Comrades 2019

opus

Entries open tomorrow, I'll just leave this here

TFBubendorfer

Curse you! Just when I'm trying to convince myself to take it easy for a while.

dcorcaigh

entered... yipee!! now to start training...
seems to be selling fast, 8000 entries gone after 3 hours

opus

Entered as well myself, managed to resist for no more than a few hours

Heading for 10k entries now!

pansophelia

Entered - this should be interesting 😬

Enduro

Good luck lads...A nice focus to have to keep you well motivated through the winter!

opus

Like all big events these days it seems to be selling a lot faster, close to 19k entries today with a cap at 25k.

ISOP

would love to try this some day, 2019 looking hectic already so maybe 2020!

opus

Filled up fairly quickly. Official promo video is below to whet your appetite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU2VRt8Xa64

ooter

Apologies for bumping an old thread but looking for some information for the 2020 event. I seen this on the official site, how do I get written approval?
Is this a new thing or was it always the case?
All foreign athletes must note that in order to participate in the event, they require written approval (a permit) from their National Federations.

dcorcaigh

ooter wrote: »

Apologies for bumping an old thread but looking for some information for the 2020 event. I seen this on the official site, how do I get written approval?
Is this a new thing or was it always the case?
All foreign athletes must note that in order to participate in the event, they require written approval (a permit) from their National Federations.

it was always there but this year they decided to try and enforce, which caused a big uproar. all international runners got a mail recently, saying that the requirement for the clearance letter requested by CMA is withdrawn.

Basically dont worry about it.

opus

Spotted this pic on the Comrades FB, road markings are going down. Something to look forward to

opus

Little taster of what's to come in a month

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tddj-gx5Eao

Murph_D

So how many boardsies are actually doing this? It really does look like an amazing race, secretly on the bucket list. (Well, maybe not so secret now).

opus

Sounds like three of us unless anybody is lurking

dcorcaigh

Murph_D wrote: »

So how many boardsies are actually doing this? It really does look like an amazing race, secretly on the bucket list. (Well, maybe not so secret now).

yep i am doing it. ill be on the startline very undercooked but ill give it a blast anyway.

i see Cathriona Jennings and Gary O' Hanlon, are on the start list, it will be interesting to see how they do.

opus

Burren marathon ticked off yesterday, thankfully that's pretty much it for Comrades as feel like I want to sleep for a week

spaceylou

Enjoy the Comrades experience! I did my PhD fieldwork in Pietermaritzburg which is just a sports crazy city, and comrades itself has such a long tradition. I don't envy you running up those hills but it is a beautiful part of the world so I hope you all are able to enjoy the sights as well.

Itziger

opus wrote: »

Burren marathon ticked off yesterday, thankfully that's pretty much it for Comrades as feel like I want to sleep for a week

Good luck, J. Have a good run.

tbukela

Best of luck to everyone doing Comrades this weekend. Listening to a Marathon Talk podcast about it now and it sounds amazing.

pansophelia

So disappointed I had to pull out - knee injury that just didn't quite fix itself. Thanks J for your advice and best of luck! Next year . . .

Abhainn

Jennings 2nd. Running well 4min behind leader. 32k to go. Getting good air time too

OOnegative

Jennings seriously hurting!!!

tbukela

OOnegative wrote: »

Jennings seriously hurting!!!

She's in 3rd now. Be great if she could hold on.

chris85

She has been digging deep by the looks of it, pure grit now. Looks like will hold on to 3rd.

pansophelia

Fantastic achievement!

TFBubendorfer

What a fantastic run by Caitriona! Sensational!

average_runner

That's an amazing run by her. Hope the media cover this.

opus

Happy to report that dcorcaigh & myself made it to the finish in Pietermaritzburg last Sunday Within a few mins of each other in fact!

That was indeed a fantastic result from Catriona Jennings, hopefully she'll go back again as they all say that you have to run Comrades at least once to know how to approach it.

Figure I'll take a break next year & maybe head back for the 100th anniversary in '21. It's two Down runs in a row now cause of that.

If anyone is thinking of doing it & want to ask a few questions no problem dropping me a PM.

Huzzah!

Caitriona Jennings will be interviewed on Marathon Talk in a few weeks.

dcorcaigh

opus wrote: »

Happy to report that dcorcaigh & myself made it to the finish in Pietermaritzburg last Sunday Within a few mins of each other in fact!

That was indeed a fantastic result from Catriona Jennings, hopefully she'll go back again as they all say that you have to run Comrades at least once to know how to approach it.

Figure I'll take a break next year & maybe head back for the 100th anniversary in '21. It's two Down runs in a row now cause of that.

