The club has been through the phases of Two Ocean and Comrades for the runners and we now enter the walking season.
We had 6 walkers finish the Gateright 50k and hopefully we will have as many for the Dolphin Ultra which takes place after this Newsletter goes to press. Well done to Shelia for her time of 7.15 and to Mary who completed her first 50km.
The AGM is next on the agenda and we urge you all to attend and have your say. We are also looking for a Secretary for the coming year and always welcome new blood onto the committee.

COMRADES AND DOLPHIN 50km

It seems that every year we have the same discussion about recognising our runners and our walkers.
Traditionally at Comrades we had a sponsor who decided they wanted to sponsor a breakfast for the Comrades entrants as well as present them with a small gift (tee shirt, towel etc), which was presented at an Aches and Pains party. It was also traditional to give the first man and lady, as well as the last runner home in the Comrades, a small gift purchased from the Comrades Expo. At our annual prize giving certificates are handed out but no further prizes are awarded.
We have tried over the years to keep up these traditions even when we could not find a sponsor.

During the days of the Guard Bank certain traditions were also started and when Guard Bank was no more the traditions were continued with the Dolphin 50km which was at that time the only alternative 50km walk race. This was our walking equivalent of the Comrades.

Traditionally we gave prizes out at the prize giving for the first man and lady, last home as well as a team prize for the men and ladies. There was never a breakfast, nor an Aches and Pains party. Lately we have changed this tradition and we have held an Aches and Pains party where, instead of the monetary prizes, an equivalent token was purchased for the first lady, man and last home. The team prizes are still awarded with the trophy at prize giving.

The committee feels that we are treating our 2 disciplines fairly and we do not need to have them exact. Comrades get a breakfast plus towel/tee shirt and Dolphin gets a team prize. That is traditional and we feel it should remain as such. We also feel that we cannot extend this to Two Ocean or the Gateright 50k (as has been suggested) or even the new “Guard Bank 50k” (should it ever take place). Our traditional two races are Comrades and Dolphin.

Dave