'm so glad I did.
  • lowrez: That's hilarious!!! I needed a good laugh (my husband is having computer problems).
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Managed to get past it now Debra, loving the reflection in my visor!

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Attempting the switch from Fenix3 to Instinct Solar (having exchanged a dodgy brown envelope of cash in a deserted carpark with SD for the... mmm forgotten what it was called now :D) The Solar's display area is quite a bit reduced due to the need to make a reasonable area around it available for solar cells. There was a similar quiz wanting some personal details when I switched it on, but, it only wanted my year if birth, not the full monty. It too hasn't got WiFi; think I need to move on and accept that's the way if the world from now on... I still told it not to sync to my phone in that quiz though, will work out how to squirt any run data to Garmin Connect on my terms, not a power sapping security vulnerable always on tether... bloody modern world, why did Garmin ever change from having a second cycle along beside you on a penny farthing  monitoring progress on a sundial :D. (Apologies for the crusty Fenix :D)
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    PS my friend in SA says things have settled into a nervous untrusted calm. I suppose once you have stolen everything there's not much else a rioter has left to do.
  • A report from the other end of the dodgy envelope exchange in a deserted car park...

    Having used it for a marathon, I’ve made the permanent switch from Garmin 235 to Coros Pace 2.

    I really like the long battery life, and the twisty button that means you don’t accidentally stop your watch when taking you backpack on and off.

    At the same time I did find the twisty button annoying when you wanted to immediately stop the watch - like after a short race where every second counts.

    But on balance I’ll be making much more use of the long battery life - and I’m happy with the Coros app hence the switch.

    I’m now considering upgrading to one of the even longer battery life Coros as the cut-offs for my next two potential events are 60 hrs and 150 hrs respectively...
  • lowrez: thanks for that view of the Instinct Solar and I hope it is a good watch for you.
    SD: you can set it to use a 4-second press of the dial instead of twisting, to unlock - I've found that still prevents accidental stopping, but is a bit less irritating than twisting - 4s hol, let go, then a normal press to stop. Stillnot great for interval sessions if I've not had time to set the session up beforehand, but otherwise not bad. So: what are your potential events of 60 and 150 hours???

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I managed to get it to ping me every mile and whilst the size of the numbers on the display are smaller than the Fenix it is still readable during the run with my old eyes. I am using the default watch face, I know there are some more watch faces stashed away inside somewhere.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Glad you're enjoying the Coros SD :) 
  • Debra - thank you. I’ll look into changing it and see how it feels. Although I am getting more skilled at getting enough turn at the right speed to unlock...

    lowrez - great that things worked out well for both of us!
  • SD - wow, 60hours and 150 hours!!! What are you planning? I'm definitely feeling like a couch potato now :'(

    Debra - NDW100 is next weekend. Looks like your training has been going well. Don't think its going to be as hot as last year.

    SD - are you doing that as well?
  • Ultra Tour Monte Rosa in Switzerland is 60 hrs and Tor des Geants in Italy is 150 hrs - if I can get in to these countries without restrictive quarantines... Switzerland currently ok but Italy has a 5 day quarantine in place until 30 Aug... race is in Sept...

    Course marking NDW from Wrotham to Bluebell hill - NDW 100 was a “just in case” entry just in case  UTMR and Tor both got cancelled...
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Hope it all falls into place for you SD, I had my eye on tomorrow's 24k Mt Etna Trail, but like you say, it wasn't worth the 5 days quarantine entry into Italy. My other options were 5ks in either Sweden or the USA but it would seem "frivolous" travel reasons are not valid for crossing those borders yet :(  Looks like I will have to make do with having to go see The Suicide Squad and Black Widow instead, a marathon of sorts :D 
  • SD: thank you in advance for the course marking and good luck with both UTMR and TdG (both for getting to them being possible and for the races themselves)- amazing races! Maybe some time in the future, although I'll wait until after I see how I handle LL100 before I start eyeing the more mountainous courses.
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