What I Learned Running My First Comrades Marathon: Top tips for first timers

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Running your first Comrades Marathon can be daunting. I know because a week before this video was made I did just that. I don't think I've ever been so nervous before a race. But now I've crossed that finish line and successfully survived the Comrades ultra, I've got a few nuggets of wisdom to share that might just help you do the same. After all, the best person to offer advice on how to do something is the person who's only just done it. Hit play for the lessons I learned running South Africa's legendary ultra race and my fresh-take Comrades Marathon tips.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 - Intro
2:31 - Tip 1: Join North Beach parkrun
3:05 - Tip 2: How to handle the early start
3:50 - Tip 3: Don't chase sleep
4:30 - Tip 4: The toilet situation
4:45 - Tip 5: Beating the cold
5:13 - Tip 6: Racing the gun
5:36 - Tip 7: Staying hydrated
6:00 - Tip 8: How to fuel the race
6:37 - Tip 9: Don't get over excited
7:19 - Tip 10 - Forget about your watch
8:12 - Tip 11 - Run in the moment
8:46 - Tip 12 - Lap up the love
9:14 - Tip 13 - Crack the Comrades code
9:48 - Tip 14 - Choosing the right shoes
10:20 - Tip 15 - Show your colours
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Пікірлер: 73

  • @Manvmiles
    @Manvmiles Жыл бұрын

    What are your tips for Comrades first timers? Share them here...

  • @rajsaysrun

    @rajsaysrun

    10 ай бұрын

    Definitely worth booking to wander around the Reichstag. 👍

  • @user-eo6kt5oc6e

    @user-eo6kt5oc6e

    2 ай бұрын

    Don’t change your routine on Comrades morning. eat the same breakfast, wear the same gear, drink the same drinks as you do for your long training runs.

  • @jcoosthuizen8550

    @jcoosthuizen8550

    2 ай бұрын

    The Up run start is much warmer than the Down start, a light jacket will be sufficient. For the Down, don't chuck your jacket until after Pollies.

  • @doramwaiseghe5614

    @doramwaiseghe5614

    28 күн бұрын

    Go to the local clothes retailers (ackermans/picknpay/woolworths etc) buy a school jersey and use it for the start and aim to give it away to a child on the way.

  • @mrdsbaker
    @mrdsbaker11 ай бұрын

    Did my first comrades and it was a day I will never forget, this is a must for any runner to tick off. The best piece of advise I can give is the quote by Bruce fordyce this is what got me to the finish. “Start like a coward, finish like a hero”

  • @AlistairBarker
    @AlistairBarker8 күн бұрын

    Great to see you at North Beach parkrun today. Going for my second Comrades tomorrow. Thanks for the great advise.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    6 күн бұрын

    You too mate.

  • @davidrichards9898
    @davidrichards9898 Жыл бұрын

    32 years since I last did comrades but your energy in sharing your experience and knowledge almost got me out my chair to start training. Brought back wonderful memories.

  • @HilaryIngle
    @HilaryIngle3 күн бұрын

    Excellent tips . Having run Comrades it really nails it.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    2 күн бұрын

    Thanks Hilary. Appreciate the kind words

  • @calvernkuzi
    @calvernkuziАй бұрын

    watching this for the 3rd time - 29days to my first ever CM24 :)

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Ай бұрын

    You're going to have such a magic day. I'll be back for the Up run as well.

  • @sifisondlovu6132
    @sifisondlovu61323 ай бұрын

    Watching this 3 months before my first Comrades. I feel like im on the right track for my preparation. Cant wait!!

  • @JohnPawson-hx5li
    @JohnPawson-hx5li11 ай бұрын

    Great review and your right the last 20km almost killed me in 2022 as well.

  • @steffenlegrange29
    @steffenlegrange29 Жыл бұрын

    It was my first Comrades this year as well. Youve hit all the pointers on the head. Well done and congrats! Come run two oceans!

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Congrats on your first Steffen. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. And Two Oceans is on the radar.

  • @JohnBirtchetSharpe
    @JohnBirtchetSharpe Жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much , Watched and saved to review again when required.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Let's hope that's soon!

