It's all been happening !

Wow! What a couple of weeks it has been. Sport and in particular endurance sport has been happening with some spectacular results !!

Last weekend we had Marino Vanhoenaker break the Ironman World record at Austria with a stunning 7:45:58. Yes, 7:45. We all thought, wow, that is going to be around for a while and then just 7 days later, Andreas Raelert goes sub 7:45 with an incredible 7:41:33 at Roth. Crazy crazy. To put this in perspective, his split times were 46:18 for the swim, 4:11 for the bike and then the marathon in 2:40:52.

Also at Roth, golden girl Chrissie Wellington once again confirmed complete and utter dominance in Ironman Triathlon. I strongly believe that 'Muppet' is one of the greatest endurance athletes ever and she is still young in her Triathlon career. She turned up at Roth, nailed the swim, nailed the bike and absolutely obliterated the run to get another win from the front and set another Ironman World record with 8:18:13. Her previous record was 8:19:13 on the same course. She actually finished 5th overall with some seriously good male Pros behind her. 'Macca' affectionately tweeted post race asking her to 'stop running so quick'. Her splits for the race are as follows: Swim 49:49, Bike 4:40:39 and the marathon in a quite incredible 2:44:35.

World records on the Ironman circuit also ran parallel with some stunning racing on the Ultra circuit. Last weekend we had Western States 100 and this weekend we had the ridiculously tough Hardrock 100. One notable name from both races was Nick Clark who within 14 days got 3rd place in both races. Incredible. How you can recover from a 100 and then run a super tough 100 so shortly afterwards and do well in both is beyond me.

The Western States race was won by Kilian Jornet. He rectified the mistakes from last year and fulfilled his promise and potential to win the 2011 edition.

The women's race turned into a close run thing and after a tough start, Ellie Greenwood worked her way up through the field, fight of a bear and take the race win. This is a super achievement for the UK born runner in her first venture into the 100 distance.

At Hardrock 100 the runners had to battle one of the toughest 100 routes out there! The course profile is like 'Jaws' dental profile.

With over 33,000 ft of gain and 33,000ft of loss and some 60,000+ of altitude change this course is just a monster. The highest point on the race is just over 14,000ft so altitude plays a major part of this race. Add to this navigation and you have a race of epic proportion. So tough is the course that the winning time difference between Western States and Hardrock is some 10 hours!! The race was won by Salomon sponsored runner Julian Chorier. Julian is a previous winner of the Grand Raid de la Reunion and so therefore I guess he was a hot tip for the race win. He is renowned for his preparation. His winning time was 25:17:21 and in second place was Dakota Jones some 2 hours back with 27:10:00.

The woman's race was won by Diana Finkel in 29:27:39, her 4th straight Hardrock title. A great run as this also placed her 5th overall.

So what's happening at runwildrunfree? Well post Comrades I had some downtime and a holiday. On returning home it was all about catching up with work and commitments. I slowly got myself back into training and I ran a flat 50k on a ridiculously hot UK day. Of course, the weather came from nowhere and runners dropped like flies. It was carnage. I actually cut my race short as I caught Niandi for the second time (short loop course) to find her wobbling in the road pouring water over her head. As I approached I asked if she was okay but I already new the answer. We ran together and then at the finish line we bailed. Never like pulling out of a race but it was definitely the correct think to do. It was only a couple of hours later after we showered that we realised how much sun we had got; red, White and brown zebras spring to mind.

My main priority now is getting some good training miles in and trying to get Hoka One One shoes selling from runwildrunfree.co.uk

As you know, I have been completely blown away by the Hoka range. The Bondi B is now my everyday shoe for road or light trail. If the trails get tough I then use the Mafate. What I am currently quite exited about is the Combo XT.

The Combo XT is a combination of the road Bondi B and the trail Mafate. I currently have a pair on it's way to me, so watch this space for a review. Exciting times.

Keep running!

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Hoka One One Bondi B and Mafate due mid July

runwildrunfree are pleased to announce the arrival of its first complete shipment of Hoka One One run shoes in July.

We will be stocking the Mafate, Bondi B and Combo XT.

Initially we will stock two models of Mafate:

Unisex version




Male version





We will take orders for the female version if required. However, we have found the unisex and male versions to be the most popular.

