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Comrades
ENTRIES TALLIED!
2017 COMRADES ENTRY PROCESS BREAKDOWN
With entries for the 2017 Comrades Marathon closed, we can now look closer at the breakdown of the entries. South African runners account for 19,563 of the entries, with 457 from the rest of Africa and a further 1370 international entries, Meanwhile, there are 6637 novices, while the gender split sees 16,637 male entries versus 4753 female entries. Amongst the international entries, the country with the biggest contingent signed up for the race is the UK, with 282 entries, nearly 100 more than the USA on 189 entries, followed by Australia( 161), Brazil( 158) and India( 110).
In terms of local entries, the five biggest Comrades clubs for 2017 are Team Vitality CG( 805), RAC( 315), Irene AC( 212), Nedbank RC Jhb( 199) and Nedbank RC KZN( 189), while Gauteng is the leading province with 9871 entries, followed by KwaZulu-Natal( 4310), Western Cape( 2070), Mpumalanga( 873) and Limpopo( 632).
Check out all the latest news and important info from the world’ s biggest, oldest and most famous ultra, the Comrades Marathon.
– BY DELAINE COOLS & NONKULULEKO MDLALOSE
SHARE YOUR COMRADES STORY
Every Comrades Marathon runner has their ultimate tale of courage, perseverance and endurance. The CMA is calling on you to inspire the nation to take up the challenge of running the world’ s greatest footrace, by sending us your Comrades Story in 300 words or less, and stand the chance to win a Comrades hamper. Please e-mail your story to delaine @ comrades. com.
2017 SUBSTITUTION PROCESS Of course, these figures could change somewhat when the 2017 Substitution Process kicks off on 14 March. This allows a fully-paid, officially entered runner to withdraw and pass their entry on to another runner, who in turn must complete and pay for a substitute entry. It is the responsibility of the substitute athlete to find an athlete who intends to or has withdrawn from the race. The final date for submission of Substitution applications is 14 April, and no late submissions will be accepted.
Runners need to take note that the Substitution Rule specifies that substitutions must be done on a like-for-like basis:
• An International entrant can only substitute with an International entrant.
• A Rest of Africa entrant can only substitute with an ROA entrant.
• A South African entrant can only substitute with a South African entrant.
Also, all entrants must supply a qualifying time for a marathon( or longer distance) run during the period of 27 August 2016 to 2 May 2017, along with their club name and license number, by no later than 2 May, and requests for seeding upgrades must also be done by 2 May.
Please visit www. comrades. com for more information on entries, qualifying and substitutions.
GET THE LATEST TRAINING TIPS
Follow this link to access the free digi-mag version of the Comrades Information and Training Guide published by Modern Athlete, containing the full training programmes designed by Comrades Coach Lindsey Parry for sub-7:30, sub-9:00, sub-11:00 and sub-12:00 target times. www. joomag. com / magazine / comradessupplement-comradestraining-and-infoguide-2017 / 07193350014 74895912? short
COMRADES
Official
Training & Information Guide 2017
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
• Silver Medal
• Bill Rowan Medal
• Bronze Medal
• Vic Clapham Medal
Published by
Magazine
Images: Courtesy CMA
54 ISSUE 91 FEBRUARY 2017 / www. modernathlete. co. za