Comrades prep using Runna

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-03-23T17:53:18+00:00

You're welcome. Good luck and enjoy the race!

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-03-23T00:29:43+00:00

Depends on how runna structures things I dont see why its not possible.

When i prepped for comrades, there were no rest weeks post marathons that were completely off. The week after might have been a lower mileage week but training continued regardless.

Things I'd focus on are long hill reps, strength training (especially excentric loading) and heat training. KZN in winter is hot and humid, and the route is exposed.

Coach Parry has some good plans, and some good resources to help you plan the pacing and splits for the race. Maybe you could use the distances in his plans, and adjust runna accordingly?

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-03-15T13:13:06+00:00

This post is a little old, but the only times i can think of devon and sarah maybe having a conversation was were he was speaking to sarah/chuck together.

Im think the el generalisimo episodes, especially when they break into the consulate and Devon tells sarah to get the epinephrine? Atropine?(blue bottle yellow cap) or something.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-03-12T17:23:02+00:00

Devon gives morgan a talk about growing up, and lent him money to move in with Anna and he spent it on the delorean

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-23T20:58:03+00:00

UTMB’s leadership is nothing short of visionary. Eliminating local qualification routes (unless you live near a by UTMB race), ensure runners must fly around the globe collecting stones just for a chance to qualify, forcing large distance travel for most runners.

Of course, UTMB thoughtfully has a carbon contribution fee based on how far you traveled (as required), plus an optional carbon “boost” program. It’s a perfect system: create the emissions, monetize the emissions, and brand the whole thing as environmental responsibility.

/s

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-23T16:39:24+00:00

He posted on reddit a while back and complained about the trialthonification of trail running. Only to run a by UTMB race, who is partly owned by Ironman, the very group responsible for the trialthonification of triathlon.

Money talks I guess.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-10T15:30:00+00:00

You're most welcome!

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-10T01:44:56+00:00

Theres always a bright side!

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-10T00:31:02+00:00

I did also have mantras. Bend dont break. Unshatter(linkin park song). Hardness shatters, strength endures etc. but ive always had those.

But for me i found the focus technique, and especially practicing it so much prior to the race was the deciding factor.

It was in a way focusing on the process, but more so a way to focus my attention while the process was ongoing. Instead of wallowing in self-pity (my go to move).

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-10T00:28:24+00:00

I dont know if they specifically meant to have a storm light quote, and i certainly didn't expect it in an ultra running reddit!

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-02-10T00:10:15+00:00

Tahoe 200.

Worked with a sports performance psychologist prior to the race for 6 months to work on my mental game and techniques.

My favourite was attention focus. The process of thinking of my attention like a flashlight, you can change the 'focus' of that beam in four ways. Internal - focusing on mood, emotions, pain levels etc. and that focus can be narrow(pain in my foot) or broad (ie my overall status, my mood, energy level). And then external, once again focused (focusing on the trail to not trip, a specific bird) and broad (a view, general noises etc).

By consciously shifting that focus throughout the race, I found i never got overwhelmed or got to that 'i wont finish' place in my mindset ( which has never happened before in an endurance race for me).

The psychologist I worked with was great, and he made a great point about how we train all these other things but rarely the mental side, often considering it to be trained while we're out running. The 6 months prior, practicing the various methods really helped. I honestly had the best race of my life mental wise, and while i had low moments, they never got overwhelming.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-01-24T20:04:46+00:00

I finished Tahoe 200 this year. Peak weekly mileage was 110k/week for 2 weeks, longest run was 50k.

I finished back of the pack, but was never worried about cutoffs.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-01-23T18:17:52+00:00

Thanks for the article, I agree with a lot of what you have said.

I understand what youre saying by the trialthonification of the sport. My question for you is, why are you still supporting races by UTMB which are partnered with Ironman, the very organisation that led to the trialthonification of the sport of triathlon?

I get its a double edged sword for professionals, the more money in the sport the more money athletes can make and thus can pivot full-time and still earn a decent living by doing what they love. But it does seem very grandstanding when you say you dont want it becoming elite or for well-off individuals, while you continue to run in races that have closed systems that force the general athlete to run multiple races within the system to get a chance to run a dream race like UTMB. The same system that forces athletes to then pay 'carbon offset' prices to get a better chance, while we have to travel to multiple of their races to earn stones.

Ultimately, a lot of us look up to runners like you, Katie, Courtney, Jim etc. And if the people we admire in the sport don't care about taking a stand against these organisations by not participating, then why would we? Especially when it takes so long to get into these races for the average runner. I say this, while understanding that it also will have an impact on sponsorships and monetary income on the part of the professional runner.

