Hard to believe the time has come again… The road to Comrades 2011 has started. Entries for The Ultimate Human Race are open and Modern Athlete has put together a mini-guide to set you on your way to one of the best races in the world!
Looking Back
Who can forget the 2010 Comrades Marathon, the 85th celebration of the world’s biggest ultra marathon? This special Comrades amassed the second largest field in the history of the race, only surpassed by the millennium race in 2000. The race also set net records for international (5%), women (24%) and novice entries (29%), and organisers expect the Comrades to be officially recognised as the world’s biggest ultra marathon by the Guinness Book of Records!
The 2011 Campaign
2011 is an up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, 29 May. The distance? Approximately 89km. The 2011 Comrades campaign features the slogan ‘Burned into your Sole’, trying to bring across the message of: Your day of endurance under the African skies will be remembered forever. It will be burned into your sole.
The CMA furthermore aims to make the Comrades Marathon a global brand going forward. The message is clear: If you are a runner anywhere in the world and you have not yet done Comrades, then you are not allowed to stop running.
Entries
Entries for 2011 opened on 1 September; all athletes, novices and former Comrades athletes enter at the same time. Remember entries close on 30 November or once the 18 000 cap has been reached. No extensions will be allowed! So if you are serious about running Comrades you’d better get your entry in.
Entries are being taken online at
www.comrades.com, Mr Price stores and manually. This year’s online entries will involve something new. When you click the entry icon on the Comrades website, you will be linked to the Mr Price entry portal. Ensure you have a valid email address and either a Visa or Master Credit Card. Create a secure login and register as a Mr Price Sport member. You will then be able to enter the 2011 Comrades Marathon.
If you choose to drop off your entry, do so at a till point at any Mr Price store countrywide during trading hours by the closing date. You can also hand deliver your entry to CMA House in Pietermaritzburg by 18:00 on the closing date, or post your entry to Comrades Marathon, PO Box 843, Pietermaritzburg, 3200. Please note: there are no refunds on entries so if you commit to the event and secure an entry, do your best to utilise the opportunity.
QUALIFYING CRITERIA
The qualifying period for 2011 will be as follows:
30 May 2010 – 6 May 2011.
Runners who finished the 2010 Comrades Marathon can use their finishing time for 2011.
While all entries will have to meet the entry criteria, runners will still be allowed to qualify in official qualifying races up until 6 May 2011 as the final
cut-off date.
Upon qualification, simply submit your time and details of the qualifying race to the CMA office before close of business on 6 May 2011.
You will have to submit your club name and current license number to CMA by 6 May 2011.
In 2011 the CMA will send all qualifying times and details to each athlete’s club for verification purposes. This has been necessitated due to the fact that some athletes submit false information and qualifying times.
Bonitas, Flora and Nedbank will be on board again, but the CMA has secured an exciting new fourth major sponsor for 2011. “The CMA is delighted to announce that the Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Education & Training Authority (THETA), one of 23 Sector Education & Training Authorities in South Africa and the one responsible for Sport, has joined the Comrades family of sponsors and partners as a major sponsor for the next
four years, from 2011 to 2014,” says Gary Boshoff, CMA
General Manager.
The CMA will be visiting areas in and around the country.
You can look forward to an informative and inspiring talk, with expert advice, lucky draw prizes and interaction with your
local running heroes.
COMRADES MARATHON ROAD SHOW SCHEDULE 2011
Date and Time Province Town Club and address
6 October 19:00 North West Rustenburg Rustenburg MC, Bergsig High School,
Boven Street
7 October 19:00 Central North West Klerksdorp Klerksdorp MC Clubhouse, Klerksdorp Recreation Centre, Goue Street
9 October 09:00 KwaZulu-Natal Durban Nedbank Head Office, 90 Ordnance Road
12 October 19:00 KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg Saints Athletic Club, Coach House,
St Charles College, Harwin Road
13 October 19:00 KwaZulu-Natal Margate South Coast Striders Clubhouse,
Lot 194, Edward Street, Uvongo
19 October 19:00 Free State Bloemfontein Bloemfontein Achilles Sports Centre,
Cnr At Horak and Parfitt
20 October 18:00 Limpopo Polokwane Polokwane Athletic Club Clubhouse,
Peter Mokaba Stadium, Dorp Street
26 October 19:00 South West Districts Mossel Bay Hatenbos Drawwers Running Club
Hartenbos Bowls Clubhouse Damaraland Street, Hartenbos