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Comrades (South Africa) 56 miles
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Trin - You're a nutter :-0
Thank the hill.Yeah right, I can see that happening.
Actually, I've heard of the thanking thing before - but in a different way. There's a mountain I climbed in Venezuela called Roraima and you have to ask permission to climb it, not make loud noises, and thank it afterwards..it's all to do with the gods apparently. Anyway, i didn't die climbing it, so perhaps something works! Same with everest (though I've only made it to base camp there..the summit - that's a challenge remaining!)So i will thank every damn hill in the Comrades, and hopefully it'll help us all along!!
Carmen it depends where you live in London but Crystal Palace has a few small hills to start off with, otherwise and if you have a few hours to dedicate I'd get a train out to Guildford way and go for a run along the south downs, absolutely beautiful area to run in and plenty of hills to practise on.
As for me I'm out I'm afraid, had a long chat with my wife and came to the conclusion I'd be being selfish if I disappeared for the best part of a week without her, I did try to persuade her a nice little holiday in SA would be great but she didn't buy it.
Carmen I'm still training for a 50 in the Wye valley in March so if you do want to go for a couple of trots around Richmond Park let me know, my club goes around most Sunday mornings.
Carmen - agree with Lirish - the north downs is very good for hills - I run around Dorking and can choose from Box hill, Leith hill, Holmbury hill and Pitch hill...
The only things I've said to hills are unprintable! May be I should try the "nice" approach too...
The Rat - as Keith has said I tend to use a combination of programmes from Don Oliver (the previous Comrades coach) and Norrie Williamson. To be honest, it is a case of trying to find something that works for you.
Right I'm in . ( And also officially skint )
Just need to get the qualifying time.
I am looking at organisingn flights and accommodation while waiting for breakfast to move down before my run this morning.
Advice was to arrive Thursday to avail of the Bustour of the route on the Friday and the expo. But is the race not on the Sunday? You would be there 3 days before the run? It seems a long time to be there when you are trying to stay off your feet before the race and then have no time afterwards when you can walk as much as you are able? Flights times are approx 20 hours for me so not sure what to do. Someone also mentioned that flights from capetown or Jo'burg to Durban are cheaper internally rather than as a leg on an international flight.
I was thinking of booking the flight direct as if the international flight is late and you miss the connection , you are more likely to get carried on if it is with the same airline?
Accommodation wise...is there any area that is "NO GO" or is it pretty much like any city and most of the 3 or 4 star hotels are safe enough anyway?
Sorry for the questions. Need to get this started before it is APril.
Thanks Vets.
Joe: You will love Comrades, it is simply the greatest foot race on the planet. I will return once more probably 2013, in the meanwhile the lure of Lycra is too strong!!! (And anyway I have entered IM Austria which costs a damn sight more than Comrades and thus deserves my full attention!!!)
SD: Passatore might come around in 2012 for me, You running DXB in January? I am trying to fit a buisness trip home in around Halstead Marathon 2011, I'm sure you will be at that one.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/za/belaire-suites.html?aid=332688;label=hotel-15405_maps-1;sid=1789d81c248699be97a7effacadbca6a;checkin=2011-05-26;checkout=2011-05-31;show_room=RD1548304
Well put my name down for this. Will be there for 5 nights for a total cost of £157 or €188 for the 5 nights in a single bedroom suite .Couldnt find anything cheaper. Its 1km from the convention centre . Presume thats where the expo will be? NO money is taken until you check in. Nice to have a name on a bed somewhere even if something better turns up.
Have been 4 hours at this research. Bah should be out running .
still , nearly there and I wont have to face it again. I presume that there wont be much of a sale on international flights so am as well to book this soonish ( when I can get the dosh together)??
Flights are mostly BA but it is much cheaper to book with ebookers than directly with BA website.
£912.50 London Heathrow to Durban( via Jo'burg) including taxes and charges whereas I can get €912 including Dublin to london to durban. Nearly forgot to allow huge transfer time in London and international airports for long haul check in. Not sure I would have made it in 1;15 between arrival from dublin to international terminal and check in and security. Phew.
Interesting to see about insurance...they dont cover cancellation by an airline no matter what the reason. Strike,volcano, no reason required- Also sports- my annual travel covers marathon but it may not cover this ultra. Better check it.
Am stressing already. Better go run
Fizzio - i was planning on BA this year for two oceans but had to change when the strike dates were announced. In the end i went with South African airlines who were very good. I had a direct flight back from cape town but on the way there had to change at JBurg. Haven't really checked out flights but i will almost definately go with sa again though.
Odeon.
No I'm not doing Nottingham I'm going to Albert in France. I thought the 200m climb over 12k from the start might be a good taster for what's to come.
I don't think it was me on the Sub 3 thread, I'm most likely to get a pen C slot, maybe B if I'm in better shape than I think but given the course at Albert and current form that's unlikely.
Trin. Hello, after last years debacle I'm back for another shot at this. Hopefully we're all in as we think we are.
Right, flights! I want to go out on the wednesday and come back the following thursday. Whats the best deal out there??? The best I've seen is with Emirates for £651.
Ditto hotels???
Good training run today at the Kent Costal Marathon - next week is the 2toGo Marathon (also hard training pace) then followed by the GNR - its all go at the moment
JB - think Emirates are always cheaper if you can put up with the time it takes to go via Dubai!
Blimey Keith, you are making my 20 miles yesterday look positively small
. 3 races in 3 weeks eh?? Mines only a half next sunday at planned marathon pace (around 7.38).