The Mafate are identical across the range, the only variations are colour and obviously size. The female specific version only goes to a UK 8 and then you will need the unisex shoe. Sizing? We recommend going a half size larger than your current run shoe (unless it's a Hoka)

We will also be stocking the road version Hoka One One called the 'Bondi B'. This shoe has just taken 8th place at Western States 100 worn be the superb Dave Mackey. We will have the following in stock:

Unisex version



Male version



Female version




The Bondi B is the same shoe across the range but just in different colour ways. The female version only goes to size 8 UK and then you will need the unisex model. Sizing? We recommend one size larger than your current run shoe.

Shoe orders can be made at www.runwildrunfree.co.uk

We will be accepting payments via debit or credit card using the PayPal system. Our prices include postage via recorded delivery within the UK with a 48 hour delivery time (providing we have your size and requested model in stock)

Special orders will be processed immediately and in most scenarios we hope to be able to facilitate any special requests within a 5-7 day turnaround.

The new COMBO XT model will soon be able in the UK and we hope to receive a test pair soon. Please keep an eye on our blog for a review soon.

We look forward to hearing from you all.....

Keep running


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Hoka One One to arrive soon at runwildrunfree

Hoka One One will soon be available from www.runwildrunfree.co.uk
We will be stocking the Bondi B road shoe (above) and the Mafate Trail shoe.





The new addition to the Hoka One One range, the Combo XT will soon be available and I will update with an ETA as and when I can. I have not yet tried the new shoe and I am looking forward to receiving a pair so that I can provide some feedback.

For those interested, it is Western States 100 this weekend and Hoka On One sponsored athlete, Dave Mackey, will be racing against the best ultra runners in the world.

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Post Comrades

Three weeks ago Niandi and myself where in Durban tucking into some well earned food at 'Mug & Bean' after a successful Comrades. My first and Niandi's 13th. Yes, 13th. When I met Niandi in the International Area post race I asked her "why on earth have you done this race 13 times, it's a brute"

Some time later I have been able to look back and reflect and I think I now know. It's a special race! London Marathon but more than double the length with the attraction of that super tough course alternating year after year. Of course the lure of the elusive 'Green Number' is a big attraction.

However, for me, it is not 'just' the are. It is Africa and the people. My memories of the this years pre are start with the Zulu men, the atmosphere of the music at the start, the support en route, the race finish area, the 112 hour cut off and then a wonderful weeks holiday in the Drakensburg and Johannesburg area have left me wanting more. So, although Niandi said no more and I said maybe - it looks like we will be back in 2012 for the 'down' run and my 'back to back' and Niand's 14th. Can't wait!



As I mentioned we had a weeks holiday post the Comrades race. On the Monday we had a 'Champagne Breakfast'. A running friend, David Ross had kindly invited a group of us to his sisters for a post race chat, relax, drink ad eat. It was perfect. Thanks Dave and Family.




From here, Niandi and I travelled for a really wonderful night at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains. The place was just stunning. Seven individual cottages set in a remote place. Inside the furniture was all handmade and individual. We were the only guests so we had the manager look after us on a one to one level. He joined us for dinner with one of the gentlemen who had made some of the furniture, David. We had a great night of conversation and relaxation while two of the kitchen staff looked after our food needs. A really great night.














The next morning we awoke to a stunning sunrise and a sumptuous breakfast. Today we had a lonf=g journey to Johannesburg but not before a trip into the Drakensburg.





We drove to Giants Castle which is nestled in the mountains. We would have loved the opportunity to walk or even jog but time was against us. We looked around, relaxed with a coffee and a slice of really excellent lemon meringue pie and took some photos of the views.









We then hit the road for the trek to Johannesburg. It is quite a long way and we needed to head above Joburg to a place called Centurion. En route we stopped at the smallest church in the world. A tiny little place with a garden and tea room attached.




A a tea room! More coffee and cake; excellent.

We finally arrived at Niandi's mums about 7pm.. Glad for the journey to be over we settled to an evening of chat, food and wine. I was liking this post Comrades recovery.

We had five full days in the area and we had decided not to run. Niandi wanted time with her mum and had planned a trip to see her father, me, well I wanted to see some sights and get a feel 0f Africa.


I had a really great day at a Lion Park. Managed to play with some 6 month old cups and then go into the reserve to see the wildlife in its environment.









From here I went to 'Croc City'. I guess a bit of a naff name but it did what it said on the tin and I saw the brutes up close. These guys below are 60-70 years old.



A visit to the Vooneker Monument was really enlightening as this explained it great depth how the Boers had travelled up from the Cape and moved into different areas of South Africa. The Monument itself is an impressive structure with a stunning exhibition inside.

















Our holiday came to an end far too quickly. With lover 500 snaps taken and as many memories, I can only touch on our experience. Certainly in 2012 I will be taking what I would consider to be a 'proper' camera instead of my 'snappy' so that I can record those moments in greater quality.





