The BDO Peninsula Marathon
On Sunday I’m running the Peninsula Marathon which is quite special to me considering it was the first marathon I ever did (although the route has changed). I’m probably about as nervous as I was 2 years ago because I haven’t done any long runs since last November…
Check out the profile below:
Good luck to all the first time marathon runners, despite the look of the profile this is a spectacular run with beautiful veiws which, if you aren’t too tired, you should stop and admire.
Also for the first timers, the last 5km are always the worst so make sure you eat enough during the race to carry you through to the end. I have my trusty second Nicolene waiting at the bottom of Red Hill and again just after The Point, so if you are in need of some energy then look out for a red Polo and trot over to ask for some food.
I’ll send an update next week.
2 Comments / 
February 19th, 2010 / 
First-Timers, Reluctant runner, Running
Comrades Entries to Re-open!!
Yes, you read correctly – I have just received word that the Comrades entries will be opened to allow for 2,000 extra runners!!!
Entries open on Saturday, January 30th 2010 at 9am and the ONLY place you can get an entry is at a Mr Price Clothing, Sport and Home stores – so this excludes non-South Africans, unless you are able to bribe someone to do it for you….
Only 2,000 – so if you were one of the unlucky ones NOT to get an entry then I’d suggest you get to any Mr Price store, entry form and money in hand, BEFORE 9am!!!
Read the full story here.
Leave a Comment / November 26th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon
Drinking Water while Running…
On Wednesday I was invited to an event at the Sports Science Institute as a thank-you for the research project I took part in during the Comrades. Tim Noakes was one of the speakers and he had some very interesting things to say about the theory that says if you drink too much water, it leaches your system of all the electrolytes, basically putting your body in great danger.
Now I’ve always believed this theory – I never knew where it came from and I guess I just believed it because it sounded pretty logical to me, however Prof Noakes explained using his research findings and a very clever slide show – that this theory had absolutely no scientific grounding and was really just part of a marketing ploy hatched by Gatorade and its scientists (who just happened to be the same scientists who advised the US Army on liquid consumption and what the daily recommended allowances should be).
I’m totally simplifying many years worth of work here but it was fascinating to see how a theory can develop and become ‘common knowledge’ without anyone even questioning it. Prof Nokes went on to say that the human body is incredibly clever at making sure there is balance – the balance of water and salt being very important for runners performance – or so we thought…
Science has proven that it is virtually impossible to leach the body of salt, our bodies are constantly trying to get rid of the salt we consume (in excess) so this is something we don’t need to worry about.
He also pointed out that our bodies evolved in such a way that conserving water is something which it does exceptionally well – so if your body realises it is going to be exercising for long periods of time without any water, it recalculates to make sure that there WILL be enough by curbing urination and sweating – the bottom line being, drink when you are thirsty, not according to some ‘rule’.
Prof Noakes concluded by saying that the only thing which plays a role in enhancing performance, is carb intake – so as long as you are consuming enough carbohydrate to keep your energy levels up, you shouldn’t have to worry about water.
Makes you think a bit about the other ‘theories’ which we believe when it comes to long distance running, doesn’t it…
3 Comments / November 20th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Nutrition, Reluctant runner, Research
Comrades Accommodation
I know we have just recovered from the frenzy that surrounded signing up for the 2010 Comrades but today I’m here to tell you that you need to start thinking about accommodation for the night before the race and the night after.
For those of you who don’t really know the lay of the land in Pietermaritzburg and Durban, you need to have a look at a map or ask someone who does (yes, yes you can ask me) so that you can start planning.
There are 2 options here:
- Stay in Pietermaritzburg the night before the race and in Durban after, OR
- Stay in Durban the night before and catch one of the organized buses to Pietermaritzburg on race day
There are a few logistical problems associated with each option – in Maritzburg the Royal Show is on the same weekend as the Comrades, so accommodation is already hard to come by.
