SOME SUPERSTITIONS DO WORK

I’m not a superstitious person. I’ll walk under a ladder, and I’ll stroke a black cat that crosses my path. I hardly notice Friday 13th and I would happily sit in seat in seat 13 on a plane if there was one. I eat the chicken on a wishbone, and I always forget to make a wish.
But I would never dare forget to greet Arthur Newton as I run past Arthur’s seat in the Comrades marathon.
Arthur “Greatheart” Newton was the first multiple winner of the Comrades marathon. He won the race 5 times between 1922 and 1927 and set new course records on 5 occasions. In addition, in his travels around the world, he won many races and set world records for 50 miles, 100 miles and 24 hours. He also won the first London to Brighton race in 1951. He started running at the relatively late age of 38 and ran his first Comrades in 1922 to publicize his outrage at a land dispute he had with the government at the time. He is considered the father of modern marathon running and his book on running simply called “Running by Arthur F.H. Newton” is still studied as a classic source of reference. He championed L.S.D. running (Long slow distance) as his favourite method of training.
In his heyday Newton would often train on the Comrades route, running prodigious distances at LSD pace but legend has it that on his training runs just after the halfway point of Comrades (Drummond Village) he would pause to gaze at the spectacular view of the Valley of a thousand Hills. Newton, an inveterate pipe smoker, would call for his pipe and sit in a hollowed out makeshift chair in a rock face and contemplate the magnificent valley with its sacred Table Mountain and the mighty Umgeni River snaking its way through the mountains. Sadly, parts of this fable must be a myth because it is impossible to see the Valley of a 1000 Hills from Newton’s rock face seat. But nonetheless the myth has grown in stature, has inevitably been embellished, and is now entrenched in Comrades folklore.
On race day runners passing Arthur’s Seat are expected to throw a flower at the seat, which is clearly designated by a sign and a small brick monument. (By the end of the day the day the monument is covered with a great bower of discarded flowers.)
But it is not enough to just toss a flower at Arthur’s Seat. Every passing runner is then expected to doff their cap and greet Newton with the words “Good morning, Arthur”. Failure to do so, the superstition warns, will result in catastrophe in the second half of the race for any disrespectful runners.
However, Arthur Newton’s ghost will smile benevolently on those do remember to respect the great man and greet him. A happy and successful journey to the finish in the second half of the race is then guaranteed.
I never wanted to put the superstition to the test and so even in the heat of battle I would never forget to doff my cap and shout, “Good morning Arthur” Sometimes to the bewilderment of the uninformed runners around me.
Amazingly I’ve never really had a bad run!
It seems to me that the ceremony at Arthur’s Seat is more ritual than superstition and the ritual helps to remind runners that this is the most famous ultra-marathon in the world and that this really matters. It helps to focus the mind and gird the loins for the challenge of the second half of the race.
Some runners might argue that the start of the race with its traditional ceremony of the national anthem, Shosholoza, Chariots of fire and Max Trimborn’s cockerel call is a superstitious sending off. But I believe that the start is a ritual which prepares runners for the great battle ahead.
Alan Robb’s famous red socks are a superstition. Alan would never start without them. Gerda Steyn tells me she wears a charm bracelet on her wrist. My friends Sue and Cherry also indulge in superstition. Sue must paint her toenails red and must put her left shoe on first on race morning. Cherry waxes her arms. (She believes it makes her faster.)
Mike wears his shorts inside out because he unintentionally wore them that way when he once ran an outstanding race.
The lesson for Comrades runners appears to be don’t change whatever works for you, but most importantly don’t forget to greet Arthur Newton at Arthurs Seat.
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“Jissie dis ver” (Jeez it’s far) Zola Budd muttered under her breath as we ran shoulder to shoulder down the Berea. We were grinding our way through the last few kilometres of the 2012 Comrades marathon and both of us were hanging on desperately and counting down the last few kilometres to the finish at Kingsmead stadium.
“Vasbyt Zola” I replied, “ons is amper daar.” (Hang on Zola, we’re nearly there)
Zola was running her first Comrades marathon; I was running my 30th, but in the 3 hours or so that I spent running alongside her I learnt so much from this genius of long-distance running. I learnt most about how to overcome an immense barrier, a mountain of a task. Zola reminded me that you eat an elephant one bite at a time.
But I digress, let me start at the beginning and explain how Zola and I came to be running together at the end of the 2012 Comrades marathon.
Earlier that year there had been a wave of excitement and a buzz of anticipation when Zola Budd’s Comrades entry arrived at Comrades house.
Her manager, Ray de Vries, caused a sensation when he announced that the twice World cross country champion, and multiple world record holder had decided to take a major leap into the unknown and had decided to run the World’s most famous ultramarathon. Zola’s entry was the major story of that year’s race.
As a friend and admirer of Zola’s I immediately agreed when Ray asked if I would appear in a couple of press publicity photos at Durban’s Kings Park athletics stadium. The photo shoot was largely uneventful except for one exceptional moment. Zola had been quiet and modest as she always is, but she asked one favour of the photographer. Standing on the right red tartan track she said to the photographer,
“Please take one photograph of me standing here “
When we enquired why she wanted that photograph she replied,
“Because I set a world junior record here a few years ago.”
We were stunned into respectful silence.
A few weeks later, on race morning I wished Zola luck in the early morning chill at the start of the race, and we went our separate ways. That was the last I saw of her for several hours. Her starting pace was considerably bolder than mine. But at Winston Park with about 30 kilometres to run I rounded a bend to see a slightly crestfallen Zola walking towards the distant finish.
I remember thinking.
“Cheeky little imp, what does she think she is doing running ahead of me for 60 kms. Isn’t she aware of my Comrades C.V.”
I shot straight past her with an encouraging grunt and a nod, but I had run some 200 metres or so when it suddenly struck me.
This was the marketing opportunity of a lifetime, and I was about to ignore it.
Acknowledging that my winning days were long gone, I muttered to myself.
