Comrades 2013

I matriculated from from Beachwood (which became Northwood with Northlands) in 1986 ... love Durban and always enjoy going back!

Thanks everyone. A bit of madness but glad I had a go...

Peter - good to hear your recovery is progressing well.

Possum Hopper - sorry I wasn't looking around to say hi - partly because of the ferocious winds particularly on the coastal stretch and partly becuase I had a train to Preston that I needed to catch...

Hans C, P47 & Warren K78: Guess what I am a South African as well. Grew up in Durban and went to New Forest High school in Montclair. I finished school in 1987. My folks still live in SA, in fact just outside Hillcrest so I am going to be staying with them next June for the race. In fact might even get to do a couple of runs on the route before the big day.

KP: Shirt debate will be interesting!

My qualifying time has been updated on the Comrades website, PEN D for me!

Anyone in the Kingston area of London on here that might fancing hooking up for some long runs in the new year? Not sure I want to do 5+ hours on my own!

Hi,

I'm after some advice about pacing:
- everything I read says to run/walk from the beginning (of both long training runs and comrades itself)
- how does everyone work out their run/walk plan?
- I've just ran a 4:15 qualifier (Liverpool) and looking to follow Bronze training plans as that would be an ideal result, but obviously being my first comrades mainly just looking to finish
- so (this is 'ideal') aiming for 11 min miles, how do I work out my run/walk? run at 10:30min/miles then walk for 1 or 2 mins?

Apologies if this seems simple, I just can't get my head around it.  I know advice is always to run on feel, but if starting run/walk from the start then I won't 'feel' like walking for a while so need to keep to a plan, and then when it gets tougher a plan helps me to keep to a pace and actually try and run, rather than just saying oh I 'feel' like walking all the time.

P.S. I am also going to start trying to work in km!

Emily - My in 2012 was run 9km and walk 3 minutes off a 3:20 qualifier.  This worked pretty welll for the first half and then my runs and breaks got shorter.  The important thing is to start the walking from the beginning because when you are tired it is too late.

If you listen to Marathon Talk, then listen to the interview from Prof Tim Noakes for the principles.

I can remember where I got my specific advice from about the run 9km and walk 3 min.  If I can remember correctly, then with your qualifying time you should walk more frequently.  I'll try and remember where I got if from and let you know.

I worked in miles for Comrade and just used my Garmin.  It was my first ultra so large number like 56mile 89km were meaningless anyway.  Anyway, most of the km marker signs had blown down.

I'm registered to run for England, not the UK.  My wife is from Potchefstroom ion SA so my in-laws are very impressed as I am the first family member to run Comrades. I will wear my Union Jack shirt as it got a lot of support last year.

Hey Martin - yes, mine. I entered a 3.51 time so was expecting D seeding and they put me in G...I e.mailed them last week but was not expecting anything to be done quickly which is fine. Just checked and now showing as DNQ. I guess it is just chunking it's way through the African system. Will check again next week. 

Safer - I occassionally do a lap of Richmond park (when I visit my mum in Wimbledon) as part of my long run - mostly in the spring though...

Emily - the way I practice my run/walk is to do them at all my marathons - generally a 2 minute walk every 5 miles or at the nearest water station to 5 miles. That way you get used to putting in walk breaks right from the beginning of a race... As for pacing it - I would just run normally and walk briskly...

pen updated again back to D

SD- When you say all your marathons do you mean all? Running Fox at 40 Sunday marathon and determined to finish feeling stong (ish!!!) so was thinking about something similar to above however find it very hard to accept a over 4 hour marathon although I know its stupid and when its a training run does not bother me

Hotel booked, entered and qualifier out of the way.  I'm going back.

Martin - yep, I always take walk breaks to take my gels - even when I'm trying to run for a fast time... I just run faster between the breaks to make up for it...

JB- see you there!

Change in plan swapped from Sunday to Saturday 3.55.16 will do me nicely as took lots of little walk breaks and felt OK at the end. Thanks SD

Are you running Halstead again SD or doing a proper taper and picking up that BR this time?

Martin - nice work.

JB - not sure yet... so far I've only got Boston in my calendar...

I've been toying with doing Halstead SD but 4 weeks out it's just a bit too far and the temptation to push hard there would be too much so I will avoid.  I fancy a stab at a BR although I've slacked off since last time and my last half was 15mins down on what it should be, I managed a D seeding marathon last weekend and was lucky to get it so I'd better knuckle down soon.