I knew I had to train enough on road to get my body used to the relentless, continuous running on a hard surface, but carefully so as to avoid injuries. For the first time, I followed a training plan devised for me and stuck to it as best I could around various other commitments.

The race was first run in 1921, in honour of the fallen Comrades of the First World War. Deemed to be one of the hardest road ultras, this ‘ultimate human race’ is approximately 87-90k, depending on route variations from year to year. There are a number of medals awarded: Gold for positions 1-10, the Wally Hayward (5-time winner) for position 11 to sub 6 hours, Silver for 6-7.30 hours, the Bill Rowan (the first winner) for 7.30-9 hours, Bronze for 9-11 hours and the Vic Clapham (the race founder) for 11-12 hour finishers.  The race cut-off time limit was reduced to 11 hours from 1927, but extended again to 12 hours in 2003.   Green race numbers are presented to those running their 10^thComrades (and there’s a lot of them!).

Run in alternate directions each year, the ‘Up Run’ from the coast at Durban into the hills of Pietermaritzburg and the ‘Down Run’ in the opposite direction, there is much debate as to which direction is easiest.

The day before the race, I collected my running number from the International section within the Comrades Expo.  The Brits were, as usual, the biggest contingent of foreigners at around 280, out of a total of 19,600 runners. Following what turned out to be excellent advice, I dropped off my finish kit bag (saving me time, hassle and stress on the race morning) and bought my bus ticket from the finish back to Durban. 

As the race start was 5.30am, it meant a wake-up call a 3.30am on Sunday.  Passing the queues of increasingly agitated runners waiting in line to drop their finish kit bags off, we were told to get to our starting pens early as they get very busy and close 15 minutes before the start.    We were warned that it’s cold at the start - this was winter for S. Africans but still as warm as our summer, so I didn’t really need the old jumper I wore.  You have to wear your race number (with your name on it) on your front and back and all numbers are coloured according to where you’re from and how many times you’ve run the Comrades. Wearing a blue number, denoting that I was an International entry, I was welcomed and chatted to – hospitality which continued throughout the race.  After the traditional ‘cockerel crow’ , the gun fired and we were off. 

It was dark for the first 90 minutes, as we climbed the first two of the Big Five hills, Cowies and Fields.  The first half of the race has the most climbs, with very little flat at all, while the second half is more rolling.  The descents are few but steep and by then your quads are complaining.  All the advice given was to start slowly, and, like all ultras, to be patient.  The runners were amongst the friendliest and polite I have met -  they thanked the marshals, apologised if they bumped into you and happily chatted  along the route.

It was all going well until I started to run again after walking up Botha’s (the 3^rd of the Big 5).  I suddenly felt  a sharp pain on the outside of my left knee.  It stopped me dead, and after trying to hobble/walk, I took some painkillers/anti-inflamms.  I had been eating my Buzz bars until this point so at least there was something in my stomach to counteract their negative effects.  Managing to run again, albeit at a slower pace, I arrived at the halfway point of Drummond in my target time of 4.15. Other than my knee, I felt good and ready to run another 44km.  It was then I started to cramp, first in my quads and later in my hamstrings and calves.  The rest of the race was about managing both the knee on the up hills and the cramp on the down hills: too much walking seemed to aggravate both so I shortened my stride and trotted along.  My shorts covered in salty sweat, it was hot but there was also a lot of shade along the course, and I don’t normally suffer in the heat.  I took a sachet of rehydration salts given to me at the Expo in a cup of Pepsi which helped a lot, and another of the four gels I was carrying.

I made sure that from that point on, I took advantage of the frequent feed stations (every 1.2km after the first 6km), taking on Energade, Pepsi and water, plus any bananas and salted potatoes.  The fluid was provided in sachets rather than bottles;  these were much easier to drink from as well as run with. The water sachets were often ice-cold, so perfect to put on the back of my neck and wrists to cool me down before drinking  (others poured the water over their head and legs).  The food didn’t start until around 38k – I’d taken my own bars and gels to get me to that point – and mainly consisted of bananas, potatoes, biscuits, oranges and chocolate.  There weren’t any gels, but the odd jelly sweet and anything else the spectators had made.

