While more than 70 Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) runners will stand on the start line of the 99th Comrades Marathon in Durban on Sunday, few would have reached that point without the tireless efforts of Caronn Harris.

Harris is the engine room behind one of South Africa’s most respected running clubs.

From helping athletes qualify for Comrades and guiding novices through their preparations to organising major races and handling endless administrative duties, she is often the invisible force keeping everything together.

Months before Comrades runners began counting down the days to race day, Harris was already hard at work.

“A lot of it started last year because the first qualifiers were already in November,” she explained.

“It was very hectic keeping track of everyone’s qualifying times. A lot of runners would come to me for advice on what marathon they should run next, so there was a lot of organising, coaching and assisting. We wanted to get everyone the best possible qualifying time for Comrades.”

The hard work paid off, with BAC securing qualifying times for all its hopefuls before the cut-off.

“It’s been a lot of work, but a lot of nice work,” she said. “We’ve got our silver medal contenders, our back-to-back runners and a lot of novices this year. Helping people reach their goals makes it worthwhile.”

Even in the final days before the race, Harris’ responsibilities were far from over. She remained the crucial link between the club and the Comrades Marathon Association, while ensuring runners had the information, nutrition and support needed for race day.

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“Now we have to get nutrition down to Durban and make sure the runners understand what they need to carry and how to sustain themselves throughout the event. The most important thing is that they finish healthy and achieve the goals they set for themselves.”

Her workload extends well beyond Comrades. Harris is also heavily involved in organising the hugely successful Colgate Race, which attracts more than 8 000 participants annually, while also helping grow the Tommy Malone Road Race.

“The Colgate takes three to four months of my life every year,” she said. “There are late nights and early mornings. It’s one of the reasons I missed the last two Comrades races. I simply couldn’t train properly while giving the club everything it needed, so I chose the club first.”

This year, however, she has decided to do both.

“It’s important for my mental and physical health to run as well. Running is my passion too. I can’t always put myself on the back foot.”

While Harris has earned two bronze medals and a Robert Mtshali medal at Comrades, she has set herself a different target this year.

“Honestly, I’m just going for a finish and a different medal. I want that Vic Clapham medal. Even if I get to the finish at 10:59, I’ll stand there for a minute before crossing the line.”

While Sunday is about completing the ultimate human race for most runners, it will also be a celebration of the woman whose passion, sacrifice and relentless commitment make so much of the BAC’s success possible.

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