If you stay in Durban, the buses to Pietermaritzburg leave horribly early – like 3am kind of early – which makes the already challenging day very, very long.
Luckily my mom is super organized and has already sorted out accommodation for us in Pietermaritzburg, I would suggest those of you who would like to stay as close to the starting line as possible, start looking NOW! Have a look on the Maritzburg tourism website and see what they have listed.
If you would prefer staying in Durban I would suggest you figure out where the pick-up points of the buses will be so that you don’t have to stress about getting there on time – I can guarantee you that the less stressful you make your morning, the better the start to your day!
4 Comments / November 18th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, First-Timers, Reluctant runner
Comrades Study Follow-up
During the Comrades this year I took part in a study done by the Sports Science Institute which involved trying to figure out what the main factors were in causing heat stroke. Before the race I had to swallow a temperature tablet and then carry about 1kg of equipment with me on the race including a little computer to record my core as well as skin temperatures. I also had to give urine and blood samples before and after the race as well as all the usual VO2 max test and fat composition which was done a few weeks prior to that – so as you can tell these guys were pretty serious about getting the information they needed.
As ‘payment’ for doing the study we were promised a full write-up on what our results showed – which I got a few weeks ago. I was a little disappointed in that the report wasn’t really what I was expecting. It had our results and then what the norm is with regards to body fat, VO2 max and fitness – but when it came to the really interesting stuff like my body temperature in relation to my heart rate and hydration levels, all I got was a graph…
I’ve included the graphs below, if anyone would like to take a stab at exactly what they mean then please give me a shout. The only other information I really found useful was that I could improve on my VO2 max result and strive for less body fat…
Heart Rate over the duration of the race
Core Temperature over the duration of the race
One Comment / November 10th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Reluctant runner, Research
Comrades 2010 Entries Closed!
I know, I’m as shocked as what you are…
I’d planned on writing a post to remind all you Novices out there to remember to enter for the Comrades 2010 however when I went to the Comrades website to get exactly what the count was on for entries already received, I almost swallowed my tongue when it said that the limit of 5,000 has already been reached…
I even refreshed my page a couple of times hoping that there was some bug or something – but no!!
I really hope all you guys out there wanting to enter didn’t procrastinate… Brian did Team Flash get in?? Sally I know you did, well done!! Anyone else??
2 Comments / November 2nd, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, First-Timers, Reluctant runner
Comrades Marathon Provisions
Yesterday I wrote about the food that can be expected during the Comrades Marathon, so today I’m giving you a list of the non-food items, baring in mind that these things were based on last year and the year before, I am still waiting on what will be available for 2010, however I don’t think the list will change dramatically.
There are extensive medical and emergency stations along the route and at the end. At about 21km into my first Comrades I was getting blisters so had to stop. The people manning the station I stopped at were very helpful and had me patched up in about 2 minutes flat. They are very well prepared and if you want, they will do a blood test right there and then to see if there are any serious sugar problems after which they treat you so you can carry on or lie there until you feel better.
At the end of the race they have an entire Marquis set up with rows of stretcher beds and drips, these guys certainly prepare for any eventuality. My mom has landed herself in this tent before and she even got a free ride in on a stretcher from the finish line:) Once they have hooked you up to a drip and sorted out any other problems you usually start feeling better pretty soon.
There are 8 dedicated physiotherapy stations. These stations are manned by what seems like hoards of physios armed with vats of deep heat and Vaseline. I pulled into one on my first Comrades when my shoulders were aching, 3 ladies launched into working my rock hard shoulder and neck muscles into submission. I know some people who stop at every single station just for the leg massages… yes Brucie, that’s you!!
A fleet of ambulances and emergency vehicles as well as a dedicated emergency helicopter are stationed along the route.
Loads of porta-loos /porta-pottys or whatever you want to call them can be found along the way. As you can imagine the state of these facilities can become questionable after thousands of people have passed through them ahead of you, although its quite acceptable to just duck into the bushes or behind a car if you don’t suffer from stage fright…
My feet with medical attention along the way, imagine what they would have looked like without...
