Running the biggest ultra marathon in the world is a daunting task for novices, and even experienced Comrades runners find tackling the Up run a big challenge.

The Up run is a different animal to the Down run, as it is front-loaded with climbs. These climbs are long and relentless, and if a runner is not cautious, this race will chew you up and spit you out.

 I have put together these handy tips for running the Up  Comrades marathon. 

Top Comrades tip for UP run – caution! 

How you run the first 40km will determine whether you have a good run or not. On the Down run, I always tell runners that a cautious first 30km will pay off later in the race. But for the Up Comrades, where the climbs keep coming until about 40km, it is better to be cautious until further into the race.  

On the climbs, don’t worry about your pace and stop looking at your watch splits! The biggest danger is trying to keep to a certain pace on the climbs, and running too hard. A better approach is to listen to your breathing, and if you start to breathe hard, slow down or walk. You can also keep an eye on your heart rate, to make sure that you don’t let it climb too high. A good tip is to add short walk breaks on the climbs if you feel uncomfortable and are working too hard.

Fortune favours the bold in love and other matters, but NEVER with Comrades. A cautious runner has a much better chance of running the perfect race. 

Your aim as a Comrades contender is to get safely through the half way mark where the cut-off gun awaits runners that are too slow on the day.  Keep in mind that although we speak of Drummond as the halfway point, the actual halfway mark is not exactly at Drummond. But you will pass under the banner at the halfway mark and know it.

Once in your starting pen the unique Comrades vibe will be felt. With thousands of excited runners, and thousands upon thousands of spectators lining the route and millions watching on TV, you are now part of the biggest street party in South Africa. 

NOTE: The seeding system has changed, and this means that the start is less congested, and that you don’t need to stress about losing a lot of time at the start. This means that your batch is no longer as important as it used to be.

You don’t want to become one of those TV-runners scuttling down the road ahead of the field for a moment of glory, before spending the rest of the day regretting it.

Instead you are going to be like a miser hoarding his gold, with gold being your energy, which you will spend as little as possible in the first half of the race.

Slot into your usual weekend long run pace and think of the first kays in the dark as your warm-up. You KNOW your usual long run pace so well by now. In the dark with the excitement, it is all too easy to run too fast. This will prevent you from starting too fast and committing Comrades marathon suicide

I like to stand at the start with a small bottle of energy drink, wearing an old long-sleeved tee shirt, both which will be thrown away by the time I get to Pinetown.  The first few water points are very congested and it is easier to stay in the middle of the road to avoid the crowds at the tables, trotting along while sipping from your own energy drink.

This serves two purposes: it keeps you out of the water table frenzy and it means you are unlikely to drink too much fluid in the early stage of the race. One of the problems is that with so many water tables, runners tend to drink more than usual and end up feeling bloated and unable to drink later from 65km when they really need it.

Disable the auto pause on your watch! We often have our watches set on auto pause for our training runs, where we stop for drinks and want to record our running time. But with auto pause on, your watch will actually stop the stopwatch when walking, as well as when you are standing still. You don’t want to miss a cutoff or a medal due to this. 

Your aim is to get to Pinetown feeling as though you have just warmed up and ready for Field’s Hill, the first big climb off the day. (You have been climbing since the start, including the back of Cowies, but since you have been taking it easy this should not bother you).

Field’s Hill is the first reality check and by now the excitement will have faded and you will notice runners who went out to fast, already struggling. Field’s Hill is a good place for a few short walks if you are on a walk/run strategy.

The aim when running hills is to conserve energy and not to fight the hills. If you feel fatigue and start breathing hard, then either slow down or walk a bit. Botha’s hill is your next big climb and I have always found this tougher than Field’s Hill.

Tricky section of the Comrades marathon

I have found that the big drop past Alverstone Tower to the halfway mark at Drummond and then up Inchanga on the other side is a tricky section. There is always a temptation to run too fast on the long downhill to Drummond to make up lost time.

This means risking trashing your legs and then once when through Drummond you start the brutal climb up Inchanga which becomes a double whammy. Inchanga is steep with a horrible camber and looks like a scene from a battlefield in the Braveheart movie.

Think of Inchanga as the halfway mark

I have always believed that if a runner can get safely over Inchanga, still feeling good, then she is in for a great Comrades marathon! Think of the top of Inchanga as your halfway mark. On my fastest Up run, I played it cautiously until over Inchanga, and I was amazed at how well I was running on the second half, cruising past runners and enjoying it. That was unlike my previous Up runs, where I had blown it trying to keep a good pace on the climbs in the first half.

For many runners Inchanga marks the end of their dream of a good Comrades.  But if you have been wise and run cautiously you will welcome Inchanga knowing that once you are over it you are all set for a great Comrades.

