The Comrades Marathon of 2018 confirmed yet again that it is a brutal, uncompromising event, which holds many mysterious outcomes on any given day.
Euphoria and despair are fellow travellers on the roads through the Valley of a Thousand Hills and the Border-Kei contingent met up with both emotions.
In the men’s race there were four standout runs, with Xolile Mashicila of Overtakers leading the way to finish the punishing down run in 6:48:40, which was a massive 18:51 improvement on his previous best run in 2014 and 36:36 better than his 2017 up run.
Welcome Tishini of Nedbank Border was second in the region with a novice outing of 6:50:28 and he will have learnt much from his run, having slowed appreciably in the second half. The man who hails from Komga, even at the age of 41 has much potential and his performance was special.
Two men from Lusikisiki Harriers followed, with 30-year-old Sinobom Mzukela clocking in at 6:52:20. This too was a massive 39:30 faster than his only other Comrades in 2011.
Thabo Nduzulwana ran his third Comrades and finished fourth from the region in 6:55:48.
Other silver medallists for sub-7:30 included Real Gijimas’ top ultra runner, Xolisile Sinkintana in 7:05:40; Mndeni Zulu of Oxford Striders in 7:10:27; Samuel Luqongo from Overtakers in 7:22:07; Nkosinathi Nzingo of Nedbank in 7:13:01, along with the Cheetahs duo of Lulamile Danile in 7:06:25 and Phumlani Mpanana in 7:16:43.
The women’s race was dealt a blow when Stephanie Smith suddenly collapsed on the route and, despite trying valiantly to keep going, was eventually forced to withdraw for medical reasons.
With Smith out it was left to her Easy Equities Born 2 Run East London compatriots to deliver and in this instance Karen Davis was outstanding. She finished 17th in her age category with a time of 7:56:02 in what was her fourth Comrades Marathon. She took 42:22 off last year’s up run time and an impressive 1:21:15 off her previous down run time.
Davis was followed home by her Born 2 Run novice teammate, Caryn Lategan who, although taking strain in the middle section of the race, came back strongly and looked totally composed at the finish, to claim a Bill Rowan medal for her 8:13:19 finish in a lively and very impressive Moses Mabida Stadium.
Third was Brenda Graham of Oxford Striders, also in a Bill Rowan qualification with 8:28:40.
Tough as they come, Maureen Muhlenburg of Born 2 Run, in only her second Comrades, claimed 23rd spot in the 50+ age group by running 1:46:58 faster than on debut last year.
The most impressive age group performances in the men’s contingent came from Old Selbornian’s Charl Pienaar in the 60+ grouping, where he returned a run of 9:54:14, and Old Mutual’s Mzoli Mpalala in the 50+, where he missed a silver medal by an agonising 40 seconds.
There were numerous milestones celebrated along the way, with the likes of Old Selbornians Colin Bosch and Sharon Eldridge chalking up their 21st and 27th runs respectively, but on this occasion the emotional choice goes to Sindile Tshaka who ran his 20th. It is not the number that impresses, but rather the hardships and barriers the 69-year-old member of Born 2 Run has had to overcome to simply arrive in Durban or Pietermaritzburg to start the race.
Tshaka, along with his good friend Edwin Lwana and Lawrence Hlope, a runner from KZN, were the first three black men to represent their provinces in South Africa. That was in 1977, the same year he was allowed to run Comrades for the first time.
Tshaka went on to run a 7:01:33 personal best in 1990 at age 41.
This year was, not surprisingly, his slowest, with an 11:57:35, and to do that he had to run his fastest stretch of the day in the final 10km. Such is the belief in the man...