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

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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[@Manvmiles]

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

[@rajsaysrun]

Definitely worth booking to wander around the Reichstag. 👍

[@user-eo6kt5oc6e]

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]

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]

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]

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”

[@davidrichards9898]

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.

[@sifisondlovu6132]

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

[@calvernkuzi]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@steffenlegrange29]

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]

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

[@workflowax]

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]

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

[@phathiscreations8721]

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]

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

[@ashmanSA]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@JohnBirtchetSharpe]

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

[@Manvmiles]

Let's hope that's soon!

[@sujathasudheendra2837]

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

[@JohnPawson-hx5li]

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

[@zoediko6510]

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]

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

[@georgedarden4742]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@matthewdutoit8217]

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

[@Manvmiles]

Fantastic. Will that be your first?

[@Heinrichdouglas1]

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]

I hope to be back next year if I can.

[@marcosmith722]

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

[@eb2890]

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

[@prakashthombare4282]

Extremely useful tips for novices thanks for sharing

[@Manvmiles]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PZJBimha]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@jonathanwatkins447]

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

[@Manvmiles]

Thanks Jonathan. Keep thinking about going back 😂

[@thabangbrianlebepe2509]

Great advice brother and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself

[@Manvmiles]

Thanks very much .

[@deanemortlock9891]

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😅👍🏻

[@greatleapforwards]

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]

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]

@@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]

@@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.

[@xolisaathlete]

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

[@Manvmiles]

Thanks. And Fantastic. Congrats on your race.

[@BamainMn]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@Dzaen2]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@DevinWilliams91]

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]

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

[@DevinWilliams91]

@@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.

[@jaibeingjai]

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]

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

[@joewillburn]

Coming back next year? Done the two oceans?

[@Manvmiles]

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

[@joewillburn]

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

[@guptanyera9055]

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]

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

[@joewillburn]

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

[@Manvmiles]

It really is.

[@seanmac80]

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

[@Manvmiles]

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.

[@franky3398]

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]

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.