{"id":153353,"date":"2017-06-03T20:38:27","date_gmt":"2017-06-03T18:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/153353\/lg_keved-comrades-diary-entry-3-ballito-durban-back\/"},"modified":"2017-06-03T20:38:27","modified_gmt":"2017-06-03T18:38:27","slug":"lg_keved-comrades-diary-entry-3-ballito-durban-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2017\/06\/03\/lg_keved-comrades-diary-entry-3-ballito-durban-back\/","title":{"rendered":"#LG_KevEd Comrades diary entry 3 \u2013 Ballito to Durban and back"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s Comrades Eve.<\/p>\n

Over 21 000 people go to bed tonight (most probably already with their heads to their pillows), getting much-needed rest before they tackle one of the toughest ultra-marathons on Earth.<\/p>

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Kevin and I are sitting here at Monkey Bay Backpackers bracing ourselves for a 3am cellphone alarm to sound so that we can cover and report on the race from an East Rander’s perspective.<\/p>\n

While sitting here, we hear of a gentleman staying here from Edenvale Rand Road Warriors, a man who has completed 35 Comrades Marathons.<\/p>

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He, of course, has free entrance to the race due to his many completions.<\/p>\n

This particular gentleman decided on Thursday to run the Comrades Marathon and quickly met up with a friend staying here at the backpackers.<\/p>\n

He has run so many of these gruelling races, yet he still comes back, has an early night, and braces for the next big mountain to climb in his life.<\/p>\n

And it is a montstrous mountain indeed!<\/p>\n

We looked at a route profile graphic, displayed at the Comrades Expo at the Durban International Convention Centre this morning – this is no child’s play.<\/p>\n

This is serious business.<\/p>\n

There we met the backward-running Rastafarian beekeeper, Farai Chinomwe, who hits the road in reverse.<\/p>\n

He is now going for his third backwards run.<\/p>\n

Why does he run the Comrades (backwards, nogal!)?<\/p>\n

He runs it for the plight of the depleting bee populations.<\/p>\n

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LG with the backwards-running Rasta.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He runs the famous race for a cause.<\/p>\n

Something that means a lot to him, and should to others.<\/p>\n

Like the chap named “Spinnekop” who runs the Comrades in a full Spiderman outfit to raise awareness around congenital heart defects (CHDs) which is something important to me and my family.<\/p>\n

The gents from Team Old Mutual Shongololo, a mix of runners from Benoni clubs, Northerns and Harriers, teaming up to get a fake worm across the finish line for a second year (a first up run).<\/p>\n

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The East Rand boys are taking Shongololo for its first up run.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Supposed rival clubs, aiming for a common destination.<\/p>\n

I suppose this race could be run for many reasons.<\/p>\n

Maybe it’s a personal goal and mental challenge to rise to, or run in memory of a friend or relative, or to get fit and take the human body to its limits.<\/p>\n

Maybe it’s just fun for some.<\/p>\n

Hell, I dunno, but tomorrow we will see humanity do what it can do best when a common goal is put before it.<\/p>\n

It might be an individual effort, but there’s a huge team of supporters, family members, friends behind them as well on that long road.<\/p>\n

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Our friend from Benoni, Cassandra Barnes (middle) with her supporters, mom Inga and boyfriend Shaun Deyzel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There’s a whole stretch of people, bordering the roads from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, backing each and every runner.<\/p>\n

There’s a whole nation behind them.<\/p>\n

There’s a whole lot of ubuntu out there.<\/p>\n

Man, we’re excited.<\/p>\n

Pssssh!<\/p>\n

What’s a 3am start?<\/p>\n

Also READ:<\/p>\n

Yesterday’s diary entry:\u00a0#LG_KevEd Comrades diary entry 2 \u2013 Ballito<\/a><\/p>\n

Benonians dominate the Comrades down run<\/a><\/p>\n

BLOG: I\u2019ve got the runs<\/a><\/p>\n

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