Comrades May2019 Presentati
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You have done the hard yards You have sacrificed You have qualified You have earned your place at the starting line Do not do anything stupid that will undo all the work you have put in It is your sole responsibility to get to the start line… …Injury Free …Healthy …Well Rested & Recovered … Excited to run WCAC Starting List - 2019 • 62 have qualified and ‘said’ they are going Gender: • 195 medals amongst these • 24 Females (39%) • 17 back-to-back runners • 38 Males (61%) • 19 Novice runners (1/3rd) Seeding: • Most experienced runners: • B = 3 • Willie Coetzee – 21 medals • C = 11 • D = 11 • Martin Venter – 21 medals • E = 2 • Isabel Steenkamp – 17 medals • F = 10 • Andre Pepler – 16 medals • G = 10 • Mitch Levin – 12 Medals • H = 16 • Donald Scott – 11 medals • Marius Heydenreich – 11 medals First Male WCAC First Female WCAC Don Oliver – First Novice WCAC Comrades Up Run Route in Perspective Suikerbossie Malanshoogte Next 35km is undulating climbs Big Mama Imtinebe School Perlemoen Umlaas Rd First 35km is unrelenting climbs Bothas Hill Inchanga Radnor #@!$! Alverston Tower Polly Shortts Camperdown Little Polly’s Redhill Hillcrest Harrison Flats Chicken Farms Drummond Fields Hill Little Ou Kaapse Comrades Wall & Arthurs Seat Cowies Hill Pinetown 45th Cutting 1st Support 2nd Support Tollgate Table Table Are you Ready? Recovery Period Comrades Day Race Strategy Travel / Logistics Prep Taper Period 87 km 1650 m elevation Days leading up to Comrades – Pointers ▪You will be ratty, its normal and part of the tapering process ▪Avoid anyone who is sick ▪Don’t over-eat on junk food ▪Devise your pacing chart, all logistics, tracking apps, inform seconds/family/etc ▪Start your mental prep and Visualise the positive ▪Don’t be silly and play games that could cause injury ▪Virtual flu / niggles – ignore this. At 05h30 on 9th June you will know if it is real ▪Go to expo ASAP, don’t leave it for last minute. Get out early ▪If possible drive the route, no later than Friday ▪More mental prep – prepare for the aches, pain, discomfort, tiredness, etc. Be tough, keep moving fwd and you will overcome it. The finish is well worth all the pain and effort ▪Start talking to experienced Comrades runners for their tips, advice, etc. Make a mental note of what info/knowledge will work for you ▪Start packing your items now – you may not get everything in Durban Before / Morning of Race Day pointers Days before the race: Race Day: ▪Key sleep is the Friday night ▪ Use Vaseline generously, you will chafe in places you never knew you had and wake up naturally on Sat ▪Eat something solid (that have tried and tested before) in the morning before you leave ▪Eat early meal on Sat night ▪ Follow your usual routine as much as possible ▪Pack all your items on Sat ▪ Get into your pens early (no later than 5am, earlier is better). Relax and soak up the morning atmosphere. Stay calm and warm ▪ 15mins to go, runners surge forward. This is not the start…relax, go with the flow. ▪Pack your bag for seconds as well – warm clothes, flops, ▪ The start is an emotional time (chariots of fire, national anthem, shosholoza, cockcrow, etc). etc Enjoy it, soak it up…it’s your day ▪Relax as much as possible and ▪ Depending on seeding batch one can take up to 10min to cross start line. Relax and don’t stay hydrated try to weave through the crowds to make up time ▪Keep your eyes open and watch out for cat’s eyes, plastic bags, bottles, clothing, etc ▪Agree precisely where to meet your seconds at the finish ▪Take a bottle of hydration with you…can save time avoiding congested water area stations in first 10km Don Oliver’s Advice – Where are we now? The die is cast! Things TO Do: Things NOT to Do: ▪ Get a positive mindset ▪ No chats with last years bailers ▪ Focus on prior good races, ▪ No longer than 3hrs at Expo ignore bad ones ▪ No curry night before in ▪ Run less, rest more and plan Durban more ▪ No lying on the beach ▪ Need a plan – if go out there and ‘see’ how you will go, answer is….not far Logistics - Planning REGISTRATION VENUE DURBAN PIETERMARITZBURG Durban Exhibition Centre Comrades Marathon House Walnut Road 18 Connaught Road Durban Scottsville Pietermaritzburg DATES AND TIMES Thursday 6 June 2019 10h00 - 19h00 Friday 7 June 2019 09h00 - 19h00 Saturday 8 June 2019 09h00 - 17h00 If you are unable to collect your race number package, a third party can collect this on your behalf providing they have a printed copy of Acknowledgement of Entry, the athlete’s ChampionChip, letter of authorization from the entrant and a certified copy of your ID and the entrants ID. The person collecting the race number package must have identification. Runners may not claim their registration package after registration closes. These items will not be posted to you and no refunds will be processed. BUS TICKETS Bus tickets from Pietermaritzburg to the start in Durban and from the finish in Pietermaritzburg back to Durban after the race will be available for sale only at both registration venues. No tickets will be available on race day. Nutrition / Hydration Support Packs 1st Stop = Opposite Church in Hillcrest (approx. 