“If you’re not going to win the race “I muttered to myself, then finishing with Zola is a brilliant alternative.”
Zola accepted my offer of race companionship.
And so, we ran together sharing the journey to Kingsmead stadium. Zola is wonderful Comrade’s companion. She doesn’t engage in irritating conversation, in fact she is a lady of few words, she doesn’t bump or wonder into her companions running space, she shares water, and she is happy to walk when the hill is ridiculously steep. And with one exception that day she doesn’t get grumpy.
Watching Zola running was a delight. She has a unique, elbows out, efficient running style but watching her tackle the task of eating the Comrades elephant like a seasoned veteran was even more inspiring. Despite my 30 Comrades runs and hundreds of marathons I was still a student of our sport watching Zola break the race down into chewable chunks and bite-able bits. She ignored distance markers until there were just 10 kilometres to run. “What’s next Bruce, “she would enquire.
“The descent of Fields Hill Zola” I would reply.
“Right let’s get that done.”
And now Bruce?
“Cowie’s Hill Zola”
“Great, let’s get that monster behind us.”
And so, we continued until we had just 10 kilometres to run. But the 10km. distance board was missing, and then I witnessed Zola’s only grumpy moment that morning.
“Where’s the 10km. board” she exploded.
“Relax Zola, it has fallen over, or it’s been stolen. We will see the 9km. board around the corner. “
“How do you know?” she angrily replied “Oh sorry, of course you know. Now its less than my morning training run to the finish.”
And a little later.
“5 kilometres to go. That’s my favourite distance.”
And so, we finished in Kingsmead stadium together in a little over 8 hours and hundreds of spectators gave Zola a thoroughly deserved standing ovation. That shared Comrades journey remains one of my most treasured Comrades memories.
It would be remiss of me not to mention that two years later, unencumbered by my presence Zola ran the down comrades over an hour faster, and finished 7th overall and first veteran lady.
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I can still hear the late Don Oliver’s calming words delivered in his charming cockney accent.
“Don’t you worry Comrades novices you’re going to be alright. You’ve got Don Oliver’s pacing chart and his wise words to guide you home.”
How I miss him. For nearly 40 years Don, and fellow Rocky Road Runners coach Dennis “tombstones” Tabakin advised novices at monthly training panel discussions. I was often an invited guest speaker at these evening talks, and I was privileged to watch these two experts help hundreds of novices take their first tentative steps on their Comrades journeys. Then months later Don and Dennis would help them complete those journeys. The Rocky Novice panel talks were so popular that every talk was jam-packed, and even experienced runners and Comrades veterans attended.
Don introduced every meeting with the same words.
“And where are we now novices?” If it was November, 9 months before Comrades, he would calmly reply to his own question.
“we’re slowly building our training base and we’re about to run our first half marathon, our journey has begun.”
But 9 months later you could hear a pin drop in the lecture hall as he uttered the same words.
“AND WHERE ARE WE NOW?”
“We’re about to run the Comrades marathon. The great day is upon us. “
But Don knew that his novices were ready and excellently prepared. Armed with his pacing chart, which was cleverly calculated to factor in the sharp descents and climbs of Comrades, and with the wise words of the two coaches ringing in their ears they did indeed have nothing to worry about
Before wishing his novices well on race day, Don shared these last pearls of wisdom with them, and his words still echo in my mind.
“Keep moving forward novices, on race day don’t ever stop moving forward.”
“Remember the race is gun to gun. Once you hear the starting gun the clock will be running and unfortunately those of you in the rear of the field, in batches E, F, G and H will not be running. In fact, for a few frustrating minutes you won’t even be moving.
You will probably lose up to 15 minutes at the start of the race. Once you get started, I want you to promise yourselves that everything you do on race day will be a step in the direction of the finish line. Never stop moving forward. If you make that solemn promise to yourselves, you will succeed.”
“There is no problem with walking.” He would continue, “You can walk long stretches of the Comrades marathon without losing too much time. You can even walk quite slowly. Most of the major hills in the second half are so steep that they are almost considered compulsory walks. There is no disgrace in walking up Inchanga, Cowie’s Hill, 45th Cutting or Tollgate hill. Occasionally gold medallists walk on those monster hills.
There will, however, be many temptations to delay you along the way.
Old friends standing at the side of the road will call out to you and you’ll be tempted to. have a catch-up chat and exchange phone numbers. Enjoy that chat, exchange phone numbers but do it on the move. Make those friends walk with you. Keep moving forward. Spectators will generously offer you boerie rolls, drinks, even ice-cold beers. Take whatever you fancy but don’t stop moving forward. Define fast food, eat on the move.
Somewhere in shady Kloof a tall, leafy Natal Mahogany tree will offer tempting cool shade to sit under. Avert your eyes, walk on.
And then there are the dreaded massage stations. Positioned cruelly to tempt every tired runner to linger awhile and get some attention for aching, cramping legs. “
“I know why you will want that massage, “Don would tease. “You won’t really need a massage, you will just want someone to love you, someone to offer you a little tenderness as you struggle through the last kilometres of the race.”
Think about it carefully. You will probably have to stand in a queue and await your turn. You will lose much precious time at that massage station. And those masseurs and physiotherapists don’t really want to massage your sweat stained, Vaseline dripping, oily, Coca-Cola sticky legs. Do yourselves and the physiotherapists massive favours , move on, keep going.”
“And finally,” Don would tease “We are all Don and Denis’s Rocky novices, we finish with heads held high, in complete control as we will have been all day. We don’t collapse with relief into our father’s arms like Fordyce. We will have had nothing to worry about all day. We finish with dignity. “
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“The reason you beat me in the 'Comrades Marathon', Bruce”, Hoseah Tjale once remarked, “Is that I start cramping with 10 kilometres to go in the race and you start cramping with 5 kilometres to go. While I’m fighting cramps in those critical few kilometres, you run away from me.”
