Twenty Comrades underfoot for Johnson
The double green Comrades runner who runs for Yellowwood Park Athletics Club still has the five major marathons on his bucket list - the New York Marathon, Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, London and Sydney marathons.
A COMRADES Marathon silver medallist has achieved the amazing feat of completing 20 Comrades Marathons.
Yellowwood Park resident Johnson Dayal competed in his first Comrades Marathon in 1992. Johson finished in a time of 7.39 – missing a silver just nine minutes before the silver medal cut off time. “I started watching Comrades on television. Bruce Fordyce inspired me to run the ultra-marathon,” said Dayal.
The running bug bit when Johnson competed in the 3000m in primary school. He was also cross-country champion at Settlers School in Merebank. Dayal has competed in various other marathons.
In 1992, Dayal ran the Daily News Marathon and achieved a sub silver medal. In 1993, he received a silver medal in the South Coast Marathon and in that same year he achieved his only silver medal at the Comrades with a time of 7.24.
In 2001, Comrades Marathon legend Wally Haywood presented Dayal with his first green number (10 Comrades Marathons). “It was a fantastic feeling for Wally to present my green number. He told me to keep running,” said Dayal.
One memory in particular stands out for Dayal. In last year’s Comrades Marathon, eight kilometres from the finish line Dayal experienced nausea and wasn’t sure if he would finish. A fellow runner from Sunshine Athletics Club spurred him on. “It was the best part of the race; we spoke a lot and came into the stadium together. The camaraderie of Comrades is great, the race is not about you,” said Dayal.
The 50-year old runs five to six marathons a year. He attributes his running success to his support system. “My family have supported me. It’s great that I can leave a legacy for them,” said Dayal. His advice to runners who want to enter the Comrades Marathon is that runners should be 23-years-old because as runners are mature.
The double green Comrades runner who runs for Yellowwood Park Athletics Club still has the five major marathons on his bucket list – the New York Marathon, Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, London and Sydney marathons. “One always has to have a goal and stay focused,” he said.
