Comrades seconder left stranded as motorists abandon cars

A COMRADES seconder has been left stranded as motorists abandoned their vehicles on Thousand Hills Drive in Drummond, causing a gridlock.

Despite the gruelling distance of the Comrades Marathon, many athletes return to run the race year after year – enjoying the amazing support from the sidelines. Many runners also rely on their seconders to meet them at rendezvous points along the race route. The role of the seconder is one of support – both through encouraging athletes to reach their goals and supplying food, drinks or medical supplies along the way.

The role is a stressful one as seconders must race to reach the points in time. Local seconder and the business manager for Caxton Local Media Durban, Nicole Bérichon, was shocked when she was parked in this morning, unable to move to the next point to meet her runner.

Also read: Veteran seconder shares her tips for Comrades Marathon

“I am stuck on Thousand Hills Drive. I parked here last year on the side of the road like everyone else does. [This year], during the time of being here, watching the runners, cars drove up and parked in the middle of the road. No one can move. The last car is sitting at the end, empty,” she said.

For Bérichon, the incident reflected a total lack of organisation.

“A lot of people are trying to get to the next point, like I am, to second their runner, and it’s a joke,” she said, adding that she tried to call tow-truck drivers and reach out to the Traffic Department – to no avail.

By 12:30, Bérichon was able to leave the road, after being stranded for about 90 minutes, with high hopes of reaching the next point on time to meet her runner.

The Comrades Marathon Association was not available for comment at the time this article was published.

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