Durban — The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has just completed a roadshow and will be hosting seminars this and next month across the country to prepare first-time runners for the 2023 Comrades Marathon.
The 96th edition of the race will be a down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on June 11 this year.
The CMA said to tackle the Guinness World Record-endorsed Comrades Marathon requires proper training, determination and commitment.
To ensure that athletes were adequately prepared, the CMA completed its nationwide tour to share hints, tips and advice to runners across the country.
This year, the CMA expects about 5 656 novice athletes to attempt their maiden Comrades run.
Comrades coach Lindsey Parry advised: “To help get you across the finish line before the 12-hour cut-off time, it is essential that you are prepared. It is important that you know what to expect of the route, that you have trained adequately in terms of time spent out on the road and fuelled the body correctly.”
The CMA said the seminars were a series of educational, motivational and inspirational sessions to help first-time Comrades athletes to prepare physically and mentally.
A panel of experts in medicine, sport psychology, dietetics as well as the official Comrades coach will provide invaluable advice, answer questions and support newbies.
Race director of CMA, Rowyn James, said that first-time runners needed to break down training into manageable portions to achieve their goal.
“We have a specific programme on our website which deals with speedwork, hills and longer-distance. With Comrades, you will spend a lot of time on your feet,” said James.
James suggested that novice runners consider qualifying marathons next month, as they are required to run 42km in 4 hours 50 minutes as a minimum. He also said one had to be a member of a club to run – a requirement of Athletics South Africa.
James also advised a diet plan.
“Mentally, the best way to manage the race is to break it down into manageable chunks. Target a specific area instead of the finish line. The way to do this is to compare it to one of your training routes at home. On race day, everyone goes through a bad patch. Look around and you will see someone doing worse and that would give you the mental fortitude to push,” said James.
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