The section from the top of Inchanga through the Harrison flats to Cato Ridge and Camperdown is my favourite. It’s certainly not flat, but it does allow for cruising nicely and if you are strong you will enjoy this section.  

Cato Ridge and Camperdown have the most incredible vibe with huge crowd support. There is a danger of picking up the pace and running too fast here so RELAX as after these two support areas the race becomes tough, even for those who have started cautiously.

The section around Umlaas road with almost 20km still to go, and Lion Park are the toughest mentally as there is little crowd support, and the scenery is just brown veldt on either side of the road. There are also some sneaky, nasty climbs here that on other races would have names.  It is now all about survival and keeping an eye on your watch.

Don’t trust your watch GPS! No GPS is 100% accurate, and they can be out by 30 metres on every kilometre. As you get further down the road, you will start to notice that your watch is showing that you have run a bit further than the marker boards indicate. This means that your watch will also be showing that your pace is slightly faster than it actually is. Trust the marker boards!

Polly Shortts is the last hurdle

Little Polly’s can be mistaken for Polly Shortts, so keep this in mind. But there is no mistaking the bottom of Polly Shortts as you cross a small bridge, and after this pull, you are getting close to Polly Shortts. 

Polly Shortts guards Pietermaritzburg and I have only run non-stop up Pollys once, so be prepared for a tough climb. Most runners will run/walk up it, and remember there is a TV camera at the top so try run at the top! 

No, it’s not all downhill from the top of Pollys to the finish. But the end is near and the crowd support is once again huge, with each spectator shouting for you. Use these spectators and feed off the vibe, and before you know it you will be on the last kilometre and hear the speakers and crowds ready to welcome you.  Welcome to the ranks of Comrades runners!

Bits of this and that

• Try make a fair estimate of your finish time based on your race times and training. This will help you to work out a realistic pace.
• Use a pace calculator or pace band which you can buy at the expo. Make a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C. Your Plan A is your ideal time. Plan B is slower, but still a time you are happy with, and Plan C is to FINISH.  Unless you have a medical reason or are pulled off for missing a cut-off, your main aim should be to finish.

Bailer’s Bus – I have bailed on 3 races in 40 years, two of them on Comrades. Each time I bailed I was near the front of the field, but having a dreadful day and had no Plan B. On both these runs I should have simply adjusted my expectations and finished. – CoachNeville

• Don’t depend on your seconds. They may get stuck in traffic and not be able to get to you. Don’t be upset if this happens, there are more than enough water tables. Your seconds are mostly for moral support.
• Seconding on the Up run is a lot easier than on the Down run.  There is much less congestion on the second half of the Up run, making it easier to get to a runner. I normally get to about seven places on the Up run when seconding. First spot is Pinetown, then either Kloof, Winston Park or Hillcrest. The third spot is Alverstone Tower which is a bit tricky to get to if you don’t know how. Drummond is usually closed. The fourth spot would be around Inchanga or Bayat’s store. The fifth spot is Cato Ridge and/Camperdown. Then Umlaas Road and Lion Park. After Lion Park, it is wise to drive to the finish to be in time to meet your runner.
• Cramps are a constant threat on an ultra. Take electrolytes regularly and don’t fight the cramps. If you feel a cramp about to strike, walk and wait for it to ease. If you are in a bad way, try get to an aid station for a massage. I would suggest one electrolyte capsule every hour with water. Any capsule that says “anti-cramp” is electrolytes. I use the Hammer Endurolytes as they work well (also at Dischem stores).  I have also found that taking an antacid such as Rennies tablets helps for cramps, and this is due to the calcium carbonate in it.  I have also heard of runners that have found that  cream soda cooldrink helps. A good product called CrampNot also helps, and you can buy it as an energy gel at Dischem stores. With CrampNot, you swirl the gel around under your tongue a bit, so don’t just gulp it down. Doing this helps with the absorption. It would probably also help doing that with Rennies tablets. 
• Keep moving!  Never, ever stand still, but keep moving forward. If you can’t run, then walk. The clock is ticking and standing still could cost you dearly later when the cut-off gun goes.
• Use a walk/run strategy. Some runners like to use a fixed walk/run strategy. I prefer to go by feel and throw in short walks when needed. Rather throw in a short walk early on when feeling tired, than hang on grimly until you have no option but to walk. The aim should be to get as far down the road as possible before getting into survival mode, and this is achieved by a cautious first half and by using walk breaks when needed.

The last week

• TAPER, but DON’T stop running completely. It is tempting to do nothing in the last week, but this will result in your feeling sluggish and lazy.  Ideally rest on Monday, do a light run of 5km on Tuesday, a light interval session or easy 4km run on Wednesday to loosen up, followed by two solid rest days on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, a light run of 15 minutes will ensure that you are relaxed and loose for Sunday.  The two common mistakes in the last week are doing either too little OR too much.

