Just hours before the Cape Town Marathon was due to start, organisers announced its cancellation due to strong winds observed overnight.
For many runners, it was a crushing blow after months of preparation. But for Marcia Thobe Cele of Umtentweni, the news was simply another challenge to overcome. While others packed away their race kits in disbelief, Marcia made a bold decision – to run the marathon distance on her own.
“At 8:33, I sent Marcia a message saying how sorry I was,” recalled her friend and colleague, Hannelie Millar. “She just replied: ‘On the road, chat later.’” By mid-afternoon, Marcia had shared a screenshot from her Strava account: 42.21 km completed in four hours and 52 minutes.
Her caption read: “I came to Cape Town for a marathon and a Comrades qualifier, and no one could tell me otherwise.” It was a moment that perfectly captured her determination. Marcia’s love for running began as a teenager, joining her father for short runs. But it was in 2017 that she truly committed to the sport.
In 2024, she founded a women’s running group called Tough Cookies, encouraging others to live strong, healthy lives. That same year, she completed her first marathon – the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, finishing in an impressive five hours and 16 minutes. She then completed her second marathon (Durban International Marathon) in May this year. By July, she was training hard for her third marathon, aiming to qualify for the Comrades Marathon.
When the Cape Town event was cancelled, she didn’t hesitate to take control of her story. “Success doesn’t always come the way we plan,” Marcia said afterwards. “Sometimes, you just have to keep moving forward, no matter what’s in your way.” Now, she’s setting her sights on her biggest goal yet – Comrades 2027. “My heart is set on it,” she said. “When I start that race, I’ll finish it. No excuses, no turning back.”
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