Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 94, May 2017 | Page 47

BOOK YOUR CLUB TENT SITES Club tent site bookings for Comrades Race Day opened on Wednesday, 1 March 2017. For details, please visit www.comrades.com or e-mail [email protected]. GREAT BUYS AT COMRADES ONLINE SHOP LINK IN WITH WEBINARS The CMA’s final monthly webinar hosted by the official Comrades Coach, Lindsey Parry, will go live on Friday 15 May at 8pm. The topics to be discussed will include: • Where you should be right now • Sort out niggles now! • To err is human, but err on the light side • Race planning • The route • Race day lists The series of websinars were part of the CMA’s Runners First initiative, aimed at better equipping Comrades athletes with the necessary training, injury-prevention and nutritional information for peak performance on Comrades race day. To reserve your space, go to http://coachparry.com/webinar, and to view the archived webinars of previous months, go to https://www.youtube.com/embed/8KQTU6smrlo. NEW BALANCE LAUNCHES COMRADES SHOE New Balance South Africa has combined award-winning Fresh Foam cushioning with the much anticipated 2017 Comrades Shoe series to give runners the best in premium performance running, in the Comrades Fresh Foam 1080. Find the perfect gift today for the Comrades runner in your life at the online Comrades Shop, offering a special range of memorabilia and branded products, including a variety of headgear, accessories, leather wallets, gadgets and a host of utility items, in a convenient one-stop shop accessible any time from anywhere in the world. Furthermore, the items will be delivered directly to you at your convenience. To get shopping, simply visit www.comrades.com and clicking on the Online Shop tab. AIMING FOR QUADRUPLE GREEN Five passionate Comrades Marathon runners will be aiming for their 40 th Comrades finish at this year’s 92 nd Comrades Marathon on Sunday 4 June, to join the growing club of quadruple Green Number runners, which currently has 12 members. The five are Mike Cowling, Wietsche van der Westhuizen, Johann van Eeden, Boysie van Staden and Shaun Wood, with Mike, Wietsche and Shaun also aiming to make it 40 consecutive finishes. CMA General Manager, Chris Fisher thanked these runners for their passion for The Ultimate Human Race, saying, “Each of you has showcased the true spirit of the Comrades Marathon through sheer grit, determination and hard work. We wish you well as you conquer this year’s edition of the most iconic road running race in the world.” Select runners’ biomechanics, force patterns and wear tendencies helped guide the New Balance design team to deliver a supremely cushioned underfoot feel that respects and maintains the runners’ need to engage with the ride itself, and can handle any amount of mileage. The one-piece Fresh Foam midsole gives runners a continuously smooth ride without interference, and an intelligent emboss on the top bed of the midsole in conjunction with flex groove placement combine to complement flexibility in this tremendously cushioned shoe. The shoe features a bootie-construction specifically designed to accommodate various instep heights and foot volumes, to wrap the midfoot securely. An engineered mesh in the upper adds to the luxurious, premium appeal, designed to give runners room for natural toe splay as they log long miles. The Comrades Fresh Foam 1080 sells at a suggested retail price of R2599 in both men’s and women’s versions at Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse, New Balance Experience Stores and leading key independent sports retailers. Furthermore, Barry Holland and Louis Massyn will be aiming to finish their 45th Comrades runs (also all consecutive) in order to tie the all-time record held by Dave Rogers, although he may still go after a 46th medal to further extend his record. The 12 runners who have already earned the coveted Comrades Quadruple Green Number status are: 45: Dave Rogers 44: Barry Holland, Louis Massyn 42: Alan Robb, Clive Crawley, Dave Lowe 41: David Williams 40: Kenny Craig, Riel Hugo, Tommy Neitski, Vic Boston, Zwelitsha Gono The concept of Comrades Marathon Green Numbers was first introduced in 1972, with Green Numbers awared retrospectively for medals earned prior to 1972. The criteria for inclusion in the Comrades Marathon Green Number Club Roll of Honour is three Comrades wins; five Comrades gold medals or 10 Comrades finishes. Runners who earn a Green Number retain their number in perpetuity. Going for 40: Wietsche, Shaun, Boysie, Johann & Mike 47