Scientists have set up weather stations along the Comrades Marathon route as part of a study to determine the impact of weather conditions on endurance athletes.
The iconic 89km marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, will be run on Sunday for the first time since Covid-19 struck.
Dr Henno Havenga, from the North West University’s climatology research group, is among the researchers measuring weather conditions along the route.
Havenga said Comrades is traditionally held between late May or early June, which is usually cooler.
“Environmental conditions, particularly heat stress can be detrimental to performance.
“Few studies have examined the environmental conditions associated with such events in detail.”
The project aims to understand risk factors related to endurance events, particularly running events.
— Dr Henno Havenga
Havenga was approached by the University of Pretoria’s Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI) to be part of a study titled “Reducing Medical Complications and Injuries at Endurance Sports Events: A Multicomponent Study (2021 — 2025)".
“The project aims to understand risk factors related to endurance events, particularly running events.
“The team contacted me and asked if I would be interested to be a research partner and be in charge of measuring meteorological conditions along the route.
“They typically use the closest weather stations to the race route, and this is not representative of the small-scale weather conditions along the route.”
Havenga said weather stations have been deployed to points including Polly Shortts, Drummond and Fields Hill.
“As the last runner passes, the team will take down the station.”
He said the data collected, which will describe race day conditions, will be provided to SEMLI.
“SEMLI can use the data to improve their understanding of environmental conditions leading to medical encounters.”
Havenga said he was not sure whether the research findings would impact on the Comrades organisers’ future decisions regarding the race date.
Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) race director Rowyn James told TimesLIVE Premium the medical team “is always extremely aware of the expected weather conditions on race day, and advises runners accordingly".
“Over the years we have had all types of weather conditions on race days from May 31 to the second Sunday in July and also extreme weather variation on the same day, from a midday temperature of 32ºC to 8ºC at 5.30pm. Let’s not forget that on August 28 2021 we had snow in the Midlands which extended down to Hillcrest.”
James said the CMA appreciated input from researchers “and know that on average the risk of heat stress will be greater at this time of the year”.
“To mitigate against this we advise runners to drink fluids appropriately, cool themselves down with water and adjust their race plan according to the weather and their physical state.”
James said the Comrades was moved to August for a host of reasons, the main ones being “safety of the runners and to give us more time to avoid the impact of Covid-19 in terms of social distancing, reduced runner numbers, not allowing spectators, volunteer trepidation, intense protocols at Comrades Expo and at the finish venue on race day.
“The race in June is on shortest day of the year, so the first 90 minutes is in total darkness and last 45 minutes is exactly the same.
“With the massive roadworks on the go within the first 30km of the route, we can’t risk runners on a route in the dark where the surface isn’t necessarily perfectly runnable.”
TimesLIVE
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