Running the Comrades

Team

Comrades was inaugurated in the 1920's to honour the South African servicemen who fell during WW1 and, with the exception of the WW2 years, has been run every year since, writes Richard Thomas. One year they run it "up" from Durban to Pietermaritzburg and the next they run it "down" in the opposite direction. There are diverse views as to whether the "up" or the "down" is more difficult.

I ran the "down" and found it very tough, particularly on the quads, and, although the ultimate destination is at sea level, found there was plenty of hill climbing to do over the 56 miles (90k)! The race started in the dark at 05.30 in front of the Town Hall in Pietermaritzburg and final cut-off is 12 hours later at the Sahara Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.

My finishing time was 10:55:06 and I finished 6,939 out of over 12,000 runners.

As "old hands" had advised me to hold back on my pace, I started at a steady 10mm until I picked up a sub-11 hour pacing group at about 20k. There were two of these sub-11 groups (or "busses" as the locals call them): one aiming for a finish of around 10:30 and the other for just under 11 hours. Finishing under 11 hours is significant as it gets you a "Bronze medal". I stuck with the quicker "bus" which got me through the mountainous middle section of the route and the hottest part of the day (at 28 degrees C). My split time for the first 26.2m was 4:55 and after that it was "virgin territory" for me.

There were plenty of water and energy drink stations throughout the route and, after Half Way, food stations, too, serving bananas, oranges, Mars Bars, cookies and, most importantly, new potatoes dipped in salt.

It was just as well I was with the "bus" as my Garmin ran out of juice at just under 8 hours so I couldn't easily pace myself from then on. I found the pace comfortable until about 20k from the Finish when the route switched from the "old" road to the dual carriageways in the suburbs of Durban. At about the same time the conditions became muggier as we got closer to the sea and my energy levels started to fall away.

At 80k I dropped back from the faster "bus" and my race strategy was not to let the slower "bus" overtake me. It then became a question of "mind-over-matter" as your force of will carries you through. I tended to run to a km marker then reward myself with a minute's walk before running non-stop to the next km marker. That was another tip the "old hands" had given me: shorter goals are easier to achieve towards the end. I have to admit the last 10k was painful but the second "bus" never came close!

With 2k to go you can hear the roar of the crowds in the Stadium and adrenaline takes over. It's getting twighlight as you enter the Stadium so the glare of the floodlights is blinding but the noise of the crowrds is deafening. All thoughts of tiredness leave you as you run around the perimeter in front of the stands to the Finish Line. With about 6k to go my brother, who came to support me, had handed me the Welsh Flag so I ran those last 400m proudly with it held high above my head. The announcer picked it up and, as I crossed the line, I heard him say, "Here comes a Welshman. Cymru am byth!" What a way to finish and be rewarded with the Bronze!

Having crossed the line and used up my last reserves of physical and mental strength I broke down in tears of relief. I needn't have been ashamed of this as I quickly realised that many others around me were experiencing the same emotion.

Watching the last hour of the race with my brother from the "Internationals Area" near the Finish Line with a cup of warm soup and a piece of chocolate cake was both exciting and exasperating. Some of the runners were literally crawling across the line. On the dot of 12 hours the Race Director walks to the line, turns his back on the desperate runners and fires his starting pistol. From that split second the race is over and the Finish Line is closed. Runners trying to cross in 12:00.01 get NOTHING, no medal no time, nothing! It is brutal and your heart goes out to them.

What an experience! Immediately after the race I said, "Never again!" but, on reflection, with a back-to-back "Double Down" medal in prospect for next year...........I think I just might have another go!

Photos


Last Updated on 09-05-09
By Hallpike