Horror story … in 1991 after finishing 3rd at the 56km Longtom ultra in March, I missed two month’s training with ITB. I finally came right 10 days before comrades and ran a 60km long run the weekend before the Comrades to test it … DOH – CoachNeville

• DON’T get sick. If feeling a bit off get a Vitamin B Complex injection from your doctor, take immune boosters and don’t give up hope! Some of the popular treatments you can ask for at a doctor include: Intragam (South African version of Beriglobin); ozone dripo; or neurobium injection which is a vitamin B boost. You can also go for a “vitamin bomb” drip at certain pharmacies.  

True story … in 1997 I fell sick and I had a horrendous run with friends 7 days before the Comrades. Eventually my mates left me and ran to my house to tell my wife to fetch me in her car. I was man down most of that week, on antibiotics etc.  The day before Comrades I suddenly felt better, so went and did 8 x 1km intervals to test myself. Then ran Comrades in a 6.38 PB – CoachNeville

• Checklist – Do make a checklist! Remember items such as your running shoes,  energy gels and drinks, sunblock, socks, Imodium, running belt, something warm for the start and for after the race.

Nightmare story – In 1987 I flew down to Durban the afternoon before Comrades as I was sponsored. Only when I got to the hotel that evening after registering at the expo did I discover that I had left a running shoe at home. I phoned a clubmate in Durban and loaned an old pair of shoes from him, a size too big. This messed with my head quite a bit! – CoachNeville

• Save your feet – Don’t spend too much time walking around the expo. Register, buy some items and leave. And don’t spend hours walking on the beach.
• Sleep – Bring your own pillow and anything that will make you feel at home and sleep better.
• Carbo load – the emphasis is no longer as much on carbo loading as it was in the 80’s and 90s. Your body will already be stocking up on carbs as you will be running less and burning less fuel. With the Saltin diet in which you deplete your carb reserves with a long of 20km run 7 days before the race, then for 3 days eat just proteins for 3 days before switching to a high carb diet for the last 4 days, your body would super load creating extra stores of carbs. But some drawbacks are that you shouldn’t do a long run the week before the Comrades; you run a greater risk of getting sick and you feel lethargic during the protein phase with headaches. Instead the plan is to eat well without changing your diet. If you want to you can drink 500ml of a high carb drink for the last three days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).

The day before … and the longest night

• SLEEP in late if possible
• STAY OFF your feet … rather read, watch tv

Believe it or not – In 1990 with two friends I went to a night club the night before the race and we returned to our apartment just in time to dress for the race after a smoke-filled night dancing with a few drinks. – CoachNeville

• LOGISTICS – make sure you have planned transport to the start, your seconds know the access points, the layout of the finish and where the club tent is.
• TICK TOCK – make sure your stopwatch is working and fully charged.  Watching the setting sun to determine whether you will make the cut-off is no fun.
• LAST MEAL – eat your supper early so that you can digest it well. The same old boring food you normally eat is perfect, so don’t try something new. Your breakfast should also be early and easily digestible. We all have favourites. For years my pre-race breakfast was two slices of toast with peanut butter and honey, washed down with a cup of coffee. Lately I have started eating oats with a banana.
• ZZZ – DON’T try go to bed earlier than usual.  You will just lie awake worrying about the race.

True story – In 1985 I shared an apartment with Chris Reyneke (3rd in 1984) and Piet Smit (6.26 in 1984). Around 2 am I still couldn’t fall asleep so walked into the kitchen to find Chris and Piet playing cards. Even elite runners can’t sleep! – CoachNeville

• EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM – Get up very early, eat and get to the loo and head for the start.  While you don’t want to arrive at the start hours too early, neither do you want to be in stuck in traffic.

We were stuck – In 2010 with one of my elite runners,  Greg Barnes, we took a wrong turn in Durban as some roads were closed. By the time we got to the offramp outside Pietermaritzburg the traffic was backed up to the highway. Realising we would miss the start, we jumped out and ran the last few kays to the start. Greg wasn’t fazed though and ran his PB 6.10! – CoachNeville

Live to run another day

At the finish:

• Well done, treasure the moment and your well-deserved medal even if your time wasn’t what you had aimed for.
• If cramping, dizzy or nauseous ask to be taken to the medical tent
• Get to the club tent, get warm and dry. Try eating something light such as soup.  Keep on drinking fluids until urinating normally. Stay away from beer as it will dehydrate you.
• Lie on your back with your feet raised on your tog bag to speed up recovery.
• Whatsapp your friends and loved ones to tell them what a great run you had.
• Make sure your gear is waiting for you at the finish