Crowd support was brilliant – names on each running number helped and I had printed my name of the front of my running top as well.  Families and friends all turned out, along with tables, chairs, braiis (BBQs) and music to celebrate the day and cheer on the runners.  They told you that you were looking good in a way you almost believed them!  Parts of the course resembled the Tour de France, running through a narrow corridor of spectators as you crested the hill, with music blaring, Pom-Pom girls cheering and loudspeakers calling your name.  The scenery, as expected, was amazing, especially over the ‘Valley of 1000 Hills’ as we passed through historic parts of the course.

After Inchanga, the fourth major hill, the rollercoaster 20k of Harrison Flats through Cato to Camperdown were hot and exposed.  The unmentioned hill called ‘Little Polly’ didn’t cause me too much trouble but ‘Polly Shorrts’ the last of the ‘Big 5’, seemed endless.  I was determined to get in under the 9 hour mark, which was the cut-off for the Bill Rowan medal.  Perhaps it was my dehydrated state, but I remember another two ascents as I counted down the last 8k to the finish.  I was averaging 5min/km but there was no ‘1k to go’ marker and I thought I’d blown it.  The noise of the crowds, shouting and banging on the metal hoardings which guided us into the Oval, was deafening. A sharp turn left and I was 50 metres from the Finish, and over the line in 08.53.11.  I was 131^st out of 4,380 females and placed 1,933rd overall out of 19,617 starters.

So, if you’re thinking of running the Comrades - here are my key points:-

* The gun time is your start time, NOT your chip time (this just gives you your splits en route). It’s therefore important to get a quick qualifying marathon time in order to get a starting pen nearer the start line.

* The Km markers count down – a little disconcerting at the start but very positive in the second half of the race.

* The road surfaces aren’t good in parts and you need to be aware of the debris from discarded start-line clothing and feed stations (even the first placed Russian lady who won fell over en route).

* The camber of the road on the ‘Up Run’ is to the left – I’m sure this was the cause of my knee problems.  The day after the race my left leg and back was a lot sorer, as was the case with a number of other runners I spoke to.

* If you’re thinking of doing the Down Run, ensure you strengthen your knees/quads for the almost endless eccentric action whilst descending.

* The finish area is excellent, with food, drink, showers and an International tent for resting.  It can be cold in Pietermaritzburg so put enough kit in your drop bag.  Dusk is around 5.30pm so if you’re pushed for time, you could be running as it gets dark.

* Don’t underestimate the toughness of the Comrades!  There were 11,374 finishers out of 19,617 starters.  The overall time limit is 12 hours but there are also five time cut-offs en route.

What I wore/used during the race:-

* Raidlight once again came into its own – the Raider Shorts with mesh pockets were great to carry food.  I had two gels and a Buzz bar in each and didn’t notice them at all in terms of bounce.  The Raidlight Performance zip t-shirt was extremely cool and I put my first aid bits in one of the pockets, money and bus ticket in the other.  This meant I didn’t have to carry a bum-bag or gel belt. 

* I wore the X-Socks Energiser compression socks on the flights to Durban and then the Speed Metal X Socks during the race (which dissipate the heat well).  As usual with X Socks, I had no blisters or soreness during the run or after, and my feet never felt hot. 

* I put BodyGlide on where clothing may have rubbed, and considering the amount of sweat/salt on my clothes, I had no abrasion patches at all.

* I used to wear a strip of Buff as a headband but this time used an actual Buff Headband to good effect.  It gave enough head coverage to protect from the sun (it has a UV protection factor anyway), whilst allowing my head to breathe and mop up sweat.  We’ve just got these on the website and I think they’ll sell like hotcakes.

* Another new addition to the site is Annecy Factor 50 sun lotion and lip balm which I applied over the backs of ears, knees, arms and face – there were a few red runners at the finish but not me!The only thing I should have taken, but didn’t,  was a pocket bottle of Elete electrolyte.  Next time!!