  • @ashmanSA
    @ashmanSA11 ай бұрын

    Great advice. My only suggestion would be try and stay close to the start. Those extra hours of sleep are priceless.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    11 ай бұрын

    Having accommodation near the start and the finish would be the dream I guess.

  • @eb2890
    @eb289011 ай бұрын

    I enjoyed following you on the app. I greeted you in Hillcrest and you looked on top form.

  • @phathiscreations8721
    @phathiscreations8721 Жыл бұрын

    I'll be running my first Comrades Marathon next year, that is, in 2024. Greatly appreciate this video. And well done on your Comrades run ✨️🌻

  • @mrdsbaker

    @mrdsbaker

    11 ай бұрын

    All the best for your training it will be the most incredible day of your life! ❤

  • @jonathanwatkins447
    @jonathanwatkins447 Жыл бұрын

    Great advise. So cool how much you enjoyed it. Love it.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jonathan. Keep thinking about going back 😂

  • @thabangbrianlebepe2509
    @thabangbrianlebepe2509 Жыл бұрын

    Great advice brother and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks very much .

  • @matthewdutoit8217
    @matthewdutoit8217 Жыл бұрын

    Great advice, l'm taking on the next one😅

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Fantastic. Will that be your first?

  • @PZJBimha
    @PZJBimha Жыл бұрын

    This is so helpful. Thanks for sharing. I will definitely save this video and refer back to it ahead of my first attempt.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    glad it's helpful and good luck with the prep for your first Comrades.

  • @nickymaehler9743
    @nickymaehler974311 күн бұрын

    First Comrades is the best day ever

  • @prakashthombare4282
    @prakashthombare42827 ай бұрын

    Extremely useful tips for novices thanks for sharing

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    7 ай бұрын

    Glad it was helpful!

  • @BamainMn
    @BamainMn Жыл бұрын

    Wow! Race experience looks like the polar opposite of the Danube trek! Congrats!

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah it was a little different to those long solo days on the Danube.

  • @workflowax
    @workflowax Жыл бұрын

    Well done. Was fun watching your two videos, I was a very similar pace so popped up in the background regularly 😁 Good to have you join us here in SA! Some additional info Race bibs with (purple) Bars down the side are people going for the unique once off back to back medal For the uprun from Durban, its not nearly as cold in the morning for the start, so warm gear no as necessary. Bring a disposable water bottle to the start if you are not supported by anyone as you have to wait for an hour and then do an additional 5km before the first Hydration station

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    11 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed the vids and features in them too. Great tips as well, thanks for sharing.

  • @georgedarden4742
    @georgedarden47423 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the video! I'm excited for my first Comrades in 2024!!

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Ай бұрын

    See you out there!! I'm heading back.

  • @zoediko6510
    @zoediko651011 ай бұрын

    I fully agree with you, listen to your body compared to checking your watch, you will then know how to manage the road/race.. i ran and completed 5 Comrades without a watch, i listened to my body to adjust to what the road was calling me to do..well done to u🙌🏾

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    11 ай бұрын

    Amen to this. And congrats on being half way to that green number. You going for it?

  • @xolisaathlete
    @xolisaathlete Жыл бұрын

    Well done, superb performance 🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿. I was there too😊😊😊

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks. And Fantastic. Congrats on your race.

  • @Heinrichdouglas1
    @Heinrichdouglas111 ай бұрын

    So glad you came, saw you at breakfast day before run. Now you got to come back for the up run to be a true comrades runner, hope to see you back next year.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    11 ай бұрын

    I hope to be back next year if I can.

  • @marcosmith722

    @marcosmith722

    11 ай бұрын

    You will get an additional medal if you did the back to back run

  • @sujathasudheendra2837
    @sujathasudheendra28374 ай бұрын

    Very simple and useful. Will be attempting my first ‘up’ run this year. Any tips for the first 40 kms gruelling up hill n how do I manage the cut offs

  • @msikagama2914

    @msikagama2914

    9 күн бұрын

    First 38km of the up run is gruesome, you need to apply a run walk strategy, I recommend walking the steepest parts of hills, hold back and don’t stop unnecessarily. If you can Do this until you get to the top of the fourth biggest hill (Inchanga hill) in the course, then you will have a very good 2nd half. Good luck and all the best!

