The Comrades Marathon 2024. 85.91km - highlights through the eyes of a middle-of-the-pack runner.

[@nondumisomkhize9631]

Wow, that was fantastic. This will help runners who want to do the up run. It also helped us viewers to recap. You did great job Andre 😊

[@samoritipiet6857]

thanx andre for a good video, showing us all sides of marathon, thanx very much,

[@Elbethpretorius]

one of the better comrades videos

[@duncanhawksworth9850]

I finished about 2 minutes ahead of you. Such an incredible race though and I’m glad I managed to finish my first one

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Well done! You should have slowed down just a little bit so that you could have been on the video running into the home straight! Congratulations on your first Comrades medal. Treasure it. Hope to see you on the road at Comrades 2025!

[@MICHAELBURKE-u1d]

Amazing video, I have done 5 and this sparked some great memories and tears, well done fellow comrade

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Thank you! You should go and do at least 5 more so that you can earn your Green Number! Hope to see you on the road at Comrades 2025.

[@gadifelemonama5657]

Thank you so much for the video, I got to see areas that as a supporter I'm not able to access. Congratulations on your 15th medal, on your way to second green number 🎉

[@DeepakRamachandran1]

Inspiring! I was a novice, have really appreciated your videos in the run-up. I had a rougher day than you, aimed for a too-fast time and had to settle back. But I finished (11h36m)! I loved the glorious weather, and what a crowd!

[@andremaakal6069]

Well done! Glad you had enough in the tank to make it to the finish line! The crowd support was amazing all the way

[@mohammedyounusilizarovsurg9899]

Hey. I did my debut comrades this year. Finished 9:50 with the prestigious Robert Mtshali medal. I watched all your videos. Found them very helpful. I even carried the pace plan for every 10 km section as small index cards with me. I was able to execute a perfect race plan! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[@andremaakal6069]

That is fantastic. Well done!

[@TheBhadersein]

Thanks for this amazing video! Such a great insight into the race. Well done 👏

[@otakuza5012]

My time was 10:40, you probably passed me on litlle or polly shortts - haha I walked both those hills. Well done Comrade 💪💪

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Well done!

[@LeeYoung-r6l]

Very entertaining, first person perspective of comrades marathon. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@ayeshahendricks3056]

Super well done. Thanks for the journey

[@farayimabvuta626]

Congratulations!!

[@OceanConservationNamibia]

Congratulation! I finished 42 seconds behind you and I am so bumped I didn't get to see you and thank you in person for all your awesome and helpful videos. THANK YOU!

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Well done! Thank you for the kind words. Would have loved to meet you on the Comrades route.

[@skobodabaws8946]

u contributed immensely in my journey of conquering those hills, I ate em very well, it was easy for me! despite a painful knee, everything went well! keep on posting even for other races ! your tips are on point with dt spice of humor 😅

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Thank you! Glad to hear my videos help. Humor is the spice of life!

[@bongzsmalawu1614]

Thanks for this recording, I needed to see the route again, it was my most traumatizing first Comrades Marathon - that FieldsHill, I will never forget

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Hope to see you back in 2025 for the Comrades Marathon Down run!

[@deandevilliers2799]

You ran passed me at @8:34 in the video. I thought I heard your voice somewhere during the race! Thanks for all your tips on your channel, they helped me get my first medal!

[@jouGOETE]

Hoe cool is dit! Sien jy André. Your instincts about more interviews on the run is a good one. Run with it. 😊

[@jouGOETE]

Goeie werk Dean! André het mý verseker ook baie gehelp na my eerste medalje. Waarskynlik meer as enige ander raad wat ek gekry het.

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Glad you made it onto the video. Also happy to hear that my videos helped. Congratulations with your medal. Hope to see you at Comrades 2025 for your back-2-back medal!

[@mokgadimmolai3685]

Well done Andre🎉 and thank you for all your videos, when the going was getting tough I just remembered your words that keep moving and target something to get to the next point, thank you very much 🙏🙏🙏

[@andremaakal6069]

Thank you! So glad I could help a little bit.

[@NihilimZA]

Well done Andre! Great to relive the day through your eyes.

[@lorrainetaylor-mawisa8244]

Well done and huge congratulations👏👏👏 🍾 🥂🥳

[@wendyhay1302]

Well done and thank you so much. This brought back so many memories and helped me to feel young again. I enjoyed each moment, reliving so many memories.

[@th3-cutman503]

Thanks Andre, very inspiring, and well done 👍👍

[@whenwe9168]

Well done. You and I were criss crossing each other I'm in your video 3 times Dolphins shirt on. It's ironic I was watching your Comrades tips video just before Comrades

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Small world!

