Ballito’s Barry Holland part of select group to run centenary tribute to Comrades Marathon

Local Comrades legend Barry Holland joined 33 select athletes in a tribute run last Monday, May 24 to mark exactly 100 years since the first Comrades Marathon was held.

Since its humble beginnings on May 24, 1921, when 34 runners set off from Pietermaritzburg City Hall to Durban, the race has evolved into the largest and oldest ultra marathon in the world.

The symbolic re-enactment of the 1921 Comrades Marathon started from the exact spot where those runners set off but unlike the 90km footrace, this tribute run finished at Comrades House in Scottsville, just 2.2km down the road.

Twenty-one past Comrades Marathon winners took part including reigning champion Edward Mothibi, 9 times winner Bruce Fordyce, 1991 winner Nick Bester, 1992 winner Jetman Msuthu, Jan Mallen who won the woman’s race in 1979 and 1993 woman’s winner Tidla Tearle.

Ballito veteran athlete Holland, ran together with Louis Massyn. Both hold 47 medals, making them joint record holders of the highest number of finishes in the history of the race.

Holland ran his first Comrades on May 31, 1973 at the age of 20 completing the race in 7 hours and 52 minutes. Eleven Comrades quadruple green number holders who have completed 40 or more Comrades, and two triple green number runners who have completed more than 30 editions of ‘Ultimate Human Race’ also joined the 21 former winners.

The Comrades Centenary gala event included the unveiling of a monument reflecting both the soldiers associated with the origins of the race and the heroic health care workers depicting the battle being waged against the coronavirus pandemic which prevented the staging of the 2020 and 2021 events.

Last year was the first time in 75 years that the race did not go ahead.

It was not run between 1941 and 1945 because of World War 2, but has been staged every year since.

Comrades Marathon Association chairperson Cheryl Winn said despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the significant 100-year milestone could not go unnoticed.

“We will remember Comrades’ origins, owed primarily to the inspiration and tireless efforts of a humble railroad engine driver and soldier, Vic Clapham, who returned from war with the vision of staging a living memorial to the suffering, loss of life, spirit, fortitude and camaraderie of the soldiers with whom he had shared the devastation of World War 1.

“A significant aspect of the day is recalling the brave early pioneers – some of whom completed the distance unofficially when the race was restricted exclusively to white males, our winners, heroes and record-breakers who have consistently inspired us with ever-improving competitive performances; and we will celebrate the so-called ‘ordinary runners’ for whom there is nothing at all that is ‘ordinary’ and who embody the spirit of grit, determination, camaraderie, hope and humanity upon with the Comrades Marathon was founded,” said Winn.

For a second consecutive year, the Comrades Marathon will be run virtually on June 13.

So far, over 3 500 entrants from 32 countries have signed up to take part.