In the following two weeks both Niandi and I have returned to work and we got straight back into training. The first week or at least the first 5 days were simple - run twice a day with a minimum mileage of 8 miles and maximum mileage of 12 all at any easy pace. At the weekend we stretched our legs with a trail run, Niandi did 14 miles and I did 18. It was nice to be on trail again after the 54 miles of hilly roads in South Africa.

This week has been more of the same, however, one or two of the weekly runs have creeped to 10 miles and the weekend runs accumulated to about 22.

Next week we have a road 50k race in Gloucestershire. We both would have prepared a trail race but it will be nice to go and do a race - purely for 'fun'. Let's see what July brings!

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Hoka One One

It seems only appropriate that I tap my fingers on the keyboard and give a review of the running shoes that I have been exalting for the last few months. Yes, Hoka One One take a bow.

I first saw the Hoka shoes in September 2010. I was in the South of France for a weeks holiday before heading over to Provence to do Millau 100k. Ironically it turned out that a trail race was going on during at the weekend with the finish literally outside my apartment. Well, it wasn't part of my plan but how could I not run.... Luckily they had 3 distances: a 22 k, a 40k and a 54k. I was sensible and chose the shorter distance, it was only 6 days to the Millau 100k afterall.

The race start was in a valley some 22k away in a place called Sospel. Somewhere I knew well from my cycling days. To be able to run over this beautiful hilly terrain was going to be a real treat. The 54k race started earlier in the morning and deeper in the valley. As we waited at the start the front runners from the long race came through... In the lead was a guy wearing bright blue platform running shoes; Hoka One One 'Mafate' trail shoes. I made a mental note of the visual look of the shoe and I thought that at some point I would look out for them.

A few months later I noted one or two articles and a 'buzz' about them. Particularly in the USA. Some top end runners such as Karl Meltzer and Dave Mackey started to use them. Not only did they love them but they boasted about the positive effects of the shoe. In particular comfort and less fatigue. Both reckoned they had at least 30% less fatigue and running back to back days was easy! Or should I say, easier.

In March I was in Paris for the Ecotrail de Paris. An 80km trail race that starts some 50 miles out of Paris. You basically run into Paris pretty much 90% off road on wonderful hilly forest trails and pathways. It's a race I love. Not only because it is in Paris but it is on trail and has what I consider to be the best finish line of any race, the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.

At the race start I noticed the Hoka's again. This time paying much more attention. To cut a long story short, I had an enjoyable race at the Ecotrail but unfortunately suffered bad leg pain. In particular the quads and calfs. With Paris Marathon a few weeks later and then London Marathon I decided it was time to test the Hoka's. A road version had come out called the Bondi B and reviews had been superb.

I arrived in Paris two days before the marathon, went to the Vieux Campeur in St Germain and purchased the Bondi B. Note!! I recommend at least one size up from your current running shoe for the Bondi B. The toe box is a little narrow and they definitely size small. For the Mafate the shoe has a wider fitting and I found just a half size bigger to be best.

After purchase I immediately put the Bondi B on and walked in them all day. What I immediately noticed was comfort. Never had anything on my feet so cushioned. I felt like Tigger; bouncy bouncy. The next day, Saturday, I went out for a 5k pre marathon run in the Hoka and then one day later I decided to take the plunge and use the Bondi B for Paris Marathon.

Paris was not a key race, it was just training for Comrades Ultra Marathon in May so I was happy to take a risk as this was potentially going to be my Comrades shoe. When the gun went off at the race start I bounced my way down the Champs Élysées. The cobbles were irradiated and I ran smoothly to the Place de la Concorde. The shoes quite simply were a revelation. I ran the marathon in the most comfort ever and found that I didn't change my running technique at all. In fact the shoes encouraged me to mid foot strike. At the end of the race I ran an easy 3:05 and had pretty much no leg pain. I was converted!

A week later I ran London Marathon in 3:15 with the same experience. The shoes definitely reduced fatigue, by how much it is difficult to say but I would estimate the 30-40% reduction comments by other runners are not unfair.

Post London I had a good 5 weeks training to Comrades. Each weekend I was doing back to back long runs and some 4 weeks out from Comrades I did two back to back 50ks. Again super quick recover and considerably less fatigue.

At he end of May I ran Comrades (my first) in 8:39. Not really the time I wanted but I was somewhat taken aback by the difficulty of the 'up' run. Nonetheless the Hoka's performed to perfection allowing me to run up hill well and reduce the impact and fatigue on the downs. Post Comrades I had considerably less leg soreness than I have had from other ultras and found that my 'doms' were minimal.