Hoseah (“Hoss”) Tjale, for those who don’t know, was one of South Africa’s marathon and ultra-distance runners’ stars in the 1980s and early 1990s. With his seemingly awkward loping running style and his trade-mark floppy hat he left an indelible mark on the running scene in those days. Boasting an impressive marathon p.b. of 2:18, Hoseah won most of South Africa’s major ultras at that time; Two Oceans, City to City 50km, Korkie 56km (Twice) and, for good measure, the London to Brighton marathon in 1985. (In that race he famously stopped under Brighton’s historic arched viaduct thinking it was the finish line, until a spectator yelled at him to keep on running because the actual finish line lay a couple of kilometres further down the road on the Brighton beach front.) Only the Comrades marathon title eluded him. Despite 9 gold medals and 6 results inside the top 4 finishers he just couldn’t manage to win our great race. Having run many hard-fought kilometres alongside Hoss in Comrades I can vouch for how doggedly he fought. Perhaps he was correct. I would slip away up the road while he was assailed by cramps.
Certainly, his observation about his cramping handicap was no feeble excuse. On more than one occasion I saw him grit his teeth and grab his hamstrings while running alongside me, and his “poleaxed - rigid -cramping-backwards -tumble” on the finish line of the 1983 Comrades is immortalised in the film footage of that race.
It seems that Hoseah is not alone in his past battles against cramps. The dreaded cramps seem to be a common foe and a major concern for many hundreds of runners, particularly for Comrades runners. Every year the television broadcast eloquently records runners clutching their hamstrings, “pushing over lamp posts” and begging random spectators to massage their stricken legs. It is a heart-breaking sight as every cramping athlete represents a Comrades dream evaporating.
There are as many theories about the causes of cramps as there are runners.
- Poorly trained, unfit and inadequately prepared runners are obvious victims of cramps.
- Hot, dry weather and dehydration increase the risks of cramps (I am reminded of the dreaded 2013 Berg Wind - Comrades Marathon race where hundreds of runners were cramping from early on in the race.)
- Many runners believe a shortage of minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium can lead to cramping.
- And finally, there appears to be a genetic component to cramping. Hoseah hinted at that factor when he confided in me.
So, what’s to be done about this problem.
- First try not to stop, do not push over a lamp post or beg a spectator for a massage. I’ve found that stopping is an open invitation for a massive attack of rigor mortis.
- We can train harder and longer. Those long slow weekend runs help our muscles adapt to many hours of running.
- Sponging the troublesome muscles with cold water can help. I definitely don’t recommend Alexei Volgin’s ad hoc acupuncture during the latter stages of the 1999 Comrades Marathon down run. He tore the pins from his racing number and stabbed his muscles with those pins to try and ease his cramping muscles.
- Changing our running style while still moving always helps. We can try striding out or shortening our stride. We can imitate 'Daffy Duck' for a few paces, running with our feet splayed outwards, or we can try becoming 'Percy Pigeon' running with our toes pointing inwards. This may look ridiculous, and can elicit sniggers from the spectators but it is effective.
- Finally remember the genetic component at which Hoseah hinted. Choose your parents carefully.!!
It’s a blessing that I’m writing this article now and not back in the 1980s because I would have hated Hoseah Tjale to have Daffy-Ducked his way past me on his way up Polly Shortts en route to a Comrades win!
I had the good fortune to catch up with ‘Hoss” after many years, at last year’s Comrades marathon where he was fittingly a guest of honour. He looked well and had put on a little weight (Haven’t we all) He told me he still jogs a little but doesn’t run any races. At the end of our chat. He gave me a warm hug and laughed “Those cramps Bruce.! If only….
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Glued into one of my old scrapbooks are some faded dog-eared newspaper articles of the 1978 Comrades marathon. That year I ran my second Comrades Marathon and my first down run. To be honest I kept these articles because my 14th place finish meant my name appeared in those newspapers that published the first 20 finishers. Fame at last! One photograph in that scrapbook, however, always catches my eye. It’s a faded black and white photo of Alan Robb’s head poking out from above a shower door. Clearly, he is enjoying a shower in Durban’s famous Kingsmead stadium. Alan’s running vest is also captured in the photo. It dangles from a towel rack with Alan’s Comrades number, 1704 still pinned to it.
But it’s the caption on the photograph that grabs one’s attention.
“Race winner Alan Robb enjoys his shower and no one else has finished the race!”
The 1978 Comrades was Alan’s greatest run, and indeed one of the greatest Comrades runs ever witnessed. He simply made the 1978 Comrades his own. His 5;29;14 finishing time made him the first runner to break the magical 5;30 barrier. That year second place finisher “dancing” Dave Wright” was 20 minutes behind Alan. And in 14th place I was just discarded flotsam and jetsam over 40 minutes adrift of Alan.
As we look back nearly half a century later it is the sheer uncomplicated simplicity of Alan’s win that stands out. In this modern era where our sport is often overcomplicated, and every detail requires analysis, it is fascinating to learn how Alan’s approach was just “to get on with it. Train hard, race hard”
In early January 1978 Alan Robb started training in earnest. Wearing old Tiger Bostons with a thin rubber sole he trained “helluva” hard until the end of May, raced a couple of long races including the Two Oceans and Korkie ultras and declared himself ready a few days before race day.
Alan flew down to Durban on the afternoon before the race. (His return airfare to Durban was a hefty R45) He stayed with friends who also seconded him the following day. He then walked across the road to the restaurant at which he always dined and ordered his usual cheeseburger and chips and two Castle lagers.
On race morning he drank a cup of coffee, pulled on his now worn and battered Tiger Bostons and his Gemiston Callies running gear and lined up at the start. His tactics were simple; he ran ‘helluva hard” until he reached Kingsmead stadium. ( 5 hours and 29 minutes later). On the way he drank flat coke and water. After the race he had a few more beers.