Hope your marathon went well today.
That's what I thought Keith. Looking at the others it looks cheaper to go a day earlier to get over the flight and pay for an extra night in a hotel.
Is the start in the stadium and what would be the nearest hotels worth staying in?
Jelly Bean - I couldnt face the long flight so will be paying the extra to go to Jo'Burg then Durban probably with South Africa airways as this worked out pretty well this year.
SlowDuck or someone will confirm but think the start is outside the Town Hall which is a hort walk from the stadium. So anywhere in that area. Know its not cheap but will prob stay at the Hilton as its a good base, lots of international runners there and part of going is the vibe. My plan is probably to land on Thursday and come back on the Monday.
Keith - thats my plan for when i start my comrades training. I might even opt for a long run on the saturday and then double up with a half the next day, will see how it goes and more importantly how i feel.
And 1/1/11 does have a nice kind of symetry to it
Also if something goes wrong with your flight to SA you have a day's cushion. I had some friends who got delayed by 24 hours one year and only managed to arrive in Durban on Saturday evening - just before the Expo closed to pick up their numbers - then straight to bed and up a few hours later to run! Not something I'd recommend...
If you book an officially connecting flight then the airline has to re-book you on another connecting flight from Jo'burg to Durban (happened to me once when the flight out of Heathrow was delayed by 3 hours...2007 I think...).
I don't know too much about No-go areas in Durban - as I tend to stay either at the City Lodge or Hilton. I have stayed on the beachfront (Marine Parade) a few years back and the impression I got was that the further north you were - the better the area seemed to be...
Fizzio - your place looks fine - and it's only a couple of blocks south of the Casino!
With insurance - I'm insured for marathons. And if you look at the official Comrades literature it is always the Comrades Marathon - never ultra-marathon - so I consider myself covered...
DD- still undecided about DXB in Jan. I've applied for the Tokyo marathon ballot - so if I get in, I'll probably run there. Should know the result of the ballot mid-Oct. I should re-visit DXB as I still have Dirhams left over from last time that I need to spend! Good luck with your IM. I hope you're not swim training in the dodgy sea water in DXB... I should be at Halstead - although there is a rumour of a brand new marathon in Richmond Park on the same day...
Keith - great run. It looks like you kept your fitness going after Comrades...
Jelly Bean - as Keith correctly says the start is outside the town hall/main post office.
Ran double figure miles for the first time since June (just - it was a 10 mile race) - 1:13 which wasn't too shabby by my standards...
Keith & Slow Duck, thanks for that-I thought after posting perhaps I was being a bit lazy so googled the info and maps. The Albany Hotel that Trin mentioned is opposite city hall so I've just rung them and booked nice and simple on race day morning....I just have that feeling that when the confirmation e-mail comes back it will say sorry we're booked out after all....it seemed a bit too easy, given the location I was surprised they had any rooms left.
Not having done an ultra before I'm interested to know what the recovery is like in the couple of months after your first one. What to expect and what to do and what to avoid.
Great info on here folks , thanks so much. I didnt get any option of south african airways on the combinations I was given on the searches. Might try and check independently with them.
I keep forgetting that the race doesnt really start on sunday ...its more like Saturday night. So Thursday arrival it is for me too
just looking at the places you're all planning on staying in...i was under the impression that downtown/city centre Durban was a bit of a no go zone? i was going to stay in the suburbs and cab it into the start..
JellyBean- Best of luck for Sunday then.
I've just booked the flights with Emirates via opodo. 24/5 out getting in Weds and 6th June back. £1400 all in with cc surcharge. I found the £651 price but they added a fair bit after which brought it up a bit. The cashback site I used basically covers the cc surcharge.
Just got to get my time on Sunday and can relax a bit then
Joe and Keith... I take it you don't believe in sports psychology then...
Anyway, all I do is offer help and suggestions, based on my experience, to those that ask
As for me, I had a real confidence boosting run yesterday... 22 miles in 3 hours and the last 6 mile splits were faster than the rest... didn't realise until I checked them later. I felt comfortable and strong, which is great considering it was a 60 mile week... Bring on Berlin
Wow great running Trinity - you look well set for Berlin. If you can bring it all together on the day you will smash that target.
Sports psychology? Not sure I can even spell it
.
Jellybean, Odeon - hope you get a good qualifier on Sunday.
Trinity - great running.
Nice run Trin.
Sport psychology - I'm more JFDI
22M for as well yesterday but at a more relaxed pace, 20 in about 2:55 and then jogged it back for the final 2.
Just want to say hi! First time post for me. Just entered Comrades 2011. Nervous, excited, and still a bit of a wreck from an ironman a few weeks ago. Did Davos 78k several years back, and swore i'd never do another ultra again as the hills killed me!
Still, here goes. Look forward to joining in the forum over the next few months.
Welcome saddlesore. There are a good many hopefuls on here all raring to go, some more experienced than others ( i belong to the latter) but the guidance and support so far has been excellendt So I think this is going to be a great group to belong to.
Looks like you are well able to do this. Awesome achievements already in the bag.
Trinity - Best of luck . Will be following you as best we can for Berlin. Are you up for it too Joe?
Trinity - can i borrow one of your legs for Berlin?! Sounds like you run so well you could do fine on one! I've not been out for 2 weeks cos of horrible fevery bug thing
Now super confused about accomodation. Was going to stay at gibela backpackers in morningside Durban - what's the thinking - that too far out??