AMANZIMTOTI Athletics Club (AAC) member, Kimberley Anderson (29), ran and completed her first Comrades Marathon and received a Bill Rowan medal.

Anderson, who has been a member of AAC for just over a year, said she fell in love with running just after the initial Covid-19 lockdown and has enjoyed running ever since.

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“I started entering races about a year ago and enjoyed the challenge of pushing myself farther, from 10km to 21km to 42km, and then naturally, I set my sights on the next big goal, the ultimate human race, the Comrades. Once I secured my entry into the Comrades, I started training more seriously, doing weekly morning runs and long runs on the weekends,” she said.

She ran her first Two Oceans Ultra-marathon in April this year, two route testers of 56km from Pietermaritzburg to Hillcrest in July, as well as three marathons between February and July.

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“In between running, I enjoy swimming, and a few weeks prior to the Comrades, I started engaging in some strength training as the Comrades hills are no joke,” said Anderson.

This was her first Comrades, and despite the challenge, she hopes to run many more. “The experience was like no other. It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but also the most incredible. I made sure to start off conservatively and walk some of the big hills. Everything started to hurt as I descended Field’s Hill, but the camaraderie and support along the way kept me going towards that finish line. The last 30-odd kilometres definitely require a strong mind,” said Anderson.

She finished the marathon in 8 hours and 29 minutes, which was within her goal time. She said, “I was aiming to get a Bill Rowan medal, whereby I needed to finish in under 9 hours.”

Before taking part in the ultimate human race, Anderson received a lot of great advice from fellow experienced Comrades runners.

“Some advice that stuck with me is to just keep moving, to never stop. Some other great advice I received was to hydrate and get nutrition in from early on in the race. I was fortunate enough to do my training with some seasoned Comrades runners who have taught me a lot about running,” she said.

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Anderson, who is also a Grade 6 English and social science educator at Athlone Park Primary School, believes completing a race such as the Comrades sets a great example to the learners. “It shows that anything is possible through hard work, determination and perseverance,” she said.

Anderson added that she is extremely grateful for the support system that she has had throughout her journey. “My family, friends and school family have been amazing,” she said.

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