It is interesting to contrast Alan Robb’s simplistic, minimalist approach to his racing in the 1970’s (He won 4 Comrades marathons and earned 12 top ten gold medals) with the modern highly complicated science racing has become. Every serious runner now has a specialist coach who advises and recommends training schedules. Alan was self-coached. Modern runners also rely on a variety of gadgets. They own smart devices and watches. They race with pacing charts and heart monitors to gauge their pace. (“I didn’t need a device to tell me I was stuffed while climbing a hill Bruce”. Or a smart watch. I used an old wristwatch and put the big hand on the twelve and the little hand on the six when the gun fired to start the race.”) In stark contrast to Alan’s flat coke and water runners now use special gels and energy bars, recovery shakes and protein mixtures to speed their journeys. The old Tiger Bostons have been replaced by state-of-the-art shoes with air, gels and carbon fibre plates. All deeply admirable and exciting scientific advances but it’s interesting to note that last year’s race was won in a time a little under a minute slower than Alan’s 1978 triumph.
Of course, modern progress and advanced technologies are to be welcomed and we all make grateful use of them. I wish we had these wonderful aids back in the 1970s and 80s. I would have especially valued a coach. (It certainly makes one wonder what time Alan might have run had he enjoyed the benefits of our modern support systems.)
But Alan’s 1978 Comrades presents a strong argument for simplicity, for not overthinking things and for just getting on with it.
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Last Sunday’s epic 42nd running of the London Marathon reminded me that I once ran the London Marathon with Gordon Ramsay. Yes “Hell’s kitchens/Kitchen Nightmares/The F word” Gordon Ramsay.
For any astonished non-believing sceptics reading this article who doubt Ramsay’s ability to run a marathon, allow me to startle you further. Gordon Ramsay has completed 3 Comrades marathons between the years 2000 and 2004. His best time is 10:31 (up). For good measure he is also an Iron Man medallist. In language spiced with profanities he rated the Comrades as the toughest @#$& race he has ever run.
I can report that his language is also a trifle rich towards the end of a marathon.
But he is a wonderfully entertaining running companion. Standing on the starting line of the London Marathon he courted the attention of the television cameras and teased an absent fellow well-known celebrity chef. “
“Where’s that porky little chef this morning? “He joked.
“I’ve been watching his television show recently and I’ve noticed he’s getting porkier and porkier with each passing week. He should be running today”
“By the way Bruce you’re so light and small I could carry you in my pocket”
While running we obviously discussed running and cooking “I ventured that I did much of the cooking at home and he asked me which family meals I most enjoyed preparing. And then he put me firmly in my place.
“It sounds like you’re a good family cook Bruce, but I’m a chef.
Indeed, and a chef sparkling with Michelin stars.
That set me thinking about ingredients and how when correctly and lovingly blended they create the perfect result. The parallels between running and cooking became glaringly obvious. Somewhere on our London Marathon journey from Blackheath Park to Buckingham Palace, Gordon revealed that one of the most difficult puddings to prepare is a' lemon meringue pie'. He occasionally tortures his trainee chefs by insisting they prepare one. Apparently great skill and artistry are required to get the layers of sweet and tart lemon perfectly set and then to delicately top the pudding with fluffy meringue.
It could be argued that the same skill and artistry are required to deliver a runner perfectly prepared to the starting line of the Comrades marathon. The old, outdated approach used to be for runners to run as much distance as they could, to churn out the kilometres and hope for the best. We now understand that training should not be a boring and monotonous pile of leftover goulash (hundreds of tedious kilometres laboriously ground out without variety, from January to June) It should consist of several essential ingredients meticulously calculated and designed to get the best possible result from a runner.
The first ingredients are those long slow runs which most Comrades runners are busy completing this weekend and next. These runs develop the necessary strength, endurance and mental fortitude to better cope with Comrade’s 90 tortuous kilometres.
Next there are the bulk training miles, the day-to-day consistent,” up-early-in -the-morning “running that is the heart and soul of every training programme.
Speedwork adds the vital spice to the blend. It creates a faster runner and increases the runners’ ability to cruise at a faster speed.
Hill work blends in strength, body and anaerobic capacity to the mix. It makes climbing mighty Inchanga and Cowie’s Hill that much easier on race day.
Occasional time trials and short distance races allow runners to dip into their running schedule and have a quick taste test to see how things are progressing.
And then finally there is the often forgotten and neglected vital ingredient called “rest”. Like a great dish resting before being served the runner rests and allows the body to recover and to gather strength and prepare itself for the looming battle.
Understanding the importance and role of each these ingredients will always produce a great result.
I think Gordon Ramsay would agree.
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In 1972 a team of English runners from the famous athletics club, Tipton Harriers, in Staffordshire, arrived in Durban intent on sweeping all before them in that year’s Comrades marathon. They immediately caused a sensation when it was learnt that they were relying on a new revolutionary new carbohydrate loading regime called the Saltin diet to boost their chances, and that they had held striptease shows back at home to help raise funds for their trip. Back then in conservative “verkramp” South Africa this was scandalous behaviour.
Their four team members included two renowned ultra-running stars, John Malpass and John Bentley who, between them, had won several major races. Under the mistaken impression that they would have to bring their own seconds to assist them during the race they brought, young inexperienced runner, Mick Orton as chief second and travelling reserve. When informed that their hosts had supplied seconds, the Tipton Harriers team members told Mick Orton that he might as well run. The rest is history. Orton ran and duly won the 1972 Comrades. The newspapers reported that he “powered his way up Polly Shortts “and for good measure he smashed the course record held by three time winner, Dave Bagshaw
In a glorious day for English sport the touring English rugby team trounced the Springboks at Ellis Park that same afternoon.
The following year the Tipton Harriers sent Mick Orton back to South Africa to defend his title and to try and claim the down run record. This time Orton approached the race like a professional, and a hardened veteran. He trained harder than ever before, and he recorded prodigious distances in training. He boasted that he had run some 200-mile (320 kilometres) weeks in training. Like so many runners Orton believed that if he doubled his training mileage, he would achieve sensational results. He would surely win, defend his title and break the course record.
