| Comrades 52km-70km. Moving on swiftly... The lads at Kearsney have spurred us all on, and so on we go. |
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| Botha's Hill to Pinetown - 52km-70km |
At last, some respite. Hard work is behind us, and we can relax
and settle again into some rhythm and comfortable running, if at
all possible.
18km of (predominantly) downhill running. Fact is, this is where the 'down' comes in.
Hillcrest
The road form Botha's to Hillcrest is the busiest part of the route, as far as spectators go. Lined both sides for kilometres on end with cheering crowds, you feel inspired and almost indestructible.
The short climb up to Hillcrest is barely noticeable if you keep concentrating on the crowds and not look at the road ahead.
OK, truth is, this section can break your mood a little. But it is short and most enjoyable with the crowd support and cheering.
56km behind you. Only 34km or so to go. And you are still feeling good!!!
Hillcrest to Fields
Gentle downhill is a pleasure on now tiring legs. At last, some easy running that can be enjoyed, though it might be a bit of an ask on your legs, having carried you this far already. This part of the route can be used to make up a bit of time, or at least get back on track. Don't burn it up though - save that for much later.
After Hillcrest, the road narrows slightly, and the crowd disappears behind clouds of braai smoke as families line the pavements outside their homes as you wind through Winston Park and Kloof. The leafy suburbs provide much needed shade. Enjoy!!
Fields Hill
The real down of the down run. Just over 3km of pounding that can turn your legs to jelly. But before you rush off, pause a moment and spot the ocean, Durban skyline and finish line ahead of you. Yes, you are still 24km away, but you can see it from the top of Fields Hill!
If the steepness of Fields doesn't kill you, the camber will. Run in the gutter if need be. Do anything to save your legs and ankles down here. And most of all, take it easy. This is one spot where you can walk the downs. This section of road is where the Comrades is won and lost. Getting carried away down Fields will write off the last 20km of the race. Taking it easy will allow you to run into Durban.
Pinetown!
So you tried your best to go slowly down Fields. But momentum took over, and you are careering down the hill. Watch out!! A sharp left turn needs to be negotiated on jelly legs. Don't overshoot the apex of the corner, or you will find yourself running 91km...
You realise that there is less than a half marathon to go. That is not even a training run! The elephant is almost conquered. Yet the last bites are more like vegetables than meat (broccoli, to be specific).
The road through Pinetown is long and straight. As you come into Pinetown and the bottom of Fields, you can almost see the other end as it winds up Cowies Hill some 3km in the distance. The sun will be beating down on you now, and there is no shelter along this stretch of road. Enthusiastic crowds start telling you "you are almost there". If only they knew.
The Pinetown crowds can be entertaining if you are in the mood. Otherwise they can be downright irritating. Offering lots of encouragement, food and beer. It might be along this section of road that crime is committed with a vuvuzela.
Stay calm and run through it. It might be beneficial to run in the middle of the road here, avoiding the crowd if they become irritating, and only moving to the side to get refreshments or beat someone.
The road is slightly downhill through Pinetown, and can easily be run (provided you didn't shatter your legs on Fields), and the gentle climb out of Pinetown is still manageable. Until you meet Cowies. But we'll address that later.
Keep moving forward.
Cheers,
Andrew.
18km of (predominantly) downhill running. Fact is, this is where the 'down' comes in.
Hillcrest
The road form Botha's to Hillcrest is the busiest part of the route, as far as spectators go. Lined both sides for kilometres on end with cheering crowds, you feel inspired and almost indestructible.
The short climb up to Hillcrest is barely noticeable if you keep concentrating on the crowds and not look at the road ahead.
OK, truth is, this section can break your mood a little. But it is short and most enjoyable with the crowd support and cheering.
56km behind you. Only 34km or so to go. And you are still feeling good!!!
Hillcrest to Fields
Gentle downhill is a pleasure on now tiring legs. At last, some easy running that can be enjoyed, though it might be a bit of an ask on your legs, having carried you this far already. This part of the route can be used to make up a bit of time, or at least get back on track. Don't burn it up though - save that for much later.
After Hillcrest, the road narrows slightly, and the crowd disappears behind clouds of braai smoke as families line the pavements outside their homes as you wind through Winston Park and Kloof. The leafy suburbs provide much needed shade. Enjoy!!
Fields Hill
The real down of the down run. Just over 3km of pounding that can turn your legs to jelly. But before you rush off, pause a moment and spot the ocean, Durban skyline and finish line ahead of you. Yes, you are still 24km away, but you can see it from the top of Fields Hill!
If the steepness of Fields doesn't kill you, the camber will. Run in the gutter if need be. Do anything to save your legs and ankles down here. And most of all, take it easy. This is one spot where you can walk the downs. This section of road is where the Comrades is won and lost. Getting carried away down Fields will write off the last 20km of the race. Taking it easy will allow you to run into Durban.
Pinetown!
So you tried your best to go slowly down Fields. But momentum took over, and you are careering down the hill. Watch out!! A sharp left turn needs to be negotiated on jelly legs. Don't overshoot the apex of the corner, or you will find yourself running 91km...
You realise that there is less than a half marathon to go. That is not even a training run! The elephant is almost conquered. Yet the last bites are more like vegetables than meat (broccoli, to be specific).
The road through Pinetown is long and straight. As you come into Pinetown and the bottom of Fields, you can almost see the other end as it winds up Cowies Hill some 3km in the distance. The sun will be beating down on you now, and there is no shelter along this stretch of road. Enthusiastic crowds start telling you "you are almost there". If only they knew.
The Pinetown crowds can be entertaining if you are in the mood. Otherwise they can be downright irritating. Offering lots of encouragement, food and beer. It might be along this section of road that crime is committed with a vuvuzela.
Stay calm and run through it. It might be beneficial to run in the middle of the road here, avoiding the crowd if they become irritating, and only moving to the side to get refreshments or beat someone.
The road is slightly downhill through Pinetown, and can easily be run (provided you didn't shatter your legs on Fields), and the gentle climb out of Pinetown is still manageable. Until you meet Cowies. But we'll address that later.
Keep moving forward.
Cheers,
Andrew.
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