Selfless runner embarked on 900 km run for abused pets
Tembisa athlete ran 900km to raise funds for abused dogs.
Tumelo Mokobane is a selfless runner who embarked on about 900 km run to raise funds for abused pets.
Mokobane ran the distance with his running partner Hazel Moller who introduced him to the Ten 10 charity race.
The Tembisan caught up with Tumelo to follow up on his cause to save distressed township dogs.
“The race on its own was a success since I have managed to complete all the ten Comrades distances including the actual Comrades Marathon on June 4. I managed to finish the Comrades in 09:36:04,” said Tumelo.
Also read: Tembisa lad runs to save abused dogs
He achieved a bronze medal and he said his running partner from Bedfordview Country Club Athletics, Moller finished in 09:18:50.
“As I had mentioned before that last year I bailed out due to injuries. As much as I was mentally fit and physically strong this time around, my running partner and I still had some challenges. I picked up an iliotibial band syndrome (ITB) on day two and Hazel was struggling with asthma,” he said.
ITB is one of the most common injuries among runners. It occurs when the iliotibial band, the ligament that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin, is tight or inflamed.
“Despite those challenges, we both soldiered on and managed to complete the 900 km run in 10 days running from Johannesburg to Pietermaritzburg”.
He said the major difference in this year’s run was the fact that they had a physiotherapist along the way so they made sure that they contained his injury right to the end.
“The two of us achieved this. It was not an individual achievement but a team success especially the Ten 10 organising committee members who made sure that we had a place to sleep at the end of each run for all of the ten days.
“I would like to thank my running partner Hazel, her husband Chris Moller, Nyameko Colin Sithelo (my driver) and Natasha and Co for sponsoring us with the physiotherapist. I also want to thank my work colleagues from the Nike family, the Africa employee community engagement committee from Nike, Ricky Alves, Masilo Masha, Nokuthula Zwane, Terry Diedericks, Machel Ngubane and Claire Richter from Nike as well. I also thank all those who made the donations and all the runners who came and ran with us on some of the days.
“Although we did make our target we are still asking corporate companies and other businesses to go to our website (www.ten10.co.za.) to donate. I also want to thank my parents and my wife Nosiphiwo Mokobane for the support they have given me,” said Tumelo.