If anyone is thinking of doing it & want to ask a few questions no problem dropping me a PM.

great to meet you on the route Opus.. only 15 Irish entered and i manged to bump into 3 of us in the space of 2 miles, gas.

also planning to go back in 2 years for the 100 year anniversary.

this was my 1st comrades and it lived up and exceeded my expectations would recommend it to anyone.

opus

Think I'm pretty much committed for '21 after the w/end as agreed with a friend that I'd be there, it would be her first time taking part! Will leave it to someone else to open the Comrades 2020 thread

opus

I'll just leave these here if anyone is interested in next year. Online entries normally are in Sept.




If you want any info on the event, no problem dropping me a pm.

opus

Nice interactive route map for anyone taking part next June.

opus

Really glad I wasn't planning to take part this year as it has turned into quite the sh*t show for all concerned. SA has gone into lockdown & the Comrades office announced they were closing 'til April 20th so leaving everyone hanging. Anybody who didn't pick up a qualifier before Feb are probably screwed anyway with zero opportunities now. Postponement is the most likely outcome but can't understand why they just come out & say it.

opus

Finally they've bowed to the inevitable.

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 for the first and only time since World War 2 in the 99 year history of the race.

Full blurb.

py

opus wrote: »

Finally they've bowed to the inevitable.



Full blurb.

That statement is as clear as mud.

opus

I just took it to mean, yes we're cancelling but we don't want to tell you just yet!

py

https://twitter.com/ComradesRace/status/1251060183150854146

opus

Of course when I stumble across something like this, I know that I want to go back, hopefully next year.

https://twitter.com/SelfieRunnerZA/status/1251532371410718721

py

Still no communication from them which is piss poor. I've been given a voucher for my flights which I can use for 2 years. Hoping that there's going to be a deferral process as I can't see how they can guarantee social distancing for 27,500 people for the 12 hours.

opus

That's pretty bad for sure, it's a fantastic event but all this carry on by the organisers certainly leave a bit of sour taste.

py

Officially cancelled.

I've no idea how the entry fee for South African runners compares to a weekly wage down there but it feels like they're getting a raw deal. No refund/deferral, instead they're getting the race pack. Had they made the decision earlier I think this could've been avoided.

• With regard to South African entrants (based on the assumption that all entrants would have eventually qualified to participate in the race) every South African entrant (including the 485 who entered during the recent substitution period) will not be refunded their entry fee but will instead receive their #Comrades2020 mrpsport runners T-shirt and goodie bag, as well as a Comrades badge and flash. The details of the distribution process will be made available in due course in terms of the National Lockdown restrictions. For logistical reasons this will apply to South African entries only.
• With regard to Foreign Entrants, in lieu of the cancellation, all Foreign Entries will be deferred to #Comrades2021 and/or #Comrades2022, depending upon the athletes’ wishes. In addition, foreign athletes will also have the option of availing their 2020 entry for substitution in 2021 only.
• With regard to Back-to-Back Medals, those runners who completed their first Comrades Marathon on the 2019 Up Run to Pietermaritzburg will qualify for the Back-to-Back Medal upon completion of the 2021 Comrades Marathon Down Run.

Opus, if you haven't gotten your back to back medal yet, you're still on for it in 2021 if you're going.

opus

Luckily I've five medals including a back-to-back

Had a message from a friend about the cancellation, not very happy with the no-refund policy. They mentioned the SA runners getting the t-shirt & goody bag but no transfer to next year. It's a lot cheaper for a local to enter.

Still thinking of heading there next year though. Was just a fluke I decided to take a break this year as think all this would have p*ssed me off no end given the amount of training you have to get in for the thing.

Will you head along in '21?

py

opus wrote: »

Will you head along in '21?

The desire is there but I need to see how covid-19 plays out over the next few months before making a call on it. If not much has changed I'll push it out to 2022 for the UP year. The centenary celebrations next year would be special to attend though.

opus

Yeah that's my thinking as well about next year for the 100 year anniversary but the way things have gone for the people who entered for this year have tempered my enthusiasm a bit. Plenty of time to mull it over thankfully.

py

https://www.comrades.com/index.php/comrades-news/182-2021-comrades-marathon-race-date

13th June 2021.

Would love to be there for the centenary but going to push my entry out to 2022. Can't see travel being sanctioned by then.

opus

In a moment of boundless optimism I booked a (admittedly cheap) hotel in Durban for next June a few months back. Suspect you're right about the chances of travel/big races going ahead so very unsure of even entering whenever they open the race.

opus

This means I can procrastinate for a bit longer!

opus

I'd already long written this off for '21 & maybe for '22 as well but in any case.

py

Unsurprising, just glad they cancelled it early instead of dragging it out like like last year.