Today marks one hundred days till the cock crows for the start of the 2009 Comrades Marathon!! Yes, you’ve got exactly one hundred days left to prepare yourself for yet another Comrades Marathon, the 84th one to be precise.
Since the start of the annual Road Show in Bethlehem on 20 January, there has been a very distinct air of excitement among the attendees (runners/athletes). Almost every workshop had a full house with Benoni topping the numbers with a whopping 180 athletes in attendance! The statistics also show that a growing proportion of those attending are novices, which augurs well for our objective to attract 20 000 runners in 2010.
This year the CMA has launched a brand new “Novice Project” sponsored by Bonitas Medical Fund, one of our Major Sponsors and presented by Runner’s World Magazine. The Bonitas Novice Project is available online on the Runner’s World website at www.runnersworld.co.za and provides daily updated training advice to novices and an interactive facility where novice runners can directly address questions to the Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry.
Race T-Shirt
The CMA has also undertaken to ensure that each runner receives the correct size t-shirt he/she ordered. For this reason we have sent the following clubs a Medium and Large sample of the official race shirt. Please do visit these clubs to ensure that you have ordered your correct size. If the Medium is too big, then order a Small and if the Large is too small order a X-Large. Please note that these shirts are unbranded and serve only as a sample and that they are not the official race shirt that will be included in their registration pack.
Since the start of the annual Road Show in Bethlehem on 20 January, there has been a very distinct air of excitement among the attendees (runners/athletes). Almost every workshop had a full house with Benoni topping the numbers with a whopping 180 athletes in attendance! The statistics also show that a growing proportion of those attending are novices, which augurs well for our objective to attract 20 000 runners in 2010.
This year the CMA has launched a brand new “Novice Project” sponsored by Bonitas Medical Fund, one of our Major Sponsors and presented by Runner’s World Magazine. The Bonitas Novice Project is available online on the Runner’s World website at www.runnersworld.co.za and provides daily updated training advice to novices and an interactive facility where novice runners can directly address questions to the Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry.
Race T-Shirt
The CMA has also undertaken to ensure that each runner receives the correct size t-shirt he/she ordered. For this reason we have sent the following clubs a Medium and Large sample of the official race shirt. Please do visit these clubs to ensure that you have ordered your correct size. If the Medium is too big, then order a Small and if the Large is too small order a X-Large. Please note that these shirts are unbranded and serve only as a sample and that they are not the official race shirt that will be included in their registration pack.
Arcelor Mittal AC - VT
Benoni Northerns Athletic Club
Berts Bricks Athletic Club
Bethlehem Marathon Club
Boksburg AC
Carlton Athletic Club
Charlo Athletic Club
Chatsworth Athletic Club
Eskom Gijimas - KZN
Eskom Gijimas - MPL
Goldfields Athletics Club
Hillcrest Villagers AC
Irene Road Running Club
Klerksdorp Marathon Klub
Knysna Marathon Club
Nedbank Bloemfontein Achilles
Nedbank Running Club Eastern Cape
Nelspruit Marathon Club
Oxford Striders
Polokwane Athletic Club
Rand AC
Richards Bay AC
Rocky Road Runners
Rustenburg Marathon Club
Secunda Marathon Klub
South Coast Striders
Stella Athletic Club
Strand Athletic Club
Varsity Old Boys - WP
Worcester Athletic Club
Underprivileged Runners
The CMA will once again provide assistance to underprivileged runners seeking accommodation the night before and after the race. The venue where runners will be housed has not yet been finalised due to the unavailability of the Royal Show Grounds at the time of the Comrades Marathon. As soon as this has been finalised more information will be made available to all clubs and provincial federations. Application forms are available from the CMA office.
National Youth Run
Another successful project launched in 2008 was the National Youth Run sponsored by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation. This year the event will take place in Durban on Saturday 23 May (the day before Comrades race day) offering a 5km and 10km challenge. Though the race is primarily for the youth, senior athletes are welcome to join in the fun and celebrate in the spirit of the occasion.
Reminders
If you have a novice under your wing, remind her/him of the special opportunity they have to earn a “Double-Down Medal” by completing both the 2009 and 2010 Comrades Marathons. It is also important for all Comrades runners to be reminded that entries for the 2010 Comrades Marathon will in all probability open in September 2009, giving those who have qualified by completing the 2009 Comrades Marathon, the opportunity to secure their entry in the limited field for 2010.
Closing Date of Entries is 31 March 2009.
Enough talk, now run!!
The CMA will once again provide assistance to underprivileged runners seeking accommodation the night before and after the race. The venue where runners will be housed has not yet been finalised due to the unavailability of the Royal Show Grounds at the time of the Comrades Marathon. As soon as this has been finalised more information will be made available to all clubs and provincial federations. Application forms are available from the CMA office.
National Youth Run
Another successful project launched in 2008 was the National Youth Run sponsored by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation. This year the event will take place in Durban on Saturday 23 May (the day before Comrades race day) offering a 5km and 10km challenge. Though the race is primarily for the youth, senior athletes are welcome to join in the fun and celebrate in the spirit of the occasion.
Reminders
If you have a novice under your wing, remind her/him of the special opportunity they have to earn a “Double-Down Medal” by completing both the 2009 and 2010 Comrades Marathons. It is also important for all Comrades runners to be reminded that entries for the 2010 Comrades Marathon will in all probability open in September 2009, giving those who have qualified by completing the 2009 Comrades Marathon, the opportunity to secure their entry in the limited field for 2010.
Closing Date of Entries is 31 March 2009.
Enough talk, now run!!
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