2 Comments / October 29th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, First-Timers, Reluctant runner
Comrades Entry Newsflash!
As of yesterday – if you were procrastinating with regards to your entry to the Comrades (as a previous participant), it is too late!! The limit of 15,000 was reached yesterday, 4 days before the cut-off which makes me feel nervous for my Novice friends who will need to enter from November 1st.
Another little update on Novice entries – they open at 9am South African time on Sunday, so wherever you are in the world, make sure you make allowances for the time difference – South African Standard Time is 2 hours ahead of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC +2).
Leave a Comment / October 28th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, First-Timers, Reluctant runner
Food Along the Comrades Route
This is a list of the food which was available at the refreshment tables for the Comrades Marathon last year – I have yet to hear back from the Comrades Association confirming any additions to this list, however I’m pretty sure it will stay more or less the same.
48 Refreshment tables, roughly 2- 3km apart are stocked with the following:
- Water sachets
- Powerade sachets (non-carbonated energy drink)
- Coke and Cream Soda (green, sweet carbonated drink) poured into plastic bottles
- Bananas cut into chunks – they leave the skin on so I usually grab an end piece and just squish it into my mouth without fiddling with the skin.
- Oranges cut into segments – also still with the skin on but I usually just suck the juice out and ditch the rest
- Energy sachets (I never get to see these because I’m too far at the back
- Chocolates – Bar One which is a South African brand of chocolate
- Baby Potatoes – boiled and sprinkled with salt, only available at every second table from the half-way mark
- Biscuits – these are the equivalent to cookies in the USA
There are also spectators who stand on the side of the road handing out food which they have prepared. Salt is readily available, just make sure that if you hold out your hand for some, you have enough water to wash it down with, I saw a guy try and dry swallow a handful of salt and felt so sorry for him based on his facial expression that I donated the extra water I had taken, to him…
What my mom and I have done in the past is have our trusty second (better known as my dad) meet us at strategic spots along the route with food which we like to have on a long run. I usually stock him with GU’s (this is my energy gel stuff of choice), jelly babies and cooked sweet potato with butter. My mom likes cooked chicken and some people give my dad sandwiches and even eggs.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to eat at EVERY opportunity!! I try and get something down my throat at each table I get to. If you start feeling nauseas it is almost too late and the only way to stave it off is to eat – so be very aware of what your body is telling you. If you start feeling sick then force something down your throat, jelly babies do very well because they are small and palatable. Just water or energy drinks are not enough!!
There are other things available along the route too which I’ll write about in my next post…
Me and my lunch box
2 Comments / October 27th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, First-Timers, Nutrition, Reluctant runner
Comrades Sign-Up
I know I’ve said this before and you guys probably have November 1st highlighted in your diaries (yes Sally that’s you and Michelle and Team Flash) but I can’t stress enough how quick you are going to have to be off the mark. The Comrades talk I went to last week, of the group that was there (they had to bring in more chairs to accommodate us all) roughly half were novices, that was just one talk at one club…
5,000 Novices is the limit (unless the 15,000 isn’t reached for previous runners) which isn’t much considering this is an international event – so here are the ways you can enter:
- Online at http://www.comrades.com/OnlineEntry.aspx
- Any Mr Price store – this is advised if you can’t access the website
- Hand it in at Comrades House in Pietermaritzburg
- Pay at any Nedbank branch and then mail the payment confirmation and entry form
- By mail
Obviously for those of you who are not South African your options are limited, I wish I had alternatives for you because there is nothing more annoying than trying to get onto a website which is struggling to handle the traffic, although I’m sure the Comrades Association has made provision for this. Also to you guys NOT in our time zone, if entries open at 12am South African time, then remember to make allowances for whichever time zone you are in. I use this time converter thingy…
3 Comments / October 22nd, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, First-Timers, Reluctant runner