[@cherryblossom4299]

This is how it’s done! News channels should learn from you. Great coverage. Well done on your incredible finish, while filming and giving commentary.💐

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Thank you. It was good fun making the video.

[@jouGOETE]

I agree, André's running commentary was absolutely in point.

[@jouGOETE]

Aag! Baie baie dankie, André. Hierdie is vrek spesiaal vir my. So baie van daai mense in jou video het ek óók gesien terwyl ek gehardloop het omdat ons sulke soortgelyke tye gehardloop het. Maar ek het goeters gesien wat ek Sondag heeltemal misgekyk het. Dit laat my dink ek sou dalk al 14 ure van die dag weer kon kyk. En dit bevestig eintlik dat dit 'n meer spesiale dag was as wat ek in die oomblik besef het. Baie baie dankie!

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Dankie! So bly dat mense my videos geniet. Alhoewel Comrades 'n baie lang dag is, gaan dit tog vinnig verby en mens mis baie. Lekker om weer te kan terugkyk.

[@matthewjacobs1982]

Just want to say thank you 🙏🏻 your videos helped me get a sub 10 🎉 wished to have seen you on route but next year 🙏🏻

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Well done with your Sub 10! Enjoy the rest. Hope to see at Comrades 2025.

[@matthewjacobs1982]

@@ChurchMouse54978 definitely and congratulations on your strong finish 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@TumiM]

I am not a runner but I just discovered your videos and really appreciate them, thank you for sharing the experience with us and congratulations you did amazing

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Thank you! You should start running and then also experience the amazing Comrades Marathon!

[@jouGOETE]

Wow, Tumi. I really thought this type of thing would be unbearably boring to a non-runner. Maybe, that is a sign that you are not a non-runner... 😉

[@jalianalubegaseguya2231]

thank you so much

[@mphochoma9658]

Great run, Andre. Thank you for taking us along your journey..

[@billyemali7988]

This is the best video about Comrades up. Thank you very much for this Well done Andre 👍

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Thank you! My first time recording the Comrades Marathon. I have learnt a lot. Next time I will record more conversations with runners, and I will try not to record facing the sun directly!

[@jouGOETE]

En, vat 'n lappie saam om gereëld die lens af te vee.

[@AlistairBarker]

Well done Andre, you make it look so effortless. Your experience is proof. I've been following your videos in my prep for this year so it's great to see you along the way. I wish I could make it seem easy and video and talking, I had a tough day but still beat my previous PB.

[@andremaakal6069]

Thank you! Glad you beat your PB. Well done. Comrades is a tough race. Was good fun recording the video. Hope to see you at Comrades 2025!

[@JenniferHaupt-tk8ym]

Awesome video André! So wonderful to get a glimpse of your day. The vibe and encouragement throughout is beautiful to see. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Thank you Jennifer. Also a BIG THANK YOU for the support next to the road. Awesome to be part of the Richards Bay Athletics Club family.

[@jouGOETE]

Agreed!!!

[@Jemima889]

Ill try to be there in 2030/2031

[@ChurchMouse54978]

As soon as you turn 20 years old you can run the Comrades Marathon. I hope in 2030/2031 I can still run... Would love to do at least 1 with you.

[@jorma0001]

I am thinking of running coming year ( I am from NL), how much effort is needed in running volumes (KM) in the months before? can you share your training efforts?

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Hi @jorma0001. The rule-of-thumb for a Comrades finishers medal (sub 12hour) down to a Robert Mtshali medal (sub 10hr) is to train between 850 to 1000 kilometers from January to June. Of course the theoretical distance you need to train will be different for each person. Your age, size, tolerance for pain, general health, Vo2Max, leg-strength, etc. plays a big role. What do you when you do not train also plays a big role e.g. an office worker sitting behind a desk all day vs a postal delivery man walking 20km each workday. If you cycle, dance, play tennis, surf, swim, mountaineering, etc. then these activities will also help to make you a stronger and better endurance runner. Lastly, you need at least 1 good rest day in a week. I am planning a video to showcase how I train and what works for me. I train 4 days per week --> Tuesday (mostly speed- or hill-work), Thursday (8km TT), Saturday (Long Slow Distance), and Sunday afternoon (Running on tired legs). Hope this helps. Good luck with your training. See you at Comrades 2025!

[@ameldamacklein4188]

I’m so fat so won’t be able to ever do a marathon 😩thanks for taking us also on the journey. Love the gees

[@ChurchMouse54978]

Hi. You should start an easy fitness program. Something like walking 1km or 2km twice per week. Then you build up slowly. Soon you will be able to run the 5km Park Run on Saturdays. Then you level up to 10km, 21.1 and a full marathon. And then you continue towards a Comrades medal!