32km). I will drop a pin location for this next week Thurs 2nd Stop = After Camperdown (approx 64km) once cross a bridge over the railway line – at the Savages Tent (Jim and Charmaine) ◦ This pack must be delivered at the Elangeni / Maharani Hotel on North Beach Durban for attention Willie Coetzee by no later than 13h00 on Saturday 8th June Ziplock bag: Name: Joe Soap Race Number: D59874 Distance: 30km Expected Time: 08h30 2nd Support Table 1st Support Table Jim Charmaine Savages Running Club: • Have their gazebo (will also erect WCAC Tear drop banner) as you start exit~64km • Your packs must be ready for collection (at Willies hotel) by 13h00 on Sat 8th June – no exceptions Collegians Harries: • Host us at the finish area. Drinks have already been ordered BED TIME WAKE UP TIME GET READY TIME TRAVEL TIME PHOTO, LOO, ETC TIME PENS CLOSE 05H00 START IS 05H30 Collegians Tent WCAC Runners Bus Service Comrades Marathon Up Run Route & Key Tips Key Tips : Bruce Fordyce 1. Do not run hard or race up any hill that has a name 2. Have a realistic pace schedule, focusing on even effort as opposed to even pace 3. Be cautious from the start…pace not race ◦ The blow ratio is 5:1 for top end of the field and 10:1 at the bottom ◦ In other words, for evert minute you are too fast at Drummond, you will lose 5-10min at the end 4. The up run is all about self-control, especially in the first half 5. Run to landmarks. Aim for the next major hill rather than next 5km…and aim to get there feeling strong 6. Be cautious on descent to Dummond 7. Little Polly’s is not the real Polly Shortts, it’s a trap 8. Don’t waste time on useless rubs or massages. They don’t help, but just waste time 9. Keep moving forward 10. The climbing does not end after Polly Shortts Section 1: Start to Top of Fields Hill Disrespect this section at your peril – you WILL pay later!!!! 1. Tollgate Hill 1,5km & 75m elevation = 5,1% gradient 2. 45th Cutting 2km & 75m elevation = 4,3% gradient Section 1: Start to top of Fields Hill • Be cautious and maintain control & ~24km discipline 3. 45th Cutting to Westville • Relax and check that your 4,3km & 142m elevation = 4,3% gradient breathing is never heavy 4. Cowies Hill • Do not race anybody 2km & 90m elevation = 4,5% gradient • Be careful not to get carried away by 5 other eager runners at the start and 5. Fields Hill by the crowd through Pinetown 3km & 180m elevation = 6,1% gradient 4 • Run / walk strategy must be followed here 3 • Use the few downs and flat sections 2 to recover – don’t push the pace 1 to catch up time Section 2: Fields Hill to Hillcrest Ave of 1.5% incline – you will naturally increase pace IF you have run the previous section with the respected caution it deserves. • This section one can gain some time, get into a rhythm but do not race • Although no major hill lie in Section 2: this section, one is still climbing Top of Fields Make sure you get your Hill to steadily Hillcrest nutrition / hydration refuel here as the next section is tough and ~9km there is still +30km until next support table 1st Support Table in Hillcrest Section 3: Hillcrest to Top of Inchanga Use the down sections to recover, your pace will pick up naturally….don’t force it! At the top of Inchanga pat yourself on the back, as you have ‘broken the back’ of the Up Run • This section is very hard. Do not 1 2 race rather grind this section out Section 3: • Look out for the Kearsney Boys at top of Hillcrest to top of Incahnga Botha’s Hill 1. Botha Hill • Another climb to Alverston ~13km 2,3km & 115m elevation = 5,0% gradient • Be cautious on descent into 2. Inchanga Drummond 2,6km & 135m elevation = 5,2% gradient • Look out for Comrades Wall and Arthurs Seat…don’t forget to greet him • The distant line of runners going up Inchanga will scare you and you’ll be thinking £$%$%! • The mighty Inchanga is a beast and it is hot going up there Section 4: Inchanga to Umlaas Road This section is smaller undulations with two nasty hills each about 1km in length Mentally this is a tough section – crowds are sparse, bar for the selected supporter spots • This section offers some respite and one can gain some time, get into a rhythm and keep moving • Hold back the tears when you reach water station manned by the Enthembeni home for physically disabled children Make sure you get your • Apart from the two little horrors nutrition / hydration refuel either side of H.Flats, there are no here.