Comrades Marathon 2024: Final training, race strategy and the shoe conundrum
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- Опубліковано 16 чер 2024
- Hey people, with two weeks to go until the Comrades Marathon 2024 Up run,. I’m dropping in with a little update on final training and kit prep, along with some thoughts on my Comrades Up Run race strategy and tried and tested running shoes that are on the shortlist for the race.
CUT TO THE CHASE:
0:00 - Intro
0:51 - The Comrades Marathon Up Run Explained
1:31 - Training update
2:49 - Comrades race strategy
3:31 - The shoes shortlist
Check this out:
What it's like to run your first Comrades Marathon
• The Comrades Marathon ...
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/ manvmiles - Спорт
Also going for my back to back. The Nimbus 25's were great for me last year so bought another pair for this one. I have a feeling it will be hot this year so will be happy to finish. Love your videos on your experience here. You should add Two Oceans to your bucket list, more beautiful... and arguably tougher.
Good luck with your back to back! I’ll be happy to finish, too. Anything better is a bonus. I’ve thought about Two Oceans. Might have to make that one next time!
Attempting my 1st Comrades between 10 and 11 Hour target time.......Asics Gel Nimbus 26 for that cushioning.....to be honest i'm quite scared of the huge amount of klimbing i stay in a allmost flat part of South-Africa did not get in the amount of strength training i would have liked but i am going to give the Comrades a shot to try and finish the race.....hope to see you there take Care
Good luck for your first mate. We'll get it done. No doubt about it. Run with the head up that hill nice and easy and then run with the heart for the rest and we'll get the job done.
The excitement of Comrades build-up is just about ready to bubble over here in SA. Can't wait to line up for my first up run this year. I'm sure you will comfortably earn another Bill Rowan this year Kieran. In fact, with your sub-3 marathon you could even be a silver medal contender according to lots of the traditional Comrades time calculations. Best of luck! My personal goal is 9:30, which will probably be a stretch for me but I am to give it a proper go.
Thanks Matt. Can’t wait either. And best of luck for your goal. I figure whatever time I cross that line in, it’ll still be special.
I’m here for this!!!! Will be watching the whole journey sir!
Thanks fella. Good to have you in my corner for this. I’ll be there for your Mara too mate.
Sure you in Durban...my 1st Comrades...Ghost Max for me...All the best...
See you there! And good choice of shoe I think. Comfort for the long haul. All the best for your taper!
I got my back to back medal yesterday and ran in my ASICS superblast which were amazing. Last years down run I ran in the Novablast 3 which were also great.
Congrats on getting your back to back. Feels good doesn’t it? 💪👍
@@Manvmiles super happy
Looking good, Kieran! Looking forward to seeing your vids and following again!
Curious about the Ghost Mac and about the 2 tracking rings you’re wearing. I’ve been wearing actual watches lately so hoping to find an alternate tracking device.
Thanks mate. Feels good to be back making vids again for this channel. Ghost Max is heavier and more cushioned but I think still has a bit of snap to it for my middling to slower pace. The protection and comfort is what draws me to it for this race. I don't need foot fatigue at mile 40. I've been doing a really in depth side by side test of the Oura 3 and the Ultrahuman. Oura by far the better ring. I'm not convinced anyone needs a smart ring though.
HEY Kieran, nice to see you again!! Not at all surprised for most of those shoes, though I did raise my eyebrows a bit at the Ghost Max... a shoe I've been very curious about , so it's nice to know that it has enough energy return to at least include in your short-list, however I'm thinking you won't end up choosing it possibly for exactly that reason, not quite enough energy return in fact! Very curious to see!! AND if you'll also choose a backup shoe too, just in case!! 2 weeks are gonna fly by, you must be starting to feel the nerves a bit! I'm feeling slightly nervous myself 'cause tomorrow I've got a trail marathon with 1200m elevation gain, certainly my biggest to date, so that's gonna hurt!!😬😆😃
Hi Bev, good luck for the run tomorrow. You'll be brilliant. Just drink it all in.
Good luck, Kieran!
thanks Jon 👍
Thank you for the video Manvmiles and all the best to your Uprun. You will get your Bill Rowan. I am also aiming for that and I have 4 Comrades medals and this is my second Up run.. I will be using the Nike Invincible 3 for Comfort..I have tested it on the 50km.run and I never felt so fresh after running 50km.
Thanks for the support. And congrats on your four runs so far. That’s amazing. Are you going for your Green?
Also going for my back to back this year, all the best mate.
Awesome. Hope to see you out there on that big old hill 😂 All the best mate
I've done 11 total Comrades. Race number 31166!
I'm a slow runner but have done relatively ok-ish...
My tip is to fully appreciate those hills in the first half of the race! They can destroy your day! The up-Comrades is a race of two halves, for sure! Take the first half slow and easy, relative to your predicted finish time, as the up-run should be a negitive split, meaning your second half should be slightly quicker than your first half! If you go too fast in the first half, your second can turn out to be a disaster!!!
Also, do not forget Inchanga, the hill following the halfway mark. It's a tuff bugger! Take it easy here as you know there is lots of relatively easy km's following that hill. You will still be climbing slowly up to the highest point, which is at about 18km to go.
Always leave some guts and motivation for the two tuff and brutal hills to come. These are "little" Polly's and Polly's itself. Do not be fooled by "Little-Polly's", as many first time up-runners are mislead by its steep gradient, thinking it is polly's, but it is not! This misleading hill is steep and short, only about 600 or so meters long, with a sharp gradient that can hurt those legs. It comes at about 12km to go.
