SeaBee

Haha, a Yammie giving the Duc's a tow...?! Now there's a joke. That will last about the first 1/3rd of the straight before he starts slowing them down!

Jigghead, that sounds extreme! No water for last 12k's on a hot marathon?! That's just crazy... Well done on completing, hope you recover well from that. My calf is strapped up, look like a rugby player... ehhhrrr... at nowadays' scale an u11 scrumhalf! Will take it easy (and have been given "permission" to run by the bio) on Tunnel Run and then should be okay for the Winelands. Slughtly nervous, but I guess that's normal before a first one...

My experience is other way around than ordering one number up. I ordered (having fitted a friend's) my "everyday shoe" number - 43. My other trail (well, road running as well) shoes are 44/45. Think the Vivo design leaves that room in front which you want. Most other 43 running shoes are too tight for me - with the exception of the pair of NB 1080's I had. (But they are quite a wide design as well.)

With you there! I do pavement pounding mid-week, since it's dark when I run before work (4am). Now training for a first (and likely only!) marathon a buddy told me to force myself to do long road runs. Oh... myyyy... hat! When you somehow get to 30k's and there's still 7 to go to home, Paarl heat and that black road just stretches out before you. I very quickly started questioning my sanity. Give me elevation any day above tar.

I might actually get back on the bike this weekend after doing something interesting to my calf last weekend. Feels much better but not going to take chances running with a week to go to Tunnel run and two weeks before my first marathon. Actually seeing the bio just now for something else and will ask for a quick prod (to the calf!) to see whether it actually IS better and not just... hiding and waiting for me to go for a run! And here I am surrounded by people who want to improve their marathon times - jeez, I just want to get to the finish of one!

Next to "Post" there's a "More reply options" button. (Was about to say "box" but then realised there's not a #99 on it...) If you hit that, you get the option to browse to and upload a file which you can then insert into the reply.

I expect that is the store for NativeSport web store, then, I presume. Chatted to a Stuart when I placed my order with them - really cool guy.

Yes, they even make a story called "hatgate". How desperate can you be for a story if a non-event like that becomes newsworthy?! And that ironically after a reasonably entertaining race.

My shoe story went an interesting direction. My SpeedCross was starting to kill my Achilles, as mentioned above. Too much drop. I had the Vivo's, but first tried to remedy my actual issue on the road. So, Kinvara to the rescue (4mm drop road shoe). Love them! But more trails over the last couple of months and... Speedcrosses are now history. Toe nails and Achilles are immensely glad! Toe nails started getting issues as soon as the runs started getting longer. So, I got the Sense Pros and absolutely love them. Went in to get the Peregrines, actually, but walked out with Sense Pro's. I just preferred the flatter side to side feeling of the Pro's. The Peregrines felt much more shaped and "supportive", where the SP's felt open and flat. Loved them from the first k! Zero issues thusfar. BTW, Koei, where did you find Mantras around here? Yes, I still have the Trail Freaks, but will get into them once I have put this idiot marathon decision behind me. Don't want to run any risks at this late stage of that little fight... Whilst on this - not sure how often dee_biker frequents this thread, but know him and a couple of things on his behalf: He does not run long distances at this stage, from memory longest was a 15k. Also, I cannot recall him having gone too hectic over rocks, but where he does, he says you learn to look - obviously you do feel the sharp rocks through vivo's or vibrams (his other joy in life!) BUT - as a guy that completed Comrades a number of times and stopped running due to persistent injuries, for the first time he is now running without an injury, worry free, just go. We talked about it just the other day and the "bonus" he had was having stopped completely for a number (3 to 4) of years. When he restarted now, he started with the Vivo, so he was forced to run correctly and the correct muscles strengthened as a result. From a guy who was a severe over pronator, with special inserts in his shoes and all, he is now just running minimal shoes - without any issues, where previously he had issues even running with all the inserts, protection, stabilization and whatever else. Fast and injury free... I think he'd like a very low drop shoe for longer runs where he might need more protection. And when I was shopping around, he got the itch. But simply could not find a shoe that is in any way as comfortable as the vivo's. Last time I checked, he's stopped looking and even got the 5-fingers out for road runs!

BTW, anybody else doing the Tunnel Run? Sounds like you basically go up from the toll gates outside Paarl through farms to run the service tunnel of the Hugenot Tunnel (in Du Toitskloof). Simply could not resist! With it being 21k's and apparently 8 of those in the tunnel, I presume we're going to have some interesting elevation change.

