RICHARDS Bay endurance athlete Marsha ‘The Machine’ Muller and her fellow Icons 4 Change have the 400km Icons Journey Marathon finish line in their sights.

The 12 Icons have not endured, not survived, but conquered seven marathons in seven days and, at 9pm tonight (Saturday), will begin the final 103km stretch from Clarkebury to Mthatha.

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The twist? The final stretch is on a gravel route and they will run through the night.

“I feel moved, tearful and grateful for conquering the seven marathons in seven days,” said Marsha, speaking to the Zululand Observer on Saturday evening.

“I know the journey of 103km that starts at 9pm may not be easy, but if we have come this far, I don’t doubt that we can conquer the last stretch.

“The sun is setting and the cold is creeping in. We are here at Clarkebury hostel to rest, wipe down and change for the next start line.

“The night time will be quiet on the socials as the gravel will be difficult to navigate, but as soon as the sun rises, the updates will follow.”

These athletes, however, are not doing this epic 400km feat for themselves.

They are following in the footsteps of South Africa’s struggle heroes, from Alice to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, to raise funds for underprivileged children across the country.

With their Back-a-Buddy page active for the next few months, help them reach their R300 000 target to uplift the country’s most vulnerable.

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