Meadowlands resident wants the support of his community as he gets ready for this year’s Comrades Marathon.
Victor Masuku, an avid athlete has been training for the majority of his life in preparation for the most challenging race of his life.
“I finally qualified for the race after I competed in the 42 km race last year at the Soweto Marathon and I am so excited because it will be my first time competing in the Comrades,” said Masuku.
Masuku leaves for Kwa-Zulu Natal on May 26 and comes back on May 30.
The Comrades Marathon was established in 1921 by the League of Comrades of the Great War, after a man who had a dream pitched the idea after the World War I aftermath.
A humble security guard, who started athletics as a hobby, said his motivation came from his father who was an athlete as well in his youth.
Masuku said, “I started running at the tender age of eight, and have never stopped running since, every morning at 5am I train at Mofolo Park or Dobsonville Stadium. I also have competed in many 10km, 15km, and 21km races over the years”.
The marathon this year will be on Sunday May 29 and starts in Pietermaritzburg which means it will be a down run.
Runners will have 12 hours to complete the race and the entire distance calculated is 90km.
Masuku also encourages young children to join him as there are a group of pre-teens who are part of his club that he helps train as well.
“For me, I really want the community to give me support for my first race, I also want youngsters to find something productive to do with their lives and to stop abusing substances”, said Masuku.