Also, remember that from after Inchanga, at halfway, there are a few steepish hills without names! Be prepared!
At about 10.5km to go, you'll meet the hill you ran down without thinking in 2023. The dreaded Polly Shorts!!
This time around it will be a totally different experience, and that is a fact!!! Polly's is brutal, and long, at about 2.1km and relatively steep. It's gradient, after having completed about 80km's, is not pleasant and can be a real killer. TAKE IT EASY here! Your race is nearly complete, do not end it here by trying to proof how tuff you are only to end your race with only 8km's to go!!!
From polly's onwards there is not much to worry about, and it is time to tell yourself that this year's up-run is now just about done, all you need to do is grind it out! It is yours for the taking!
Enjoy this easy 8km to the end, with only one or so small stings in the tail, you'll be at the Scottsville Racecourse in no time! Ready to be overwhelmed by that indescribable feeling of accomplishment and euphory of having done it, again!!!
I wish you all the best!
This is such useful advice . Thanks very much for taking the time to share it. Hope to see you on the road!
I'm from Cape Town SA, running my 1st Comrades, I will be using my Asics Nimbus26 🇿🇦
Amazing. You're in for such an epic experience. Last year was my first and it below me away. Think the Nimbus will bring the comfort for this race.
Going for my first comrades this year, aiming for sub 9, all the best for your race amd greetings from SA!
Nice one Nick. You're in for a cracking experience no matter what happens. Hopefully see you out there!
Hey Kieran - I'll be travelling with Marathon Tours to do my first Comrades this year, in part after watching you last year. Done more hills then I've ever done (living somewhere flat doesn't help) but a bit worried it won't be enough. Can't do too much about it now! Saucony Tempus for me and I also got those CimAlp shorts which are great.
Hi Tim, I'm on the MT tour as well so it'll be good to see you out there. I'm in the same boat about the hills. But we'll just have to eat what's on our plate, run sensibly and we'll be good. Glad you like the CimAlp shorts. I love them.
Running the up run is hard. Take it easy in the 1st half and push in the 2nd half.
I've done about 1600kms since Jan. Mostly on hills.
Let's do this...
Thanks for the tip. That’s my plan. Apart from the push in the second half bit 😂
see u on the starting line up champ !
Fanastic! See you there!
Wish you the best, I know you got this! Off note I thought you might pick an Asics shoe Novablast or Superblast ? 🤔😉 looking forward to your updates and feedback on training and race. Again best of luck, I know you got this 🤙🏽
Thanks. I’ll give it my best out there. I’ve not run in the Superblast but I think the Novablast 4 has potential for this race. Just not one I’d personally go for.
Hi Kieran,
Thank you for the update. This year, I will be running my first Comrades. Initially, I was planning to run with the Saucony Speed 4’s. However, I have found that they do not provide sufficient underfoot protection on runs longer than 90 minutes. Therefore, I have made the decision to use Asics Novablast 4. They are not too heavy, quite stable, and offer lots of firm cushioning.
Wishing you all the best with your taper and hoping to see you in Durban.
Regards,
Matti
Novablast 4 will be a good shoe for this. All the best for your final weeks Matti and hope to see you out there.
I’m running in the ASICS Superblast this year (No Adidas Prime X Strung for me this year! 😂) Hope to bump into you again during the race 👊🏻
Hi Dino, I’ve not tried the Superblast but from what I know that seems like a solid choice. Hope to see you somewhere out there mate. All the best for your taper.
You're far more likely to a faster time in the up than the down, this is what experience has taught me. All things being equal on race day, you can easily dip under 8:30. Goodluck. See you on the road.
Thanks for the positivity. I need this! Good luck to you too mate and hope to see you out there.
Go get it Kieran! Next big race is the Taupo 70 in October. I’m going to do most of my long training runs leading up to it in my Saucony Peregrine 13’s so I can save my Speedgoats. Would love to get more shoes but now’s not the time.
Thanks very much. Is Taupo 70 70 miles?
@@Manvmiles 70km. Working my way up to 100km but not there yet! Maybe Tarawera next year.
I'm using New Balance 1080v12. Very comfortable
Nice one Sammy. A good choice.
Just train the hills, elevation. Good luck. Short distance this your.
Thanks.
Adidas Adios pro 3 or Saucony ride 17 one of those two will be my comrades shoe.
Two very different shoes. One says “I’m gonna take this on”. The other says “we’re running this conservative”. I approve of both 💪👍
Had a feeling you’d have the endorphin speeds in your lineup ! Curious have you ever seen anybody running in their bare feet or minimalistic shoes at Comrades ?
I don't recall lasy year seeing any completely bare feet runners but I know people who've done races like this in Vibram Fivefingers.
their are quiet a few who have run bare foot before. Their was a guy in my club in 2018 who ran bare foot..
1st uprun, I'll use Novablast 4.
We're in the same boat! Novablast 4 should do a good job out there. Best of luck!
I thought the saucony endorphin shift 3 would've been the best fit?
Lots of shoes could fit the bill but not run much in those.
Im a Skechers dude.
Which ones?
@@Manvmiles Skechers Men's Go Run Razor Excess 2. Last year i ran 7:26 in the Skechers Men's Go Run Razor Excess
Botha's hill the worst.
I've not even looked at the names of the hills. Going to eat what's on my plate!!