For head gardener, Different Mudau at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens in Emmarentia, patience isn’t just a skill required to grow trees – it’s the same mindset that has carried him across the finish line of the Comrades Marathon twice.

Every day begins before dawn. By 4:30am he’s already on the road, fitting in a training run before arriving at the gardens, where he oversees the day-to-day management of one of Johannesburg’s best-known green spaces.

As head gardener, his responsibilities stretch far beyond tending flower beds. He allocates daily tasks, supervises staff, ensures health and safety standards are met and oversees projects ranging from propagating indigenous trees to controlling invasive plant species. Despite the administrative responsibilities, the greatest reward comes years later.

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The same patience that keeps him committed to conservation eventually inspired him to tackle one of the world’s toughest ultramarathons.

He credits senior horticulturalist Lindelani Nwedo with convincing him he was capable of completing the Comrades Marathon. Her encouragement, together with the physical demands of walking about 10km a day while inspecting the gardens, laid the foundation for his running journey.

In his first Comrades, Mudau crossed the finish line in 9:37:27, but not before battling severe stomach problems for almost half the race. Looking back, he admits he underestimated the course and hadn’t prepared adequately for the climbs or got his race nutrition correct.

With the support of his family, colleagues and managers, he added structured strength training after work, often travelling to the head office for gym sessions that included squats, core exercises and treadmill work despite already spending long days on his feet.

He also introduced hill sessions on Northcliff Hill and experimented with race nutrition during training instead of waiting until race day. The changes paid off. This year, he slashed his Comrades time to 8:12:18, shaving more than an hour off his previous performance.

Whether caring for indigenous plants or preparing for a 90km race, he said success comes from showing up every day, regardless of the weather or how you feel.

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Finding balance remains equally important. While training demands significant time, he makes a conscious effort to protect family time and prioritise recovery alongside work. The lessons learned through Comrades extend well beyond the finish line. Completing two races has taught him that mental barriers often appear before physical ones, reinforcing the value of perseverance and resilience in his career and personal life.

Professionally, he hopes to expand the Botanical Gardens’ indigenous seed bank and introduce more schoolchildren to the value of conservation, believing that children who learn about indigenous trees are more likely to protect them.

On the road, his next target is a sub-eight-hour Comrades Marathon, while a coveted double green number remains a long-term dream.

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