If the numbers being realised at early season road races are impressive then what can we expect for East London’s version of Comrades? Four thousand? Probably more.
East London’s Comrades is of course a huge exaggeration, but the Discovery Surfers does capture the imagination of the local community to a similar extent. Folk who know that you run ask, as a matter of course, “so you doing Surfers then?” In fact more as a statement than a question.
Give a negative answer and see the look of disbelief that creases the enquiring face. It is similar to Comrades where folk ask “are you running the marathon?” To them there is only one that qualifies as “the marathon” and that is Comrades.
As much as this may well irritate runners who have other goals it simply is what it is.
That being the case and you are running Surfers, best you be in the best possible shape to run a good one – the results appear in the Daily Dispatch and of course on the Surfers website www.surferschallenge.co.za. The public will peruse them looking for the names of those they know.
Other than the training, hopefully done, nutrition, hydration and supplementation is the tool kit that needs to be unpacked. There are some superbly qualified runners to assist understand it, while a couple of facebook pages worth visiting are The Real Health Revolution and Hungry for Change.
Questions in respect of any of these topics can also be directed on facebook to Surfers Challenge or Running with Bob and Steph.
PIONEERING ROAD AHEAD:
The race would never have built up such a history without the doggedness of the early pioneers.
It is well documented that the race started as a challenge between a group of surfers and roadrunners, most of who were attached to Buffalo Road Runners.
Sadly this week the community lost one of those pioneers, Dennis Bradfield, who was also one of the men that established the Buffs Marathon, another race that went on to become iconic in South Africa, attracting most major Comrades marathoners.
It is, however, a race that we ironically also say goodbye to in its pure form as it becomes swallowed up in an ASA championship a week after Surfers.
Bradfield died in the USA where he has been with members of his family. He did more Buffs Marathons than anyone else has done, was a totally committed Buffalo, great runner and leaves a huge legacy to the running world.
The point though is that we should celebrate what we have, what we can achieve, our running mates, our ability to make a difference every day, because nothing is forever. It is a tough reality – as tough as indeed were the pioneers who took on a race and course never traversed at speed before.
Run Surfers while you can!
SECOND LAST WEEK:
The athletes that I work with would follow a programme along the lines of the following: Friday – 35-40min lunchtime run with some beach; Saturday – a parkrun; Sunday – Easy 90min or 18km, whichever the lesser; Monday – Rest or easy 40min; Tuesday – Group speed or hill session; Wednesday – Easy 60-70min; Thurs – Fartlek session.
Whatever the weather get out there and run, because on Surfers day there will be weather and we have no idea what will be dished up.
Set for race that fires imagination
East London’s Comrades is of course a huge exaggeration, but the Discovery Surfers does capture the imagination of the local community to a similar extent. Folk who know that you run ask, as a matter of course, “so you doing Surfers then?” In fact more as a statement than a question.
Give a negative answer and see the look of disbelief that creases the enquiring face. It is similar to Comrades where folk ask “are you running the marathon?” To them there is only one that qualifies as “the marathon” and that is Comrades.
As much as this may well irritate runners who have other goals it simply is what it is.
That being the case and you are running Surfers, best you be in the best possible shape to run a good one – the results appear in the Daily Dispatch and of course on the Surfers website www.surferschallenge.co.za. The public will peruse them looking for the names of those they know.
Other than the training, hopefully done, nutrition, hydration and supplementation is the tool kit that needs to be unpacked. There are some superbly qualified runners to assist understand it, while a couple of facebook pages worth visiting are The Real Health Revolution and Hungry for Change.
Questions in respect of any of these topics can also be directed on facebook to Surfers Challenge or Running with Bob and Steph.
PIONEERING ROAD AHEAD:
The race would never have built up such a history without the doggedness of the early pioneers.
It is well documented that the race started as a challenge between a group of surfers and roadrunners, most of who were attached to Buffalo Road Runners.
Sadly this week the community lost one of those pioneers, Dennis Bradfield, who was also one of the men that established the Buffs Marathon, another race that went on to become iconic in South Africa, attracting most major Comrades marathoners.
It is, however, a race that we ironically also say goodbye to in its pure form as it becomes swallowed up in an ASA championship a week after Surfers.
Bradfield died in the USA where he has been with members of his family. He did more Buffs Marathons than anyone else has done, was a totally committed Buffalo, great runner and leaves a huge legacy to the running world.
The point though is that we should celebrate what we have, what we can achieve, our running mates, our ability to make a difference every day, because nothing is forever. It is a tough reality – as tough as indeed were the pioneers who took on a race and course never traversed at speed before.
Run Surfers while you can!
SECOND LAST WEEK:
The athletes that I work with would follow a programme along the lines of the following: Friday – 35-40min lunchtime run with some beach; Saturday – a parkrun; Sunday – Easy 90min or 18km, whichever the lesser; Monday – Rest or easy 40min; Tuesday – Group speed or hill session; Wednesday – Easy 60-70min; Thurs – Fartlek session.
Whatever the weather get out there and run, because on Surfers day there will be weather and we have no idea what will be dished up.
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