  • @deanemortlock9891
    @deanemortlock989111 ай бұрын

    Very good tips for first timers , this year was my 8th race and never gets easier , if any one wants to see my race the video is also on youtube😅👍🏻

  • @DevinWilliams91
    @DevinWilliams913 ай бұрын

    Thanks so much for this, I’ll be doing my first comrades in June (The UP!) and this has got me so excited. Quick question, looking at buying shoes for the race and I have seen your video on shoes… going to look at doing a sub 9 too. I’m Saucony through n through. What would you wear now that you have done it between the Speed 3, Speed 4, Pro 3 n Pro 4? Would love to hear your thoughts.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Ай бұрын

    So I think I'm likely to run it in the Speed 4.

  • @DevinWilliams91

    @DevinWilliams91

    Ай бұрын

    @@Manvmiles Thanks a lot. Ended up changing track completely and have gone with the Asics Superblasts, they have been phenomenal in training. Are you going for another Bill Rowan medal? Hope to see you on the road, I think we will be in similar seedlings and wanting similar times.

  • @Dzaen2
    @Dzaen211 ай бұрын

    Hi Kieran, a good tip I would like to know is how to prevent chafing for such long distances.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    11 ай бұрын

    Hi there, the best thing I've found to prevent chafing is a product called 2Toms Sportshield. For me it works better than Vaseline.

  • @greatleapforwards
    @greatleapforwards Жыл бұрын

    did you read "The Rise of the Ultra Runners: A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance"? I had the honour of meeting Adharanand Finn before and after the race when he came and did it and even got a small mention in his book! it is a great read to get a small sense about the race

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    I have read it. I loved his bit about Comrades. Coincidentally, I was also in it in the section about the Lavaredo! I also went and ran the Lewa Marathon after reading his other book Running with the Kenyans.

  • @greatleapforwards

    @greatleapforwards

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Manvmiles brilliant! I hope you're going to go and do the Up run one day. you've only done the comrades when you've done and up and down🤣. great video by the way, you nailed all the key aspects of it

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    @@greatleapforwards Thanks. I enjoyed the whole thing a lot. One of the best running/life experiences I've had. And I'm going to see if I can get back next year and get back to back. But not sure if it's going to be an Up.

  • @jaibeingjai
    @jaibeingjai Жыл бұрын

    Hi Kieran, regarding fuelling I know you have mentioned previously preferring more natural sources. Does the Maltodextrin based from the sponsor Precision Fuel & Hydration differ much to more natural fuel source?

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Hi Jai, it depends what you mean by differ. Do you mean in terms of energy provision?

  • @joewillburn
    @joewillburn Жыл бұрын

    It's amazing the elites run at a sub 3:30 p/km pace the whole way.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    It really is.

  • @joewillburn
    @joewillburn Жыл бұрын

    Coming back next year? Done the two oceans?

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    It’s a maybe to both. Would love to but gotta see what’s in the piggy bank.

  • @joewillburn

    @joewillburn

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Manvmiles leave the wife and kids behind next time. Lol

  • @guptanyera9055
    @guptanyera90554 ай бұрын

    Sorry I wanted to ask, how does it work with prizes 😅i want to one day get a medal when i do that race😄

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Ай бұрын

    There's anoither video on the channel here that goes through the medals and times.

  • @franky3398
    @franky3398 Жыл бұрын

    Congrats, even split, well done, great Video. But i am always smiling at this young Generation... 😂 we had no Gels in the 80th, i still do not need them, coke is fine from 60k on. Wearing a shirt with a german flag in 2013, it was even too much support, you feel guilty not having the power to answer all the cheering...

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks very much. And for putting me in the young generation 😂I actually ended up running mainly on coke and water from 60km on as well. It just seemed to work. But I think having the other carb products helped me get that first chunk done. At one point I had to back off the 9 hour bus as the cheering was too intense.

  • @seanmac80
    @seanmac80 Жыл бұрын

    I am absolutely not used to seeing people running an ultra with no apparent means of hydration.

  • @Manvmiles

    @Manvmiles

    Жыл бұрын

    This is a really interesting hybrid race. It’s like a road marathon in terms of the aid stations but an ultra in the mindset you need.

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