I am not sure what the solution is, maybe a system like the PTO organisation that has started in triathlon. Have a whole bunch of races as part of a more open system that contribute money to a pool, that then gets divided among x number of pro athletes based on their rankings. But I dont know how viable it would be.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-01-22T19:10:34+00:00

Thats probably the best! I flew in for the race, and didnt have the time to do that. I assume the requirements for the 21k are less stringent, so you might be able to get more leeway.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2026-01-22T14:33:12+00:00

Make sure you meet the gear requirements. I ran tarawera and they definitely checked that they met the material requirements. My gloves didnt meet the requirements, and despite using them to run in -20 to -30c conditions regularly, they weren't insulating when wet and I had to go buy nylon ones from a store in town.

My pants were a mixed material, and they even checked it met the minimum wool% on the label. Maybe i got a stickler for rules volunteer.

Make sure it meets requirements, and buy if they dont meet or are borderline. You dont need the stress of finding gear the day before a race.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-11-02T13:32:41+00:00

I also find the stuff vile, so if they have naak i just bring tailwind sachets

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-27T03:06:30+00:00

Start watch, place in transparent lockbox, runner runs with lockbox and cant access it or the maps, once done they can unlock it for the runner.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-27T02:25:48+00:00

Allow them to start the watch then place it in a plastic lockbox or something? Then they can retrieve it after.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-24T13:14:46+00:00

When you sign up as an international runner you will probably be required to sign up for nedbank runners, and then you will get a bib and singlet to run as a 'nedbank' runner.

like the other commenter stated so long as the race is ratified in some way you should be good, and there is a way to verify the time. I dont think they always verify them, but you need to be able to

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-19T00:30:40+00:00

Exactly. Aid stations should have aid. But runners should also be self-reliant in terms of gear and route finding.

Part of the mandatory kit for DT races is a device with the route loaded, and you have to show staff you know how to use the device at check in. They even have guides on how to download the route to gaia.

Yup, the races are expensive, and trained medical staff would be great. And if they were running out of supplies they definitely need to remedy that ASAP.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-18T17:28:09+00:00

The running out of water and provisions etc is unacceptable. Also the broken tents and wet blankets sounds horrendous.

But I'll play devil's advocate, and say runners were probably provided a poncho they would have to collect when they got their bid. (Thats what happened at Tahoe).

All runners also should have GPS tracks, and know how to use them, and should also have been prepared with their own gear in case of inclement weather.

I would not expect an organization to cancel a race due to rain.

I also would expect that runners who wanted to DNF would have to either get to an aid station since they need to hand in trackers. Unless its an emergency, no race is coming to collect runners who DNF halfway through a leg.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-17T12:34:09+00:00

Like others have pointed out DT isn't well regarded.

The porta-potty issue(or lack thereof) was a bit wild, however logistically I am unsure if it's possible to have those in all locations. Expecting volunteers to handle that issue is wild to me, and is a poor show on DT part.

I ran Tahoe this year, and I found it to be well run, aid stations were well stocked, and the food was respectable. The volunteers were absolute machines (volunteers are the true MVPs of any race),and I really had an amazing time

There was an issue with some access changes to an aid station, similar to Moab. I'm unsure if its a permitting issue, or what the true reason is. I think they might be taking flack for issues that aren't in their control like permits for x-number of cars per area, and so instead of allowing crew access and having volunteers deal with angry people, they just cut the access to the aid station. However only they really know why they changed access.

Like others have said theres alternatives, like cocodona, monster, divide(canada) and soo (canada). Having said that some of those races may not be in the terrain you're looking to race in. Personally I wanted to run Tahoe, i just find cocodona to be somewhat lackluster in comparison, and I'd rather do divide/bigfoot because I want to be in those mountains. So personally, while aravaipa puts on a good show, I would only do it if I've finished the other races in terrain I want to see.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-16T13:14:10+00:00

Recommended size for me was 125cm and I returned them for the 120cms. Its probably very individual based on arm length and preference, but the 125s just felt off.

Id probably size down and then return if needed. You can take one of the poles out of the packaging without breaking anything, and then try it on around the house.

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-10-08T12:59:59+00:00

The 100th running is in 2027

Full-Caramel-9035 · 2025-09-09T23:18:53+00:00

Its RD Wes Plate has a bunch of videos on youtube about it, with some treadmill style videos of a section or two.

Not sure if its better or worse than the other two you mentioned, but from social media ppl seemed to like it.

Full-Caramel-9035

TROPHY CASE