The Bondi B shoe



The Mafate Shoe




The Good:
Excellent comfort.
Good feel despite the thick sole (your foot actually sits within the sole).
The Bondi B excels on road and I have loved running on hard, rutted and rocky trails in them. They remove pretty much all the harshness from the trail and they hold your foot stable.
They last much longer than normal run shoes. I have 800 miles in mine and I think they could go on.
Definitely less fatigue when running.
Definitely less fatigue from one day to the next allowing you to either run more or run more back to back days.

The Bad:
Sizing is on the small side but once you know your size this isn't a problem. Go a size up for the Bondi B and a half size up for the Mafate.
They are expensive at £125 a pair BUT they have a 'select' market and when you look at the longevity, at 800 miles they last twice as long as conventional shoes.
I found them a little warm. The top is not as breathable as other brands.
The heel area can rub a little. I have had two pairs of Bondi B, one I had no problems with, the other rubbed at first but now is fine.
The sole wears very quickly. You notice a big difference after 120-150 miles but then they seem to get no worse. The sole is so thick it actually causes no issues.

Bondi B after 800+ miles




Mafate and Bondi B





The Mafate sole




In summary the Hoka One One in trail or road version has been a complete revelation to me. I have been using them for approximately 9 weeks and they are now the only shoe I use. Hoka are about to release a new shoe called the 'Combo XT' which will be a cross between the Mafate trail shoe and the Bondi B road shoe. I can't wait to try them!

I think the shoe will develop over the coming year. I can't see it changing much as for me the technology, comfort and feel is sound. I see adjustments being made to the fabric on the upper and maybe a change to the outer sole.

For other reading I recommend you check on You Tube for interesting videos, I also recommend you look at Karl Meltzers blog and Dave Mackeys blog. Both guys have won some very good races in 2011 wearing Bondi b's also Karl ran the 'Pony Express' in Hoka.

Mafate (black) and the Bondi B



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A memorable moment!

This was a special moment! I am actually in the video on the left wearing a 'White peak'.

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=GB#/watch?v=aEcBK9WPZuQ


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Comrades 2011

So, even an Icelandic Volcano couldn’t stop Niandi and myself making our trip to South Africa and the 86^th edition of the Comrades Ultra Marathon. However, 24 hours before our departure we were pretty worried. Scottish air space and been shut down and a certain American President decided to leave Ireland 24 hours early….. You can’t blame him for that though can you!

The threat of further disruption was a real worry. Our journey involved a flight from Manchester to Paris CDG, then a connecting flight from CDG to JoBurg followed by an internal SA flight from JoBurg to Durban. Because the ‘cloud’ was in the north of the UK, my emergency plan was to jump in the car, miss the Manchester flight and get over to Paris for the flight to JoBurg. As it happened on our departure day, Wednesday 25^th May, air space was declared clear for the UK. Phew….

I hadn’t quite appreciated how long our journey would take. Silly really as I booked the flights and it was obvious from the paperwork that we left the UK on Wednesday at around 1800 hrs and arrived in Durban at appx 1400 hrs the next day. We left our home midday, lunch stop en route, car park, transfer to airport, check in, kill time and then we were flying to Paris on schedule. The seat belt sign went off, quick drink, seat belt sign on and then before you know it we landed some 55 min later. Paris, it’s so close we should have run….

Our connecting flight from CDG was only at 23:20 so we had time for a relaxed dinner. When we arrived at the gate I was excited to see that we would be taking the Airbus A380. What a plane! Not only did we have a super plane for the journey but also it was probably only 50% full. This made the journey far more pleasurable. I actually managed to lift the armrests and make a bed; albeit a small one. But as Niandi keeps reminding me, “You are small” – at least in height anyway.

It would be nice to say that the flight was over in a flash but for all of you that have experienced long haul on the ‘red eye’ you know this is not the case. Broken sleep, dry atmosphere and despite being on one of the best planes in the world it was still pretty uncomfortable. On arrival at JoBurg, despite having checked our bags to ‘final destination’ we were told that we needed to collect our luggage and re check in for our internal SA flight to Durban. We had 2 hours so it shouldn’t be a problem. Luggage collected, quick jog to the transfer desk, check in, run to security making sure that we put our guns and knives in the relevant security boxes and before we knew it we where back in the air for the quick flight to Durban. Land, luggage, hire car and road…. Some 27 hours after leaving our home we arrived at our beachfront hotel in Durban. Our view was the Indian Ocean, blue skies and a wonderful South African winter heat!

