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Comrades
GOOD NEWS: SLIGHTLY SHORTER
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
NEW FINISH & DISTANCE CONFIRMED
The official distance of the 2017 Comrades Marathon is 86.73km. Minor route changes also take effect just after the top of Polly Shortts, with a revised course to be followed to the new finish venue at Scottsville Racecourse. The route is similar to the one of the 1998 and 2000 Comrades Marathons, with a few minor tweaks here and there, and this 47th‘ Up-run’ will be slightly shorter than the two most recent Up-run routes. The 2013 route was 86.86km long while the 2015 route measured 87.72km. The race will start outside the Durban City Hall at 5:30am.
In line with the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2010, CMA Race Director Rowyn James has also confirmed that the Scottsville Racecourse will serve as the finish venue for this year’ s race. James says,“ Aligning with the requirements of the Events Act necessitated the move to the racecourse. The landmark location served as the finish venue of both the 1998 and 2000 editions of the Comrades Marathon. We are working closely with the owners of the home of the Golden Horse Casino, the Scottsville Racecourse, to ensure that the facilities and other arrangements are in keeping with Comrades Marathon standards and to meet the needs of both our runners and spectators on race day, Sunday 4 June.
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GET THE LATEST TRAINING TIPS
Follow the link below 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 / comrades- supplement-comrades-training-and-info-guide- 2017 / 0719335001474895912? short
ISSUE 92 MARCH 2017 / www. modernathlete. co. za
COMRADES
Official
Training & Information Guide 2017
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
• Silver Medal
• Bill Rowan Medal
• Bronze Medal
• Vic Clapham Medal
Published by
Magazine
2017 SUBSTITUTION PROCESS
The 2017 Substitution Process kicks off on 14 March and the final date for submission of Substitution applications is 14 April. There will be no extensions and no late submissions will be accepted. This process 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.
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.
Images: Courtesy CMA