Numerous Potchefstroomers braved the freezing temperatures of -4°C on Sunday morning to race the legendary Comrades Marathon.
This was not the usual Comrades Ultra-Marathon experience that South Africans and the world have become accustomed to. Due to the lockdown regulations and the current Covid-19 pandemic, runners who signed up could still compete in various distances on their chosen route on the day that Comrades would’ve taken place in Durban.

See the video of their 06:00 start in the freezing cold here:

Thousands of athletes around the world competed in the Comrades Legends 2020 race, as it became one of the biggest virtual races to date – befitting the Comrades legacy.
One of the groups of Potchefstroomers who competed in the Comrades Legends race truly exhibited the capabilities of the human spirit. Amos Vumendlini, Brian Senokwane, Jackie Koloti, Tseko Mathabela, Albert Malangeni and Kgalalelo Mmutlwane took to the starting line at 06:00 on this chilly morning and completed a 62.74-kilometre journey.

This route took them from the Mooirivier Mall starting point, onto the R54 to Vereeniging, past the Kliptdrift turn-off towards Parys and a gravel road towards Syferfontein, all the way back to the Potchefstroom library.

An exhausted but satisfied Vumendlini said later that he and the rest of the group were surprised at how difficult the run was.

“We thought we would be able to complete the full 90 km but, instead, the route turned out to be 62.74 kilometres with some difficult routes, especially the gravel route of Syferfontein. The last 17 kilometres back to Potch made it tough, but we finished,” he said.

Vumendlini finished the 45-km stage in 4:54:08 with a real predicted Comrades Marathon time of 11 hours 20 minutes, which would’ve given him a medal. The cut-off time for Comrades is 12 hours.