2003 Comrades Marathon Down Run

From After the Race...

The race is over and I am back.  Here are some photos.  Verbiage to come later.  Maybe...

From Before the Race...

This year I am very lucky.  I shouldn't be running but I am.

First, I have a free round trip airline ticket from South African Airways for bumping me off my return trip last year.  This lets me fly free from JFK to Johannesburg round trip, saving me about $2000.

Second, Having had a knee operation in October and another knee injury (same knee) in February, I have not trained for this race at all.  My weight is up 30 pounds.  May 3 I ran and completed the Ontario Shore Marathon.  To qualify for Comrades, I had to complete at least a marathon, in under 5 hours, before the registration closure date of May 5.  I ran a comfortable but ugly 4:45, qualified, and registered that evening.

Two weeks later, may 17, I pose this question:  How much is 10 8s?  Some people would answer 80 and be wrong.  10 8s is 31.  This morning I ran 10 figure 8s around Green Lakes State Park, a total of 31 miles.  This took me 6 hours and 7 minutes moving time.  Of course, I stopped at my car every loop to drink and eat.  The first 6 times around I listened to more of Uncle Tom's Cabin on my Audible Otis.  The last 4 trips I switched to my MP3 player and listened to all of Van Morrison's Greatest Hits and most of Pink Floyd's Pulse.  Cathy and Mandy came out and did a lap before noon.  I started a little after 6 and finished about 1.  Changed clothes and drove home for a nice bath.  Last May the same run took me 5 hours, 28 minutes - 39 minutes less.  4 weeks and 2 days to race day!