No!

We had thunderstorms, torrential rain and an absolutely horrendous gale force wind. Niandi assured me that “this was most unusual’. Yeah right… a 55-mile ultra over a super hilly course with a 100mph head wind and torrential rain. Comrades may just well be the toughest ultra ever.

We unpacked, showered, rested for an hour or so and then headed to the Hilton Hotel for the International meet up. It is a casual affair in the hotel bar but well worth attending if you do the race in future years. I had planned to meet up with Marathon Talk friends, Martin Yelling and Tom Williams (plus partners and ruby Rose) and also meet other running friends such as Ian Sharman. A good friend of Niandis organized this running event, Might Mark Bloomfield plus Bruce Fordyce would be around for a natter.

Post the drinks Niandi and myself went to the revolving restaurant at the harbor. One of only 31 revolving restaurants in the world. It is a little run down inside but it serves good Italian food and the views are worth the trip. We had a lovely waitress called Princess. Niandi had a photo taken with her and we told her that we would send her a copy of the photo. She almost cried with happiness. Funny how such a simple gesture can make a persons day.

Despite a busy evening we managed to hit the sack before 10pm and slept like we hadn’t slept in weeks. We needed it. The race was less than 48 hours away.

We arrived at the race expo the next day to see a line of runners all waiting to register. Apparently it was taking over an hour to get to the front…. We bumped into Liz Yelling who had been getting coffee for Mart and Tom who like ‘perfect Brits’ were lining up in an orderly fashion. Niandi mentioned to Liz that International runners didn’t need to line up as we had our own registering point. Liz informed us that the computers had been down for a few hours and this why the wait was so long. Niandi wormed her way through the line and headed straight to the front…. I was now in that position thinking that we were being mischievous but also I didn’t want to question Niandi’s knowledge of the race; she has done it 12 times after all and 2011 was going to be the 13^th. At the front we saw a sign pointing right to ‘International Registration’ and of course no wait. Niandi gave me that ‘I told you so’ look and I then tried to contact Mart and Tom to inform them. For some reason I couldn’t get through on the mobile. We registered. I had a minor trauma in finding out that my number and timing chip was in Pietermaritzburg, the race finish. Apparently I must have ticked the wrong box on the entry form. No worries I was told, it would be sent down for collection later. We killed some time, chatted and drank Rooibos Tea. Some 30-40 min later Martin and Tom arrived. Those boys love a nice long queue.

The Comrades Expo surprised me. It was much larger than I expected. It was similar in size to say London or Paris Marathons. Having said that, Comrades is the biggest Ultra in the World so the expo should reflect that! We passed the ‘Newton’ stand; I stopped and then said to Niandi to look over her left shoulder. Niandi isn’t one for getting weak knees at seeing ‘celebrities’ but I am really pleased to have witnessed Niandi loose it completely and become a ‘groupie’ in the presence of Zola Budd. So funny to hear Niandi say, “I have followed your career for years and years, you are my heroine”. Funny. Very funny. It made Niandi’s day and I am so happy I was cheeky enough to ask for a photo.

We spent the afternoon relaxing and then in the evening we headed to the Runners World Pasta Party. We chose table 13 to coincide with Niandi’s 13^th run and met a great bunch of runners from the USA, Ireland, UK and Australia. It was a better than average pasta party with good food and a very funny comedian for entertainment. A good night.

Saturday came and we had less than 24 hours to go. An early morning 3 mile run to loosen off was made a little extra special with both Niandi and myself crossing paths with the Russian Twins. I stopped for a photo. Niandi did a ‘u’ turn and ran behind them trying to get in the photo; she failed!

I collected my number and chip at the expo. Always fatal, expos sap your energy and you see people aimlessly walking around for ages. Maybe they get comfort from the crowd and feeling part of atmosphere. Niandi wanted another quick look around…. Of course more stands and products will have appeared overnight; not! I wanted out and some calm and relaxation before tomorrows big day. We had a relaxed lunch, saw a few sights along the beachfront, ate pasta for dinner and then retired early in readiness for the 3am alarm that would awake us for the Comrades 2011 Ultra Marathon.

THE RACE

Prelude

The shrill of the alarm came and with it the realization of a long day ahead.

Niandi and myself had come prepared (as per usual) with instant porridge oats. Black coffee was made and then a very early breakfast was consumed. We needed to leave our room about 4:15 am to walk to the start so I lay back down and rested.