Agree with Koei's comments. But to add some more options, if you want to go that ways: http://www.nativesport.co.za/ (vivo's, trail freak! (wait for them on special) http://www.thetrailshop.co.za/

Haha, sorry, but the fact that this is blown so out of proportion is m-se funny for me. The fact that he says something and it gets so over-analysed and reacted upon, just says how big his influence is. Media (over-)reaction is a form of flattery nowadays! Like him or not, I don't think the sport will ever see another like him. Chill boys, enjoy the race. I switch off before the interviews anyways. Leave the talking to the politicians. Oh wait, I don't listen to that either...

The answers are no and HECK NO! I'm a running noob - I only started running last winter to try and keep me fit during winter. I must confess, I enjoy it now... esp trails. Marathon is "only" (feels like time is racing towards that date...) coming on the 14th of Nov: the Winelands. I don't pick the easy ones, do I?! "Flat and fast" is hardly descriptive. Just aiming to finish, hoping to sneak in under 4:30, if that's not too ambitious for a first attempt. So I really enjoy reading all the tips and strategies here...

I remember a similar incident many a moon ago where a rabbit or something was hit in a 500cc race as well - seem to think it was Eddie Lawson or Wayne Rainey...(?)

Don't know whether it's to do with the setup of the group (or my user setup) - but I ONLY see cycling activity. One thing that the leaderboards are for cycling, but even the "recent activity" tab only shows cycling acticity and not even my runs from yesterday or Saturday. Also none for anybody else, but I know I've done those runs...

Only for Comrades runners or mere mortals (aiming to do their 1st marathon next month) too?

It's a dirty job, but somebody has to guard the braai grid. And the wandering pine cone. Vigilance at work!

Well done MrFine! That sounds like serious fun! I am gobsmacked at the Otter results though. Breaking 4 hours (just, but still!) is unreal. Could not believe that he actually made it when I saw it. Not just talking the talk...

Stoner?! Loose, wild and almost out of control?! Are we talking about the same person?

That's exactly how I feel about it. But it was one of those "must do one" things. Of course, my one buddy already said "and once you've done a marathon, you HAVE to do Oceans!" Fortunately Oceans have trail runs as well... did the half last year and... hmmmm.... while it was nice at the time, I really enjoyed some recent trail runs much more. (La Capra and the Sanlam Peace trail very easily springs to mind!) At least the Parkrun will be fun and some distraction. I do most of my mid-week runs on the r*ad anyways. But early morning, when it's dark and quiet and little cars around.

Just name a thing Brauhaus and I'm optimistic! I know this is not trail, but... I am not going to have much ito fun this weekend. I have somehow convinced myself it's a bright idea to enter for my first marathon. Entered for Winelands. Klaar, done and dusted. So this weekend I must force myself to have a 30+ session on the road. Will most likely run to the Parkrun, do it (slowwwly!) and back. Just don't know what I'm going to do with myself for the there and back sections of 16k's each. Just... straight.... road. At least I'll have good company - Me and Myself are tagging along - the three of us make a merry team!

Really enjoyed the Goat Run! (Sorry Koei...) I actually thought the route was going to go the other way around according to the elevation profile we received earlier the week and was really looking forward to coming DOWN that initial ascend. In hindsight, it was a bit snotterig, so coming down there would have made for some spills... From where I started, it was impossible to do anything but walk up there, since the entire road was clogged with people walking. But I would not have run much more than I did up there anyways. From there on, great fun! The fact that I wasn't stiff was most likely due to not pushing too hard. Yes, I still took some snappies mid"race" again. Unreal to think though that the (15k) winner came in in just over an hour! I don't do that on a flat road for 15 k's, let alone on that route. Friend of mine did the 28 and she said it felt like 128 at some stage!

That face tells you one thing - walking is meant to be done OUT-SIIIDE!

Not to worry, droenn... We're going to have fun, that's what counts! Potentially wet fun, but... fun nonetheless! What is it with the weather this year?! Doing the 15. Pretty sure the route they sent will run clockwise, which will mean some interesting climbing - and the descend at the end will be great fun! We did that by bike a while ago. We also did pretty close to what seems to be the climb in that same ride. I'll have to find a willing calve rubbing expert, because we're going UP! if it's the same climb... Lekker man, lekker! Then again, there'll be CBC's at the end - it'll make it worthwhile!

Sorry, this may be a bit boring, but... I love those shoes! Went for a Park Run on Sat (my first) and a friend suggested to use them because I am going to run harder than a normal training run. Awesomeness! Went back to walk the last bit with the rest of the family, nothing resembling pain. Yesterday I went on a run. Thought I'd take them out for a more gentle, but longer run before Goat Run. Then thought I'm going to look for the canon in the Mountain, had a fair idea of where it should be. Found it without too much hassles. Then went on and thought all is feeling well, another bit here, run there, got home and I did 25 k's - very little of them flat. Probably not the intro you should give yourself to new shoes, but all is perfect this morning. Typical, go for a 25k run to see whether you'll be able to do a 15k one!