But Orton proved the adage “Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown” and he slumped to a 5th place finish. Orton had simply overdone it.
Similarly in 1990, Sam Tshabalala responded to the pressure of trying to defend his 1989 Comrades title by massively increasing his training load. Earlier that year I had prevailed over Sam by 20 seconds in a charity 8-kilometre race. I had run a gentle 5kms on the morning before the race. He confided in me that that morning he had run a tough 40 km. Sam also simply overdid it. He was a broken runner on Comrades race day. He could only manage 13th place.
Wisely Sam analysed his mistakes in 1990. He realised that he had run himself into the ground in his preparations. In his quest to win again he rediscovered his roots and revisited the more realistic Comrades training plan that had brought him victory in 1989. He crushed me by 3 minutes at the Buffs marathon that year and looked good for a second win in 1991 when a terrible car accident injured him so badly that his chances of ever winning again were ended.
I too fell into the “double your mileage” trap following my first win in 1981. Fortunately, an injury prevented me from destroying myself and I was delighted and shocked to win the race on injury reduced training. I learnt my lesson, and with a few minor adjustments I embraced my old successful training programme. With this approach I continued to find success. Nowhere was this better illustrated than when sticking to the same tried and tested programme I produced two identical finishing time, (5:37:01 in 1985 and 1987).
The problem is that we runners are not afraid of hard work. In fact, we embrace hard work. Many runners believe that success goes to the runner who trains the hardest, but success goes to the runner who trains the cleverest. A major part of training successfully is to realise that if you have stumbled upon a succesful programme don’t change it. In other words if it aint broke don’t fix it .
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It’s such a pity that South Africa’s two premier ultramarathons are run just a few weeks apart. It’s like those poor people whose birthdays fall on Christmas day or New Year. It’s simply too much excitement in too short a time. Comrades Marathon runners are compelled to choose. One of the events must take precedence. If their goal is to run a successful Comrades they must make Two Oceans the supporting act for Comrades. Two Oceans ambitions must be cast aside, and the focus must be the Comrades marathon. For Two Oceans fans it means discarding the Comrades. It’s a little like choosing the Rolling Stones as the supporting act for The Beatles. Neither should be the supporting act for the other, It’s Interesting that many Cape based runners call closed season after they’ve earned their Two Oceans medals. For many of them the Comrades is a bridge too far.
As you read this, over 11000 Two Oceans runners will have battled up the Mighty Chapman’s Peak, the race leaders are probably already long finished.
The dilemma for many of those running today is that in an ideal world it should be possible to race both famous races. But unfortunately, it can’t, or shouldn’t be attempted (Of course the double has been successfully achieved by Gerda Steyn, Caroline Cherry, Frith Van der Merwe, and Derek Preiss to mention a few exceptions) but the double isn’t wise. Apart from these talented running gods (some of those who chose their parents very cleverly) the cost of RACING both is too excessive. After the mountainous and arduous 56 kilometres of the Two Oceans most runners’ legs are too battered and their bodies too exhausted to successfully tackle another, even tougher ultramarathon. Chat to today’s finishers. I doubt if many of them will be in the mood for another intense contest.
The old running textbooks and coaches recommended a day’s recovery for every mile raced. (Experience has taught me those old textbooks were not far wrong) The Two Oceans is an old fashioned 35 miler.
After 35 days of recovery that would leave just three weeks to train hard again for Comrades. It doesn’t sound possible or wise.
And yet the double is so tempting. The two races are two of the World’s most famous and iconic marathons. It’s heart-breaking to miss either event.
If I can stick to earlier’ my musical analogy
The Two Oceans is pure Rock n Roll. It is famed for its beauty and for its fun,and its sense of humour. This is summed up by some of those who have brought their brand of quirkiness to the race. (The Pub of Eternal Despair, and the giant 6 runner Shongololo are two ridiculous characters that spring to mind.) Noel Stamper’s mid race swim in the sea at Hout Bay another.
Comrades is serious classical music. There is little to laugh about. The morning after Two Oceans a runner, sporting a couple of blisters, might limp onto a wine farm. The morning after Comrades a runner might wake up in Addington hospital. No one considers running Comrades as a giant centipede or pantomime horse. Nor are any Comrades runners keen to “do a Noel Stamper’ and nip off for a quick dip in Inanda Dam. It’s just too serious a challenge to risk catastrophe. Even the respective finisher’s medals emphasise the differences between the two races The Two Oceans medal is an exciting new design every year. It is always flashy, and slightly boastful, The Comrades medal is small understated and simple.
Heloooo! Two Oceans stages a half marathon. Comrades doesn’t have easier options.
Even the starting rituals speak loudly of the differences between the two races. Comrades starts with Shosholoza, the stirring Chariots of Fire and the famous cockerel Crow. Two Oceans runners are sent on their way with popular music and the almost Pythonesque dirge of the Fish Horn.
But here is the good news it is not necessary to sacrifice one for the other. It is possible to run them both. It is indeed possible to have your cake and eat it. It’s just that one must be a training run and the other a race. Over the years many runners have chosen to run Two Oceans as an exciting training run for Comrades. I always made Two Oceans my Rock n Roll fun run. It is the perfect long training run. I enjoyed using it as part of my Comrades training build-up. That’s what I hope Comrades runners have run today! This blog is published by kind permission of The Citizen Newspaper.Join the "Bruce Fordyce Comrades Route Tour" and the "Comrades After Party!!
Tickets are now available to join my "Bruce Fordyce Comrades bus route tour" and the "Bruce Fordyce Comrades after party".
Join the Bruce Fordyce Comrades Route Tour on 9th June 2023! Tickets available here! Join the Bruce Fordyce Comrades After Party on 12th June 2023! Tickets available here!FIND A COACH