Race kit was put on and Vaseline was applied to all the areas that were prone to chaffing. I mean ALL areas. I was using a camel back for the race so that I could carry my chosen liquid and gels for the duration of the race. I like being in control and not leaving anything to chance. Had this been a trail ultra, the questions over using this system would not have been an issue but because this was a road ultra with excellent feed stations I did wonder if I was being over prepared.

We started our walk to the start. We walked along the beachfront and then took a right turn that would lead straight to City Hall on West Street. As we walked I became a little worried, this was a road that you wouldn’t normally walk down at 4:30am, however, we took comfort from seeing other runners. I was taking about the film ‘Zulu’ and the scene when thousands of Zulus arrived on a ridge banging shields and chanting at the British Soldiers at Rorkes Drift. Of course the film portrayed the battle of 1879 when 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to British Soldiers. One of who was Michael Caine – I had never realized he was that old! Not a lot of people know that….

I digress. Just as I finished the story approximately 30 + Zulu men walked out of a local hostel to our left. Now I know this all sounds to good to be true and that I am ‘glossing’ for literary purposes but just as the 2^nd Battalion and the 24^th Warwickshire regiment of Foot had faced up to the Amazulu people I thought this was my time to get a VC for UK runners. Some 10 meters behind I suddenly heard a loud cry and then in unison the 30+ men made the most beautiful noise I have ever heard. Covered in goose bumps and with a tear in my eye we made our way to do battle ‘as one’ against the enemy – the 54 miles between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is a moment I will never forget. For me, this musical procession to the start has left a greater impression than the race itself. It was magic.

Fighting our way into our respective pens, Niandi and I separated company. We would see each other at the end of the day. Niandi was in pen C and I was gladly in pen A at the front of the race, some 15000+ runners behind.

The second goose bump moment arrived with the South African anthem:

God protect Africa
Raise high its glory

Hear our prayers
God bless us, her children

God, we ask You to protect our nation
Intervene and end all conflicts
Protect us, protect our nation,
our nation, South Africa — South Africa.

Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.

The cockerel sounded and then we sang Shosholozza, a Ndebele folk song that originated in Zimbabwe. It is often referred to as South Africa’s second National Anthem.

Go forward

Go forward

on those mountains

train from Zimbabwe

Go forward

Go forward

You are running away

You are running away

on those mountains

train from Zimbabwe

Tears continued to roll down my cheeks. It is quite an incredible moment as ‘Chariots of Fire’ starts and then the gun. We were off!

Durban to Pietermaritzburg – The UP run

With the gunshot we moved forward with a cheer. It was 5:30am and still dark. What lay ahead was unknown to me. The only thing I was sure of was that the course was approximately 54 miles, we would finish in ‘PM’ at an altitude of 650m and that I would encounter ‘The Big Five’ en route. By the ‘Big Five’ I mean hills and not animals.

If you look at the course profile, the UP run is basically UP from start to finish with the first 30k without rest. I decided to forget pace targets and run on feel. Get to approximately 18 miles and then see how I feel.

I was amazed in the first 5k how many runners from groups B, C, D, E and F came running past me. Was I being over cautious or did they all know something I didn’t. I stuck my ground and run comfortable.

Running up the Berea Road to the summit at Tollgate it soon became apparent that this was no ordinary course. A brief decent doesn’t give any rest because you have been climbing for so long, in fact, the quads take a battering and then we start to head UP once again to the first of the Big Five – Cowies Hill.

Cowies is about 14k from the start and feeling fresh I maintained my effort level just easing off the pace a little for the increased incline. Here I meet a friend from the UK, David Ross. We have a chat and he kindly invites me to his Sisters for a Comrades Champagne Breakfast the following day. Sounded perfect! This early on in the race I didn’t find Cowies too hard. It is considered moderately difficult. Around me many started to walk. I heard one guy saying aloud “1 minute walk and then start running again for 9 min and repeat, come on, stick to the plan”. I looked at him – Green Number (means he had run 10 or more Comrades). I take a note and think to myself that this guy is on a strategy that he knows works. It’s a wise move. Stick to a plan early on and pay the dividends at the end! I honestly feel that Cowies needs to be respected purely from the point of view that by the team you reach it you have been running UP constantly from the start.

Down Cowies and I let myself go a little and relax into the downhill. I was cautious not to nail the down hills as this would obviously only impact on the legs and in particular the quads later on. I had purposely changed my running shoes some two months before Comrades to a new brand of shoe called Hoka One One. These shoes designed in France have been a revolution to my running. They may not be the best looking shoes on the market but the technology and the feel while running has proven to be a real plus for me. On the ‘downs’ the Hokas helped reduce the impact and provide a secure and stable foot bed from which to push on from.

