Comrades 2024 ouch

So this Comrades tested me big time! It was so hard, I didn’t even want to write a blog post or put pictures up on Strava. I ended up finishing in 10h24min relieved and shattered.

You can see last year’s post, 2023 was basically a perfect race for me. So what happened? I predicted a 9h30min race and was secretly hoping for a sub 9h Bill Rowan (then I would have all the normal medals, not including the out of reach silver and gold).

I think I did too many marathons (6 in total).

We can see the predictions I had in mind when looking at a small bit of code I wrote to automatically write a description on Strava after the race. Looking back I could have tried to be be funnier or put something more meaningful in the messages.

const activity = await _internals.getActivity(activityId);
console.log("Activity fetched!");
if (activity.type === "Run") {
  let description = "Comrades!\n";
  if (activity.distance < 83 * 1000) {
	description += "I guess it didn't go well 😅\n";
  }
  if (activity.distance >= 83 * 1000) {
	if (activity.elapsed_time > 12 * 60 * 60) {
	  description += "I guess it didn't go well 😅\n";
	}
	if (
	  activity.elapsed_time > 10 * 60 * 60 &&
	  activity.elapsed_time < 12 * 60 * 60
	) {
	  description += "I made it! 🎉\n";
	  description += "Way off the time I wanted 😅\n";
	}
	if (
	  activity.elapsed_time < 10 * 60 * 60 &&
	  activity.elapsed_time >= 9 * 60 * 60
	) {
	  description += "I made it! 🎉\n";
	  description += "Yay sub 10! 🎉\n";
	}
	if (activity.elapsed_time < 9 * 60 * 60) {
	  description += "I made it! 🎉\n";
	  description += "Wow I'm super happy with this time! 🎉\n";
	}
  }
  description += `(this is an automated description)`;
  await _internals.updateActivityDescription(
	activityId,
	description,
	"Comrades!",
  );
}

Feel free to skip the detailed excuses below

I had an epic build up to the race doing marathons and club runs regularly up until May, when I did the Pirates Big Daddy (42km). This is a pretty steep and challenging run Pirates puts on every year. I really should have taken it easy but “I be dumb sometimes 🙄”. Ended up doing 4h15min which is not super fast, but it was a training run which ended with me picking up a niggle in my leg which didn’t go away. This niggle caused me way too much stress and messed up my confidence in the last month before Comrades.

Then the cold. I had really been trying to take some vitamins everyday but somehow I guess stress and maybe going to some events before the race landed me up with a cold Monday or Tuesday before the race. So I rushed to the doctor to see what could be done. I couldn’t get antibiotics for obvious reasons so got a big vitamin jab in the butt and a whole lot of cold medicine. With a promise to not run if it got worse 🫣 I tried hard to get well before the race (vicks, steam, sleep etc… you name it I tried it). I started feeling better the day before the race so went ahead.

End of excuses, sort of I’m sure some more will sneak in

I couldn’t do this race without help from my folks, friends and club (Pirates). A huge thank you must go out to Lebogang who decided to help second me for the race 🙏🙏🙏. She was so good to help with the logistics, meet me during the race and pick me up at the end. Lots of encouragement also really helped push me through the day. Great job for a first timer!

Here are some things I remember from the race and some things to revise for another go (hopefully I read this before next year).

The start was a bit chaotic for me. I got a little confused about where to get out with many of the roads being closed. So when Lebogang dropped me off, I was not very close to the start 😅. Lucky I met another runner Charles with the same challenge. So we did a bit of a jog to get to the start and then had to do some searching for the correct pen. I thought I might look out for some club friends but because of the far drop-off I got in the back of the massive D pen.

As usual the start was very fun and emotional. Everyone was singing and all the nervous energy around made it special.

Durban was so nice and warm almost didn’t need a warm top so dropped mine pretty early on.

The first half was really tough and my leg pain started showing its face before half way unfortunately. I was quite shocked at how many hills and steep sections there were in this first half. I met some Pirates runners along the way, it was nice to catch up, then lose them, then catch up again and chat. In the end most went past me though 😫.

I also tried to ask some of the International people from where they came from when I saw the yellow number (I think it was yellow I can’t remember). This habit helped keep my mind off things. I also kept bumping into these 2 German guys, which was fun because I remember how the small talk started evaporating towards then finish as we held on 🤣.

I remember seeing a couple dressed in Where’s Wally outfits, I thought that was funny. Later in the race I saw a guy in a dress, he told me it was for his late mother who always watched the race. There were some funny signs, but I can’t quite remember them. Also the power up buttons many of the kids held up was fun. The braais, parties and support along the way was also great.

The famous Arthur’s seat and the Ethembeni School for disabled children was a nice highlight during the race.

Lebogang managed to meet me half way somehow with all the traffic and parking challenges. I didn’t need any supplies but seeing a friendly face helped me so much and got me smiling again!

The Pirates club also had 2 stops where I picked up some extra gels and things. They were also so encouraging and efficient at the stops.

This year I did the correct fuelling as I learnt last year this really makes a difference.

Polly shortts the last hill was mind boggling (I have gone up it before but I guess I blocked that memory out 🫣). I walked the whole thing and could not imagine running any bit of it. It was so so massive and steep.

At the top I was in a crazy amount of pain. This last few kms just took forever because I could hardly run. Sean (a Pirate) helped me with some distractions as we bumped into each other throughout this section. He managed to get some speed from nowhere in the last 1/2km and ran far into the distance for a nice finish.

The finish was emotional as usual with some crying (thats what I do in this race). The crowds were great coming into the finish.

It was a challenge to find Lebogang at the finish. I had to take a seat for a while to process and recover. We visited the Pirates tent and then watched the end of the race which was also pretty fun and emotional. People coming in fast, slow but all happy. This year they got the timing correct and we saw the last people get cut off at the finish.

Getting back to Durban from the finish was another hectic challenge. The traffic was crazy and we got back around 11pm! We also gave a lift to Charles who I met at the start. Quite a lucky meeting as I guess if we hadn’t exchanged numbers he may have only gotten back home who knows when.

As I said this was a massive mental test for me. I was so happy to finish, and I think a little traumatized about the amount of pain I went though 🤕. It’s been about 2 months since the race and I’m still struggling to run consistently. I kind of hoped I would be able to get back into running properly as I got some goals I want to complete.

Till next year I hope! Flip its annoying this is the first post of 2024 and its August 🤔.

Strava link https://www.strava.com/activities/11612571810

Sorry for the cheesy smiles in the photos?