Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[Barry Stuart]

Her best time was 7:18... Should have made that the time then

 

 

Her best was a 6:44.

[Andrew Steer]

Her best time was 7:18... Should have made that the time then

Yeah, that's practical 

[Andrew Steer]

On my Comrades whatsapp group, pretty much everyone is now gunning for that sub 10...

Welcome to the reality of many of your fellow Comrades athletes. Taking an hour off our times is way more realistic than taking two... 

Could work a treat, I guess time will tell   

And it doesn't take anything away from anyone - your Bill Rowan is still a Bill Rowan, your silver etc...

And being pro-active in making the race medals more inclusive - winning in my books!

[Stretch]

Her best was a 6:44.

I was misinformed then..

 

My point is..a dude running 5:59 is not the same as a girl running 7:29

 

Not even close

[Barry Stuart]

I was misinformed then..

 

My point is..a dude running 5:59 is not the same as a girl running 7:29

 

Not even close

 

But why does it have to be? It's simply a remodelling of the silver for women, based on a historical mark for this race rather than an empirical comparison. Women's times tend to be about 13% more than men over various distances (though this may well reduce in proportion as the distance gets longer and longer). The percentage in this case is comparatively greater but it's accurate for this particular race. The Wally Hayward and the women's silver are the two rarest medals at Comrades so it makes sense from that perspective. 

 

Like Andrew said, it doesn't change any other medal. These are simply two new medals. Nobody loses a medal, nobody has the times for their medal extended to make it easier. I imagine the purists were quite angry about the introduction of a Bill Rowan when it happened but there's no doubt it has added to the experience and excitement of Comrades for so many of us. That Mtshali medal is going to create a thrilling finish for anyone hovering around that 10 hour mark.

 

EDIT: Looking at the time differences between men and women winners over the last 3 years, they work out to 13%, 16% and 21%. So the percentage difference is generally higher for Comrades as opposed to distance world records. That may be because distance records have been set on different days at different competitions whereas comparing the winners times from the same year gives a more comparative result.

Edited October 12, 2018 by Barry Stuart

[Stretch]

 

 

But why does it have to be? It's simply a remodelling of the silver for women, based on a historical mark for this race rather than an empirical comparison. Women's times tend to be about 13% more than men over various distances (though this may well reduce in proportion as the distance gets longer and longer). The percentage in this case is comparatively greater but it's accurate for this particular race. The Wally Hayward and the women's silver are the two rarest medals at Comrades so it makes sense from that perspective.

 

Like Andrew said, it doesn't change any other medal. These are simply two new medals. Nobody loses a medal, nobody has the times for their medal extended to make it easier. I imagine the purists were quite angry about the introduction of a Bill Rowan when it happened but there's no doubt it has added to the experience and excitement of Comrades for so many of us. That Mtshali medal is going to create a thrilling finish for anyone hovering around that 10 hour mark.

 

EDIT: Looking at the time differences between men and women winners over the last 3 years, they work out to 13%, 16% and 21%. So the percentage difference is generally higher for Comrades as opposed to distance world records. That may be because distance records have been set on different days at different competitions whereas comparing the winners times from the same year gives a more comparative result.

Because It's being advertised as a women's Wally Hayward.. Which it's not. You quoted the numbers.. But in 2015 there was not one Wally Hayward given out... So it's not always easily attainable by a handful

 

At some point the gender line between the capabilities of men and women blurs... And it's round about silver cut off. I think we are going to disagree till the cows come home but basically removing the silver from the women's race is not a good thing in my book. I get the need for recognising women they just don't get a gold... But the time should be less than a silver.. That's all

[candz1]

Little off the Comrades track...but how cool is the video of Meg Mackenzie thats going around facebook on her Golden trail series,  makes me wish I was young and free to do adventures like this again!

[Chris_]

Little off the Comrades track...but how cool is the video of Meg Mackenzie thats going around facebook on her Golden trail series,  makes me wish I was young and free to do adventures like this again!

 

I follow her on Instagram, shes living a ridiculous life.

[Jewbacca]

Reunion 100? DYING to do that one. looks so awesome. If karkloof wasn't so well organised I may do that as my first 100 miler.

Unfortunately not Reunion 100 miler.. I am there for AR World Champs, 8th - 16th November.

 

We will cover 100 miles plus change on foot, but also 150 miles on the bike, some paddling and white water rafting, some caving and kloofing all while trying not to get lost! They released a ridiculous number like 17500m vertical gain over the 500 odd km.

 

Starting to get a bit nervous as the days tick away!

 

The 100 miler is also on my bucket list though, but I will have to take the missus. Island passes are difficult to get for 1!

 

Flights from Joburg are relatively inexpensive at between 5 and 6k return and accommodation is cheap as chips on airbnb... I priced it as about R2000 more than doing Addo for me...