At this point in the race my Camelback was irritating me. Why? Well in all previous runs over the 4- 6months leading to Comrades I had been wearing either long sleeve tops or short sleeve tops. At Comrades I wore a vest and of course the lack of fabric under the arm left the skin exposed and allowed the shoulder strap to rub. Fortunately the superb feed stations on the course had regular ‘Vaseline’ points so I made use of them to reduce the problem.

At 22k Fields Hill made it’s presence known. It rises 213m over 3km and it is a warning before Botha’s Hill.

I was still feeling pretty god here. I stuck to ‘feel’ and took the hill within my stride taking short steps and keeping my breathing easy. It would be nice to say that after Fields Hill you get some rest but unfortunately not. This is what makes Comrades so tough. You literally seem to get no flat…. You are either going up or down. Hillcrest arrives and you then have another decent. Botha’s Hill was shorter at around 2.5k long but by the time you reach the top you are nearing the half waypoint and the course is beginning to take its toll.

Another issue was my gels! After 30k I was sick of them. I don’t know why, maybe I was under more stress on the course than I thought or maybe it was the temperatures slowly increasing. Either way, my ‘self sufficient’ plan was proving pointless as I started to take water from the feeds, I used the food available form the relevant stations and I replaced my electrolytes with ‘Salt Tabs’. I am a heavy sweater so 1 tablet every hour is essential on long and hot races.

From the summit of Botha’s Hill it is a short but steep decent. Here many runners are starting to walk down hill. Yes, walk downhill. It is a clear sign that Comrades punishes you.

Through Alverstone and suddenly we are being offered a rose to lie at ‘Arthurs Seat’. Arthur’s Seat is a niche cut into a wall. Apparently Arthur Newton, five times winner of Comrades used to sit here for a rest when out running. Comrade’s tradition says that if you leave the flower as a greeting to Mr. Newton you will have a good second half of the race. I wasn’t aware of this and I am pretty sure that I pissed Arthur off when I gave it to a very nice lady sat at the side of the road. Still, it made her and me smile.

I arrived at ‘Drummond’ in approximately 3:51 feeling tired but not jaded. I was on the home straight now or so I thought. Inchanga is the kick in the face immediately after half way and a stern reminder that the home straight comes with a lot of effort. I walk / run up this hill sticking to a formula that I often use in hilly trail races. I have no problem walking in any ultra when the need arises. In-fact, I often find that I get better times when using this strategy.

My pre race nutrition strategy was out of the window and I was craving solid food and not sweet, sticky gel. Biscuits and a chocolate/ nougat type sweet did the trick and I found this far more palatable for the remainder of the race. The water provided on the course is in sachet form and ice cold. Pepsi was on offer and although I would have loved a drink I knew that I had to wait to the latter stages before I started getting a ‘kick’ from the sugary stuff.

Crowd support throughout the race was superb and being recognized as an ‘International’ runner created even more support. “Welcome to our Country’ was a constant shout from the sidelines. Families would be cooking at the side of the road, drinking a few ‘tinnies’ and basically having a superb day out watching some 16,000 people suffer.

We passed the Ethembeni School for handicapped children. The children lined the road all of them either seated or in wheel chairs. Big white teeth shone brightly and they smiled and cheered as I ran past. It is a sobering moment. Any pain in the legs suddenly goes when you realize that you are doing something that none of these children can do. I ‘high fived’ as many as I could trying not to miss anyone out. A deep breath and I pushed on.

Why did I give that rose to that woman? Arthur was pissed off and he obviously decided that NOW was the time to turn the screw. The irony is that in terms of course profile the final 30k is more ‘runnable’. The problem is your legs are trashed from the previous 60k. Therefore you just have to grit your teeth and manage your effort as best you can. I was running the downs and at this stage mostly walking the ups with a jog and walk as required on the flats. It isn’t really how I had planned to do the race but you do what you can on the day and make the most of what you have. I was well aware that whatever tough time I was having that I was still in the first 10% of the field so I had nothing really to moan about…. Well, apart from the fact that my legs felt like they belonged to someone else!

