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back to the ‘ good old days ,’ but rather embracing innovation to find other ways to provide the basis of these wishes . For example , the desire to go to Kingsmead is a return to the close ‘ vibe ’ of the cricket stadium and the ability to see , be close and cheer family members and friends as they close in on the finish , but that can still be achieved with some thinking out of the box .
Ironically , to stride forward may require a step back , to the streets . A street finish is not new to the Comrades – the original 1921 race started outside Maritzburg City Hall and finished in the street outside Durban City Hall . That was over 100 years ago , but it could well be the answer to the future of the race delivering , big numbers , big interest , big broadcast , and a successful world event . Let me explain an idea that could achieve this .
Let ’ s move the finish out of Moses Mabhida Stadium for the Down Run and onto the section of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue between Battery Beach Road and the junction at the Kings Park Athletics Track and Durban Country Club ( Isaiah Ntshangase Road ). This section of road can easily be closed for a week prior to and three or four days after Comrades , which would allow all the necessary infrastructure to be constructed and there would be ample space for grandstands , special areas and the necessary finishing structure .
So , having crossed the line , the runner would head to the entrance tunnel of the stadium and follow around 600 metres of underground parking and service road for the likes of medal distribution , medical facilities , tog bag return , and even stores and logistics . The grass inside the stadium would remain untouched , and there would be no stairs to climb ! Outside , the upper deck could be used for VIP , TV production , Sponsors , Premium viewing and other spectating areas . Meanwhile , club tents could be erected on
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the central reserve and grass verges of Masabalala Yenga Avenue . Imagine the vibe – and the pressure on athletes not to walk – along those last two or so kilometres to the finish , and the crowd size at the finish would be irrelevant .
Growth in entries may also require the use of wave starts , in order to improve start logistics and safety . This was done at the 2022 Two Oceans , and except for some 390 medals being incorrectly awarded , it showed that it is possible to do waves with all the traditional cut-offs . And along with a change to the finish set-up , this would create the opportunity to host a massively increased total number of entries , and therefore move the race into new realms of financial possibilities .
Tapping Into Resources
The expertise exists to do this and more , not just in technical planning , but also in marketing , media , sponsorships , services , liaison with local authorities , and every aspect of the Comrades Marathon . With over 120,000 Comrades finishers to date , we need to remember there are some highly experienced , qualified experts out there who have run the race , and want to help it grow . And it would start by getting more of them to become members of the Comrades Marathon Association ( CMA ).
Currently , it seems very few people even know that as a Comrades finisher , you are entitled to become a member , with the power to vote for the CMA Board and comment on CMA operations . However , it appears to be one of Comrades ’ best kept secrets , as I can ’ t remember any promotion of membership in the past 30-plus years . I think there would be no finer memorial to the inaugural driving force behind the 1981 birth of the CMA , Mick Winn , than for this membership to be promoted and grown to tens of thousands , with members throughout South Africa ,
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and even the World , sharing views and expertise to make those wish list items happen , even if with some modifications .
Time to Look Ahead
As the sun sets on the 2022 Comrades Marathon , there is still much dust to settle , many more reports and analysis to be done , and conclusions drawn , but as it stands , the 95th Comrades showed little damage from the pandemic . There is now a massive opportunity for the race to re-shape and mould itself into the new post-pandemic world of road running . This must be front and foremost for the team privileged to steer the heritage of this great ultramarathon .
Meanwhile , in a highly-technological society , this is among the last remaining opportunities for us to test our body and soul against ourselves , and to find out what we are made of . Roll on 2023 !
About the Author
Norrie represented Scotland and Great Britain in numerous ultra-distance events , then represented South Africa in triathlon . He is a World Athleticsaccredited coach and course measurer , and travels all over the world to work on events , including the Olympics . He has been appointed by World Athletics as Technical Delegate to a number of the world ’ s leading Label events in Africa , Asia and the Middle East . He has authored two books ( Everyman ’ s Guide to Distance Running and Every Beginner ’ s Guide to Walking & Running ), and counts 20 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultra-marathon medals , as well as multiple wins at distances from 100km to 1000km . You can read more from him at www . coachnorrie . co . za .
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Images : Tobias Ginsberg |