Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 2_2019 | Page 28

Warm up gradually with slow jogging for about 15
minutes before you go to your seeding pen.
How to get off to a good start
Start time has arrived. Take a deep breath, remind
yourself of your goal, training you’ve done and the
successes of past races. After the gun goes off, most of
the field does not move and you are going to lose some
time. Don’t try and make that time up in the first 5 to 10
kilometres of the marathon.
Pace yourself so you maximise your performance. Relax
and make a conscious effort to pull back until you hit
the 10 km mark. Choose a run-walk schedule from the
start and continue for the whole of Comrades. If you hold
back, but keep moving and never stop, your chances of
finishing the marathon improve a great deal.
Knowing what to eat and drink
The amount of water and other fluids you need during
the Comrades depends on the temperature, humidity,
wind and how much you're used to running in that
particular climate. It also depends on your body weight,
gender, how much you sweat and which medicines you
use before or during a race.
We are used to eating and drinking at regular intervals
each day and the same needs to be done during Comrades.
Most athletes need one 40 gram carbohydrate boost
around every 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. You should
drink between 400 to 800 ml per hour depending on the
conditions of the day. But remember that over-hydration
can be just as dangerous as dehydration.
Staying motivated if you hit a wall
If you start cramping, change slowly from a run to a walk
but do not stand still as you can’t make up time standing
still. At some stage, you might end up sitting down and
contemplating whether to carry on or not. Let yourself
rest and close your eyes. Visualise yourself making it the
rest of the way. Then get up and walk. Join a friend whom
you can help motivate to help you to become more
motivated.
Don’t give up unless you are injured or if carrying on will
cause more damage or you are cut off. Revel in the crowd
support along the route. Be prepared to be inspired by
the experience. Don’t be surprised if by breakfast the
day after Comrades, you are already planning your return
for the next year!
Route map from Durban to Pietermaritzburg
No one likes surprises when running a marathon. For this
reason, there is an interactive route map.
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