I grabbed a Pepsi. Wow, cold and with an ice cube in it! How fantastic. I can’t explain that feeling of the cold and bubbles hitting the mouth and throat when both are dry and needing refreshment. It was so good I take another being careful not too let too much cold onto my stomach. I push on thinking that I only have just over a half marathon to go. A lady at the side of the road comes towards me with a tray of delights. I stop and get confused by the buffet on offer. I jokingly say that she has provided me with too much choice. I notice a slice of bread with a layer of peanut butter on top. Perfect I think. I take the tasty morsel, thank the lady and walk on inserting the snack into my mouth….

My dry, parched mouth!

Peanut butter sticks to the roof of my mouth, the bread sticks to my tongue and I spend a good minute doing some sort of mouth dance trying to release what should have been a pleasurable experience. Lesson learnt. Peanut butter and dry mouths definitely don’t go together.

Little Polly’s is ahead, not one of the Big Five but it may as well be at this stage. To be honest, speed bumps in the road are considered a formidable challenge when your legs are so road weary. Then ‘Polly Shorts’ arises in front at 80km. The last of the Big Five hills. At this point in the race it is a brute. I don’t attempt to run it. I set myself in my power walk and aim to get to the top as quickly as possible. This hill is often considered the make or break point even for the front-runners. It is about 2km in length (it felt much longer). Altitude here is 737m and while it is not the highest point on the course it doesn’t matter. A hill like this at 50 miles is tough. A woman at the top tells me it’s all-downhill from here… bloody liar! She may not have considered the following lumps as hills but I bloody did. The end was in sight. The crowds, the street parties, the feed stations all rallied to make the final 5 miles a great experience.

In the final mile I could see the light towers of the cricket oval. Boy was that a long last mile. The road narrowed, the barriers closed in and suddenly I was on grass. Entering the stadium I realized that every single person who made the oval that afternoon was a winner. It’s not about time; it’s the journey that counts. A 100m from the line my calf went into spasm and I had to stop and stretch it off before continuing to cross the line in 8:39:41 for a comfortable Bill Rowan medal.

I exited the finish shoot and made my way to the International tent to wait for other friends and of course Niandi. I sat with Ian Sharman, he had been hoping for a top 10 finish after a stunning 6:01 run in 2010. By his standards he had an ‘off’ day with a 6:25. Wish I could have an off day like that… Ian felt he was over trained. He had been trying to balance Comrades training with training for the Western States 100 in some 5 weeks after the South African race.

Watching the screens and seeing the joy and the pain on every runners face made me realize why this is called the ‘Ultimate Human Race’. It is London Marathon but over double the distance and over terrain that is brutal; stunning. Niandi finished pretty much dead on 10 hours and considering some pre race injury issues both Niandi and myself were very happy with the outcome. This left our good friends Tom & Martin out on the course. It soon became obvious that they were having issues. To be honest, trying to run an ultra in a group, even a small group of 2 of 3 causes big issues. The main problem is that you don’t only have your bad patches but you also have everyone else’s! Martin had some real problems early in the race with his stomach and also a recurring knee issue. In true ultra fashion the guys zipped up the man suits and gritted teeth together to finish in less than 11 hours. After crossing the line they both expressed how difficult and brutal they had found the course. They give a good account of the race via the Marathon Talk podcast available on iTunes or at : www.marathontalk.com

At the front of the field, first across the line was Stephen Muzhingi in a quite ridiculous 5:32:45. Of course the Russian twins, Elena & Oleysa Nurgalieva lead home the womens field in 6:24:11 but snapping at the heels was Kami Semick from the US less than 2 mins behind. Notably we had two British ladies, Ellie Greenwood and Lizzie Hawker in the top 10.

Post Race

The race over Niandi and myself escaped to the quiet of Durban and a hearty dinner. You must replace those calories…. and then compensate for the 2 or 3 meals you missed during the day.

On reflection, I ran the race to the best of my ability, I always do. The course surprised me and armed with knowledge of the race I would do some very specific training runs to adapt myself to the demands the Comrades course brings. I was told prior to this year’s race that you need to run Comrades to know how to run it. I would agree with that. Next year is the down run and therefore a whole new set of demands will be called upon in the race. I plan to go back and get my back-to-back medals and become a true Comrade. Of course that will then mean that I need to come back in 2014 and do the UP run again…. Well, I know the course now so surely I must be able to run quicker!

The holiday

The following seven days were spent on holiday. No running just relaxing and good times. It was my first visit to Africa and most definitely not my last. Pretty sure you don’t want to read about our visit to the Drakensberg Mountains, the smallest church in the world, the lion park, crocodile city or me asking Victor Matfield (Springbok vice captain) for his autograph. Have a look at he story in pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/runwild.runfree.uk/SouthAfrica2011

Here is my Garmin Profile from the race: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/91901987