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Comrades’ Marathon return is worth celebrating
The Comrades' brings people of all ages, backgrounds, race and gender together for however many hours it takes to get to their destination.
Runners follow the Run Zone Athletics Club route as they take part in the Comrades Centenary Hope Challenge Virtual Race, 13 June 2021, in Johannesburg. Picture: Michel Bega
This week’s announcement that the Comrades’ Marathon will go ahead this year after a two-year hiatus is welcome news – not only for the runners, but also the public at large.
The Comrades is bigger than just the 13,000-plus runners who make their way from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, or vice versa, each year.
It’s a celebration of human triumph.
It brings people of all ages, backgrounds, race and gender together for however many hours it takes to get to their destination.
And that’s not even counting the spectators, who pitch up in their thousands, cheering on from the sidelines. It is the world’s largest and oldest ultramarathon race – and it’s part of our history.
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This year it has a new look to it, the “down” run being staged on 28 August – the latest in the year in its 101- year history.
Entries will be limited to just 15,000 due to Covid-19 restrictions.
On 24 May, 1921, 34 starters – mostly ex-soldiers, lined up in front of the Maritzburg City Hall to run the first Comrades to Durban.
Only 16 of them, including 26-year-old farmer Bill Rowan, who became the first winner in a time of eight hours and 59 minutes, finished the tricky route on dirt roads.
The pandemic has taught us to enjoy every day on earth.
The 95th edition of the ultramarathon, tagged The Return – Sishay’ Ubuya, should be extra-special.
