On a related note , could that increase in finishing percentage be due to training in colder weather , which science suggests is beneficial to recovery ?
baths to recover from training and competition , so why would we want to train in the heat and humidity of summer if it means having damaged muscles as we line up at the Comrades start ? Have we forgotten that three-time Comrades winner Vladimir Kotov used to go back to Belarus or Poland to train in the cold , and used cryotherapy ( no coincidence it starts with cry ) to be able to recover and be ready for the Comrades , and he won three consecutive Up Runs in his 40s ! Despite all that science , our SA runners want to ‘ handicap ’ themselves by training and racing marathons and ultras through summer !
Of course , darkness and security have also been raised as issues with training through the winter months . It ’ s true that during winter we will run about two to three hours longer per week in the dark , but with either date ( June vs August ), our training starts in the dark anyway . However , the one thing that has changed is safety and security out on the road , and I would suggest that this is not so much about training in the cold and dark , but rather about South Africa ’ s economic situation , where 46 % of the population are on grants and 36 % are unemployed . Is it possible that this concern , and the lack of police protection and prosecution of criminals , are a bigger contribution – and would not vary with either date ?
Meanwhile , by moving Comrades back to June and putting it close to Two Oceans on the fixture list , we perhaps overlook the financial burden on runners and their families to enter and travel to two major , costly events in the space of two months . Are we forgetting the economic state of many South Africans , and will that not reduce entries to both events ?
Seeing the Bigger Picture
We can be selfish ( which is not what Comrades is about ) and only think about the Comrades date in isolation , or we can embrace the fact that for our entire sport to prosper , we need to adjust our fixtures to meet the world and international challenges . For example , an August date for the 2022 Comrades indirectly resulted in our top SA marathoners clocking some terrific times in June / July , including a 2:09 at the World Champs in the USA .
Contributing to this was that an August date allowed the sport in general to focus on a 10km to 15km ‘ short season ’ in summer , which is ideal for marathoners and ultra-runners , as a faster 10km means a faster marathon , higher cruise speed , and the ability to do longer distance in Comrades training from June to early August . Similarly , there was an increased focus on track and field this year , partly due to last year ’ s Olympics and this year ’ s World Champs , but also due to the different mindset overall in the sport , and more track work will also prepare our athletes better for the road .
In 1985 or 1986 , I wrote for Athletics Weekly in the UK and stated that I believed that when SA came out of isolation , this country would produce world leaders and record-holders at every distance from the mile up . I still believe the talent exists here for that to happen , but an uncompromising view on race dates , and trying to do things we have always done them , may get in the way of that potential being unlocked .
In my opinion , these wish list items , collectively , have been put together by people who have a limited understanding of the organisational and financial implications , and have not considered what we need of our entire sport if we are to be taking our rightful place on the world . The bottom line is that it ’ s easy to be ‘ selfish ’ and just want the comfort of training for Comrades early in the year , on warm , sunny days , but that may be working against your , and the sport ’ s , performance . And after all , Comrades race day is truly about showing off the sacrifices made in training , and being willing to do the seemingly impossible .
More From the Wishlist
In recent weeks I have also seen a number of other issues raised and requests made by members of the running community with regard to the Comrades Marathon , so let ’ s unpack a few of them .
• Return to SABC : It ’ s true the footprint of SABC in South Africa is indeed larger than DSTV , but the counter is that DSTV is ( I believe ) broadcast in 35 countries , which for an international or African sponsor is particularly more attractive and valuable , and hence of greater interest to Comrades , and hopefully the runners as this could expand the interest in the event . Consider also that DSTV , due to the uniqueness of SA interest , may be forced to limit the broadcast if other more popular events exist in other countries . The ideal would be to broadcast on both platforms , and perhaps when digital is fully rolled out this could be a negotiation .
• Better Quality T-shirts : I ’ m not sure what runners posting this want , but I would think we ideally want a running T-shirt , and I can confidently say that the Green Number T-shirt and shorts that I bought were amongst the best in the world . As one of 24 accredited World Athletics Technical Delegates , I have race shirts from all around the globe , and I have found that the best shirts for running come from China , because they are high-tech and light enough to be used in the hot and humid climate of Africa ( and Asia ). This is also true of the shirt I bought from Mr Price . I can ’ t yet comment on the post-wash status of the logo , but in all other considerations it has yet to fail me .
Thinking Out of the Box
There are ways to provide many of these ‘ wish list ’ desires , but this should not be about stepping
Tens of thousands of spectators came out to watch 13,000 runners tackle the 2022 Comrades Marathon
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