[Chris_]

Unfortunately not Reunion 100 miler.. I am there for AR World Champs, 8th - 16th November.

 

We will cover 100 miles plus change on foot, but also 150 miles on the bike, some paddling and white water rafting, some caving and kloofing all while trying not to get lost! They released a ridiculous number like 17500m vertical gain over the 500 odd km.

 

Starting to get a bit nervous as the days tick away!

 

The 100 miler is also on my bucket list though, but I will have to take the missus. Island passes are difficult to get for 1!

 

Flights from Joburg are relatively inexpensive at between 5 and 6k return and accommodation is cheap as chips on airbnb... I priced it as about R2000 more than doing Addo for me...

 

I checked out the AR website yesterday, I never really knew what it all entailed. 

 

It looks like an unbelievable feat. Just amazing, it almost sucks that you're going with a serious intent to race, it looks like those routes should be enjoyed over a full week!

[Jewbacca]

I checked out the AR website yesterday, I never really knew what it all entailed. 

 

It looks like an unbelievable feat. Just amazing, it almost sucks that you're going with a serious intent to race, it looks like those routes should be enjoyed over a full week!

Well, they are expecting the winners in a minimum of 109 hours, so we very well might race for close to a whole week!!!

[Ferret69]

Because It's being advertised as a women's Wally Hayward.. Which it's not. You quoted the numbers.. But in 2015 there was not one Wally Hayward given out... So it's not always easily attainable by a handful

 

At some point the gender line between the capabilities of men and women blurs... And it's round about silver cut off. I think we are going to disagree till the cows come home but basically removing the silver from the women's race is not a good thing in my book. I get the need for recognising women they just don't get a gold... But the time should be less than a silver.. That's all

 

 

 

Still Agree with you Stretch

 

My Training group has 4 of the "Semi Pro/Elite" call it what you like ladies in it. One Got silver this year, 2 missed by less than 20mins...ie sub7h50, 1 was injured.

 

All 5 think this new Medal is a Joke (calling it literally a "Booby prize" LOL to ignore the pun) and they would prefer the Traditional Silver they have been eying out and working for, for the last 3 to 5 years.

 

To be fair in the name of Equality maybe it should be position 11-15 in Both genders based on that their times are sub6 and sub7h30 respectively.

 

Silver has always been proper goal for Comrades runners, to take that away for ladies is not fair. IMHO

[Chris_]

This is very cool, normal humans trying to run Kipchoges Berlin marathon speed for only 200m!

 

 

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a23634309/runners-attempt-world-record-marathon-pace/

 

 

 

 

 

[Barry Stuart]

Because It's being advertised as a women's Wally Hayward.. Which it's not. You quoted the numbers.. But in 2015 there was not one Wally Hayward given out... So it's not always easily attainable by a handful

 

Sure but the year prior there were 14 Wally Haywards and just 8 women silvers. So in terms of actual results they do seem to match up quite evenly.

[Lexx]

Still Agree with you Stretch

 

My Training group has 4 of the "Semi Pro/Elite" call it what you like ladies in it. One Got silver this year, 2 missed by less than 20mins...ie sub7h50, 1 was injured.

 

All 5 think this new Medal is a Joke (calling it literally a "Booby prize" LOL to ignore the pun) and they would prefer the Traditional Silver they have been eying out and working for, for the last 3 to 5 years.

 

To be fair in the name of Equality maybe it should be position 11-15 in Both genders based on that their times are sub6 and sub7h30 respectively.

 

Silver has always been proper goal for Comrades runners, to take that away for ladies is not fair. IMHO

I totally agree with you Ferret. Taking silver away from the women's race is a total disrespect for the Comrades tradition.

[Andrew Steer]

Still Agree with you Stretch

 

My Training group has 4 of the "Semi Pro/Elite" call it what you like ladies in it. One Got silver this year, 2 missed by less than 20mins...ie sub7h50, 1 was injured.

 

All 5 think this new Medal is a Joke (calling it literally a "Booby prize" LOL to ignore the pun) and they would prefer the Traditional Silver they have been eying out and working for, for the last 3 to 5 years.

 

To be fair in the name of Equality maybe it should be position 11-15 in Both genders based on that their times are sub6 and sub7h30 respectively.

 

Silver has always been proper goal for Comrades runners, to take that away for ladies is not fair. IMHO

Always good to get the view of the people this really affects  

Change is always difficult to manage - especially with so much history involved. Quite like your idea of positions instead... 10-20 in both cats get Wally. But that I guess would also upset the men then... imagine you klap your first and only sub 6 next year and finish 23rd.

 

Does seem off to say goodbye to the option of a medal for ladies...

 

Sub 7 Wally

Sub 7:30 Silver

 

Always tricky these things