Casting my mind back over nearly half a century of running I realise that I have very few regrets, very few moments where I think “if only”
Yes “if only I had run a little faster and been a little bolder in the 1980 Comrades marathon, I might have won the race”
But Alan Robb deserved to win that year, and I was a very young runner, and was delighted with my second-place finish that morning. And, besides, a year later I won.
(more…)RUNNING FOR A REASON ROCKS!


There are few moments in one’s life, where a day or experience will stay with you forever. You could count them on two hands, and this was one of those times.
Everyone is familiar with the famous Aesop’s tale of the tortoise and the hare, and how the two animals raced each other one day, and despite all the odds stacked against him, the tortoise plodded his way to victory.
(more…)START LIKE A COWARD, FINISH LIKE A HERO


How to tackle the down Comrades marathon, particularly for novices.
No one sleeps well the night before the Comrades marathon. And tonight, Saturday night the 27th August will be no exception, as thousands of Comrades runners try counting sheep while their nerves are jangling, and the butterflies in their stomach are more like angry swarms of bees. It won’t help that they will be sleeping in strange beds, with different pillows, while being continually disturbed by runners in the neighbouring rooms who keep flushing the loo and switching their lights on and off as they prepare their running gear for race morning.
(more…)SHARPEN THAT RACE RESOLVE


Through the bedlam and chaos, the screaming spectators, the over- enthusiastic pats on the back and the thick acrid braai smoke I could see the Caltex garage to my left, and ahead, not too far away, the summit of 45th Cutting.
My legs were heavy wooden planks and it seemed sharp knives were stabbing at my quadriceps muscles, but I was running strongly and purposefully and nothing was going to force me stop.
(more…)SLASH YOUR MILEAGE WISELY!



It was the morning before the Comrades marathon in 2019 and I was gazing out of the 15th floor window of my room in a Durban beach front hotel when I witnessed an astonishing sight.
No, it wasn’t the brightly billowing spinnakers of 100 international racing yachts nor was it the conning tower of a nuclear submarine surfacing off the bluff.
(more…)NIGGLES ARE VICIOUS ENEMIES


Chondromalacia patella, Iliotibial- band friction syndrome, stress fracture, upper respiratory tract infection.
This horrendous list of chronic conditions sums up the traps and mine-fields that await runners as they train intensely through this critical phase of their Comrades Marathon preparation.
(more…)BECAUSE IT’S A DOWN RUN WE GO UP !




