Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[SwissVan]

Bliksems.... despite all the goose bumps I get reading all your great race reviews I'm adamant I will resist the bladdy urge to do this Comrades thing... seriously!!

[Andrew Steer]

Bliksems.... despite all the goose bumps I get reading all your great race reviews I'm adamant I will resist the bladdy urge to do this Comrades thing... seriously!!

Stop being silly Swiss... you will never, ever regret running Comrades

 

And you're not getting any younger   

 

Just do it! 

[Chris_]

Super ***. That's all. Very very long and miserable.

 

But I'll be back next year!  

 

Took it super easy in the beginning, I was 30 mins slower than my normal 21km time. Felt like gold, and pacing like a champ.

 

By half way my stomach had had enough, and from there on in it was a real battle. I'm blaming the gu's but I really don't know what happened. I couldn't keep any food or drink down till the drive back home that evening. 

 

Although, it just goes to show you what the human body can endure. I did take that as a huge positive from this race.

 

After Pollys (which is a PIG of a hill!) I ran my fastest splits, mostly thanks to a rogue 12 hour bus which was hammering along and I refused to let pass me, and consequently came in just behind me at 11:30... 

 

Hell of a race. I can't believe how many people were on the road. Not for a second did I have 20 metres of clear road ahead of me. just incredible. 

 

Well done to everyone who made it. It really is a feat of (mental and physical) endurance.

[EmJayZA]

Bliksems.... despite all the goose bumps I get reading all your great race reviews I'm adamant I will resist the bladdy urge to do this Comrades thing... seriously!!

 

Too late for me. Want to do one for my 40th. Which gives me 4 years. I doubt very much I will want to do more than one as I prefer triathlons to just running. So think it's a good time to cross off a bucket list item. 

[Stretch]

 

 

By half way my stomach had had enough, and from there on in it was a real battle. I'm blaming the gu's but I really don't know what happened. I couldn't keep any food or drink down till the drive back home that evening. 

 

 

That is what its about. One guy i know is a real blowhard...one of these...silver or nothing chaps...I saw he pulled out at drummond. I have zero respect for that. Its people like you and my mate who I have respect for. My mate..who has run a BR for the past 2 years and was running his 17th on sunday let the nerves get the better of him and had a little talk to the plants at the start. This put him on the back foot straight away because all his nutrients were gone...despite that...we were on 8:30 pace till pinetown and thats where his nausea started. I didnt realise because as a result of him stopping i went ahead of him. He ran for a bit with the guy in our club and told him to go on because he didnt want to ruin his BR...and so he ploughed on ..on his own...vomiting along the way. Another mate of ours passed him and he told him the same thing...till eventually the final mate in our crew caught up with him by inchanga and helped him in to the finish at 10:22.....a 2:15 positive split....BUT...so many would have given up...hell...I would have probably given up...but he didn't. He knew his body and he knew he was safe to go if he just took it easy.

[Chris_]

BUT...so many would have given up...hell...I would have probably given up...but he didn't. He knew his body and he knew he was safe to go if he just took it easy.

 

Too true, and well done to him. This is why I sign up for these events. People laugh at me when I tell them how much I hate running, but in the same breath have just signed up for another thing. 

 

Its all about testing your boundaries.

 

My favourite quote, and the one my girlfriend (who also finished her first Comrades ) and I had written on our bathroom mirror (with a countdown) was by our man Madiba - It always seems impossible until it's done - is the truest thing I've ever heard. and it really does apply to every challenge.

[Hacc]

I don't understand why you would go thru 5 months (for some 11 months) of relentless training and then quit because you are going to miss your BR or Silver or sub "whatever you planned" .

 

For me Sunday was my worst Comrades to date and it taught me in the end that I can accomplish so much when all you can think of is quiting. Surely this will be on my mind in coming races and will give me the confidence boost I need to keep going.

 

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[Lexx]

I concur with Hacc and Stretch. You can train how hard,but if you have a bad day, you have a bad day. Just take it as it is, and finish the race. Even if it is just under 12h. Come back next year and kick ass.

[Andrew Steer]

I concur with Hacc and Stretch. You can train how hard,but if you have a bad day, you have a bad day. Just take it as it is, and finish the race. Even if it is just under 12h. Come back next year and kick ass.

Yeah, I'm a huge believer in you finish what you started... Comrades is not really about running times for me, it's a bonus for sure, but my best one was still my first one, my 11:78... will never forget that day! So much went so wrong, but so much went so right too and I learnt a whole lot about myself - it really did change me, and I don't need a medal to know that. 

[ScottCM]

11:78?

[Tubehunter]

11:78?

 

Typo? 11:48 or 58 maybe?

Edited June 7, 2017 by Tubehunter

[Andrew Steer]

Typo? 11:48 or 58 maybe?

Intentional typo... sounds way better than 12:18 

[Stretch]

I don't understand why you would go thru 5 months (for some 11 months) of relentless training and then quit because you are going to miss your BR or Silver or sub "whatever you planned" .

 

 

sadly some people's ego's are bigger than the achievement of just finishing

[SwissVan]

I don't understand why you would go thru 5 months (for some 11 months) of relentless training and then quit because you are going to miss your BR or Silver or sub "whatever you planned" .

 

For me Sunday was my worst Comrades to date and it taught me in the end that I can accomplish so much when all you can think of is quiting. Surely this will be on my mind in coming races and will give me the confidence boost I need to keep going.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

This quiting thing during a race is a another thing

Normally I would agree about finishing what you started, but it's not always that simple... ask me ???? Been there and dunnit ... not at comrades but another ultra tri which indirectly now involves my wiff and a gun.... another story for another day.

[Stretch]

This quiting thing during a race is a another thing

Normally I would agree about finishing what you started, but it's not always that simple... ask me ???? Been there and dunnit ... not at comrades but another ultra tri which indirectly now involves my wiff and a gun.... another story for another day.

Of course there are circumstances where sometimes you need to quit.. But when you go through halfway at comrades at 3:47... Even with blown legs and naseau.... You can still walk it home!

[Lexx]

I fully agree.