Running legend joins 149th White River parkrun

It was Fordyce’s 247th parkrun since he brought the free-entry weekly five-kilometre run events to South Africa. The inaugural White River event was also where Fordyce completed his 100th parkrun in 2014.

“It is really a nostalgic feeling for me coming back here. I earned my 100 shirt at this venue and it is such a beautiful course,” Fordyce said.

That was really fantastic, except for the last four kilometres,” he added with a laugh.

Fordyce, who won the Comrades Marathon a record nine times, eight of which were consecutive, was not only in the Lowveld for the parkrun event. He also spoke on Friday at an informal evening hosted by Da Loose Mongoose.

“I have loved the Lowveld ever since I came here on a school trip. We went to the Kruger National Park (KNP) and ‘got’ the magic. I never come to this area and miss a visit to the KNP,” he said.

The parkrun events are growing in number across the country, with the Kruger Lowveld area boasting venues in Malalane, Nkomazi, Mbombela and Hazyview. Many additional venues around South Africa will be starting their own parkrun events from next week; Sardinia Bay, Port Elizabeth and Ventersdorp to name a few.

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Fordyce said he hopes there will be one million South African members registered by next year.
“It is also very important to acknowledge the volunteers who are the heart and lifeblood of parkrun. Without them, these events just wouldn’t happen,” he said.

Clive Smart, event director, told Lowvelder that numbers for the White River parkrun had dwindled in recent months.

Sometimes, I would be the only volunteer timing the run. Occasionally, we’d only have eight or nine runners. But our volunteer base is growing steadily and we currently have a team of 18 willing members,” Smart said.

Some runners who usually participate at the Halls parkrun in Mbombela made the trip to White River to catch a glimpse and grab a photo with the sporting icon. Nikita Horn asked Fordyce to sign her Mpumalanga athletics jacket.

“I’ll just write my Comrades Marathon number here, in case they don’t believe it’s me. There you go, 2403,” Fordyce said.

First across the finish line, Morris Maiga, posed for a photograph with the Comrades great after the event. It was his 12th parkrun, and he hopes to participate in many more.

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Father and son pair, Carl and Nathan de Klerk, crossed the finish line in their matching red 50 shirts.
“This is actually our 111th parkrun. We’re awaiting our 100 shirts in the post,” Nathan said.

According to his father, he was also the first pupil in Mbombela to reach 100 parkruns.