Perched on a tall wooden scaffold near the summit of Cowie’s Hill on August 28th, an eagle-eyed camera will be filming the progress of thousands of Comrades marathon runners as they battle their way towards the finish of the race in Durban. It’s a particularly sadistic location for a camera because it will catch the runners at their weakest moments. They will have run over 70 kilometres of hills as they struggle up “Cowies”, including the bone jarring descents of Botha’s Hill, and Field’s Hill, and then they will have toiled through the sweaty humidity of Pinetown. Most will have boasted to loved ones, friends and family that they (more…)
IN THE LONG RUN….


Every weekend, while training for the Comrades marathon, the Comrades King, the late, great Wally Hayward, would leave his house in Germiston very early in the morning and run all the way to Pretoria’s Fountains Valley.
After what Wally described as “a refreshing dip and a wash in the fountains” He would run all the way back to his home in Germiston. The round trip was in excess of 100 kilometres. In Wally’s opinion this weekly long run was an essential part of his Comrades training programme.
“But I’m sure that nowadays you youngsters run much further than that on your long runs.” He enquired when we chatted about how training had evolved over the years. (more…)
A BRIDGE TOO FAR?


As we started the quadriceps pummeling descent of Field’s Hill in the 2012 “down” Comrades marathon. Zola Budd-Pieterse turned to me and muttered “ Jissie dis ver”. “How much further do we still have to run?”
Zola and I had been running together for the at least an hour. Earlier in the day I had been about to pass her, when in a rare moment of genius, it dawned on me (more…)
DO WHAT I SAY NOT WHAT I DO


The niggle in my lower left leg began to irritate me two or three days before the Two Oceans half marathon that I was hoping to run on Easter Saturday. At first, I chose to ignore it, but the pain persisted and when I attempted a gentle three kilometre jog the day before the race the pain became sharper and more intense.
At that point my sensible, wise running angel sat on my shoulder and (more…)
THE KEY INGREDIENTS OF A SUCCESFUL COMRADES TRAINING PROGRAMME AND HOW I MET THE QUEEN


Photo credit Tim Graham/Getty Images
As Comrades runners start the hard winter training grind culminating on race day on August 28th many of them are still wrestling with exactly what type of training they should be doing on a daily and weekly basis. Should they be running hills? Should they include speed sessions? How many long runs should they complete? and how many kilometres should they run each week and, each month? At this critical time of the Comrades marathon preparation, I am asked these questions on an almost daily basis. These questions are not as simple to answer as they might appear to be. The problem is that rather like running shoes there is no “one size suits all” answer. So much depends on what each race runner’s goal is. Is he or she hoping for a top 10 finish, a silver medal or 12 hours, Vic Clapham medal? It also depends on how much time they have at their disposal to train. How much time can they steal from work and family and social commitments. Finally, and most importantly it depends on how wisely they selected their parents! In other words what type of genetic advantage or disadvantage they bring to the task. (more…)IT’S TIME – MAY IS THE NEW MARCH


GET A COACH, START WINNING


Coaches Bruce, Iain and Frank with athletes Jeannie (recently won Gauteng 21km championship gold Vet women) and Wayne.
Back in the 1970s when I started running, I had not heard of the concept of a running coach for anyone other than for a handful of elite Olympic athletes. In fact, when I first decided to lace up some running shoe (priced at R4.50 a pair) I think the word “coach” was more familiar to me as a rather posh word for a bus or railway carriage. I’m sure my running companions of that era felt the same. I joke, of course, but the two best known coaches at that time were already from a bygone era. (more…)MARCH IS THE NEW JANUARY
GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE


THE COMRADES CENTENARY HOPE CHALLENGE -VIRTUAL RACE


ARE YOU READY TO RACE!


A lesson from Space
It was May 5th 1961, and astronaut Alan Shephard had been sitting in his capsule Freedom 7 on top of a Mercury-Redstone 3 rocket for 4 hours. His mission was to become the first American in space and only the second astronaut to make this hazardous flight. (Russia’s Yuri Gagarin had beaten him to the “first man in space” honour a few weeks before.) Shephard’s mission in space was only supposed to have lasted a little over 15 minutes but several delays had led to him waiting a few hours for lift-off and also to his becoming increasingly frustrated. Several morning cups of coffee and orange juice had already resulted in Shephard having to urinate inside his spacesuit. Shephard was impatient to fly. He was the one in danger and he was ready. He took little comfort in the knowledge that every piece of his spacecraft had “been built by the lowest bidder “Nevertheless, he was prepared to fly. Several small irritating problems had led to mission control repeatedly delaying the launch. He knew mission control was ready. He was ready, and so he finally demanded “c’mon, let’s light this candle.” (more…)THE MARATHON CAN ALWAYS HUMBLE YOU


VARIETY AND VIRTUAL COMRADES UNDER LOCKDOWN


COMRADES LOCKDOWN BLUES


COVID-19. MARATHON WITH NO END.


IT’S A DOWN. UP WE GO!



LONG TRAINING RUNS OR A RACE?



IT’S TIME.


THE DOWN SIDE OF THE COMRADES MARATHON?


RING ANY BELLS?


