WHEN La Lucia resident Graham Wittstock became running-conscious in the 1980s he was taken by the spirit and the intrigue of human endeavour created by the Comrades Marathon.

It was what led the Savages Athletics Club member to completing his first Comrades in 1993 in a time of 10:31:43.

The 59-year-old would then run it eight more times between 1993 and now, with his longest break from the race being 18 years (2001 to 2019) as he dedicated his time to his family.

Now fast forward to the 50th Comrades Up Run, Wittstock is aiming to complete his 10th marathon, which would earn him the coveted Green Number.

Also read: 5 things to know about the 2026 Comrades Marathon

Athletes who have won the Comrades Marathon three times, or won five Gold Medals or completed the Comrades 10 times get a permanent Green Number. It is an exclusive band of runners who have experienced a special relationship with this great race.

“I would like to run number 10 under 10 hours which would make it a Robert Mtshali medal. I feel going under nine hours might be more tough so I have a Plan A and a Plan B. There is no overt pressure but I’m not thinking because I’ve done so many that I can take it any more lightly. The Comrades demands your best in terms of training and preparedness so that’s what I aim to do,” he said.

Wittstock gave some background into how he started his first Comrades Marathon.

“I was taken by how many people take on the Comrades Marathon and how they endure it but it took me years to get myself to the point where I could take it on. I only got to own my first car at 26. From leaving school I would run everywhere. I would sometimes run to friends if they were having a braai, I would run to work if I couldn’t use public transport or get public transport. Running became a way of being for me, something I was familiar with. It was a necessity.

Also read: 2026 Comrades Marathon route distance confirmed

“When I began working in 1993 for a multi-national company, one of the guys I worked with was running the Comrades. I thought ‘wow’, let me give this a chance. I trained with him and entered with him. I injured myself in the lead-up to the race but I said I’m going to go down anyway and see what it’s about. I got into the run to see how far I would go. Some perseverance was found and I won a bronze medal in my first Comrades Marathon.”

For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook ,X or  Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here