NOTHING SO LONELY. OR IS IT?


INTRODUCTION TO RUNNING


ULTRAMARATHON AND MARATHON RECOVERY TIME.



A COOL 2019 COMRADES MARATHON.


YOU ARE GOING TO MEET SOMEONE YOU DEEPLY RESPECT.


IGNORE THE DISTANCE MARKERS.


THE COMRADES TRAINING TAPER.


“WE BORROW WORLD RECORDS, BUT WE KEEP TITLES.”


THE CRITICAL MUSCLE TO TRAIN FOR COMRADES MARATHON


ROUTE CHANGE O.M. TWO OCEANS ULTRA 2019


CONVERT A RUNNING WEAKNESS INTO A STRENGTH.




THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY.


THE BEST-LAID PLANS.


“YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL OF THIS RACE”


RECIPE FOR SUCCESS


COMRADES MARATHON 2019 -THE INDIAN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM !


COMRADES MARATHON RESOLUTIONS.


FROM WORLD RECORDS TO WALKERS


RACING WHERE THE BIG FIVE ROAM IN SOUTH AFRICA’S KRUGER PARK


#MandelaDay100


WAS 2018 THE BEST EVER COMRADES MARATHON?


THE SECOND HALF OF THE DOWN COMRADES MARATHON STARTS IN PINETOWN.


KNOWLEDGE WINS THE BATTLE!


COMRADES PRE-RACE TAPERING!


“…THEY STUMBLE THAT RUN FAST.”


NOW IT’S TIME TO TRAIN HARD FOR COMRADES


IT’S FAR TOO EARLY TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT COMRADES TRAINING!


EAST, WEST, HOME IS BEST


THE WOMEN’S RACE SET TO EXCITE – COMRADES MARATHON 2018
GEOFF BURNS & THE CHICAGO LAKEFRONT 50MILE/50KM


THE TOUGHEST MOUNTAIN MARATHON IN AFRICA?


PROLONGED REST AND CAREER RESURGENCE


OBEY YOUR INNER COACH!


A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE COMRADES MARATHON




ONE MORE SLEEP!


BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID.


THE STEEP GLIDE TOWARDS COMRADES


“I don’t really train at all, Bruce,“ she replied. “The distances I race are so ridiculous, the best approach is not to train at all. The best way to prepare for an ultra is to be really well rested.”Eleanor Robinson was a major force in ultra-mega running back in the 1980s. She retired with a persistent foot injury 15 years ago, but there is still great wisdom in what Eleanor had to say back then. When an epic journey lies ahead of us, it's best to be well rested before we embark on that journey. And, in 3 weeks’ time, an epic journey lies ahead for 18,000 Comrades Marathon runners. I know Comrades runners are obsessed with completing their last long runs. (Several groups and clubs ran 60 km training runs this weekend). I also know there will be many who are stressing over lost training and interrupted schedules. However, the intense training time for Comrades is almost at an end. Lost training cannot be recovered, and runners should remind themselves that even the elite Comrades gold medallists suffer from training schedule hiccups. I believe there is perhaps one more week of hard work ahead, and then it is time for Comrades runners to start the great, steep training glide down to race day. Remember, at this stage, there is very little runners can do to get fitter. But there is so much they can do to over-egg the pudding. I would suggest a last 20 to 25 kilometre run next weekend as a last long run and a short distance race or time trial, just to check fitness and readiness to race, on the 4th. Looking back at my old training diaries I see that after the first week or 10 days of May 1983 I slashed my weekly training mileage drastically, dropping from 180 kilometres a week to 120 kilometres, then 80 kilometres and, finally, a few easy runs in the week before the race. Obviously this is the training schedule of someone hoping to win the race, but the principle remains the same for every runner at Comrades; tapering for race day is an essential ingredient in preparing for the Comrades. This is my last training week for May 1983, a pattern that varied little for over a decade;
- Sunday - steady 15 - 20 km
- Monday - easy 8 km
- Tuesday - easy 5 km
- Thursday - no run
- Friday - no run (took a very good look at the route instead)
- Saturday - no run
- Sunday - Comrades marathon 1st in 5:30:12
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN


PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM ANOTHER COMRADES WINNER!


IT’S LSD TIME COMRADES RUNNERS. LET’S GET HIGH.


THE SECRET TO COMRADES SUCCESS? BECOME A STREAKER


THE COMRADES UP RUN. MY FAVOURITE DIRECTION


LOSING A RECORD – BONGMUSA MTHEMBU 6:24:05


A PASSION THAT LIVES ON


A MARATHON AS TOUGH AS THIS DESERVES ITS LONG NAME




GIVING BACK AT THE KRUGER PARK’S SKUKUZA MARATHON




A LOVE STORY BEGUN BY FRANK SHORTER, OLYMPIC MARATHON RUNNER


READY TO START TRAINING FOR THE COMRADES AGAIN?




FORTY YEARS AGO …


A COMMENTATOR’S VIEW OF THE COMRADES


NEVER EVER AGAIN


IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE COMRADES ROUTE, THINK AGAIN



THIS YEAR’S OLD MUTUAL TWO OCEANS MARATHON WAS ONE OF MY MOST IMPORTANT JOURNEYS YET




THE LAST FOUR WEEKS OF COMRADES TRAINING ARE CRITICAL.


MARCH MEANS IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS

