Roosevelt Park firefighters conquer Comrades
Read more: Watch: Comrades Marathon hero helps collapsed runner finish race
This year's down run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, proved to be a different beast altogether, testing their limits in unexpected ways.
Mphekgo Leshalabe crossed the finish line in 10:30:00, earning himself a bronze medal, however, despite the medal, he admitted this year's experience was tougher than his previous uphill run. 'I did not expect a down run to be that difficult,' he confessed. 'Normally, they would say a down run is more difficult than an up run, and I experienced it myself in the marathon. The down run is difficult because I has a lot of injuries. I had blisters and the pain was unbearable on my left foot.'
He paid respects to the marathon, adding that it is a different race on its own. 'It is not called the ultimate human race for nothing, finishing the race alone is something else, let alone getting the medal.'
Also read: Dabulamanzi Canoe Club paddlers fish out the medals at the ICF World Marathon Championships in Metkovic, Croatia
While the reward of finishing was sweet, Leshalabe fell short of his goal of achieving a Bill Rowan medal, coming in under nine hours, setting his sights higher for next year.
His teammate, Tendani Nemalamangwa, shared the same experience, finishing in 10:07:00, also securing a bronze, stating that it was a challenge running in this years marathon. 'It was my second down run, so I thought I was going to do better than my first one, but it was just harder. I just think that I have to train more on down runs, but, if I was to choose, I would choose up run, which is much easier.'
He emphasised the need for a holistic approach to the race, highlighting nutrition, endurance, and mental resilience as key factors. For him, the Comrades is about overcoming his limits and achieving personal milestones. He plans to focus on increased mileage to improve his performance in future races.
Platoon Commander Otsile Kobue applauded the two firefighters for their incredible achievement. 'We are proud of their dedication, commitment, perseverance, and strength. They are an inspiration to all of us.'
Their experiences show how even the most seasoned of runners can be challenged by the unpredictable nature of the ultimate human race.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts!
Related article: Soweto Marathon back from the brink of collapse
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Gerda Steyn: South Africa's road running star
Gerda Steyn, South Africa's leading road running star and multiple Comrades and Two Oceans Marathon champion, is training for a major race, likely the Cape Town Marathon as the year winds Sibonelo Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers If there's one name that is synonymous with SA road running at the moment, it has to be Gerda Steyn. The 35-year-old is at the peak of her powers and is the undisputed Queen of SA road running, and has been for some time. The four-time Comrades Marathon and six-time Two Oceans Marathon champion is always the favourite when she lines up in a race in South Africa when it's 42km and above. The Smiling Assassin also competes strongly for South Africa when she competes abroad, having also held the SA record in the marathon until recently when Glenrose Xaba set the new mark in October 2024. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Steyn's Phenomenal Speed and Endurance: From 5km to 90km Success Still, the fact that Steyn can compete with the best runners in the country in any distance from 5km to 90km is nothing short of phenomenal. It's also the reason why she's been so successful; Steyn has the speed to go with that endurance. That's why Steyn has been so prolific since she burst onto the scene with her first Two Oceans title in 2018.
The Herald
5 days ago
- The Herald
Soweto Marathon shifts to late November under new organisation
The 30th edition of the Soweto Marathon is shifting to late November, a spokesperson for the event said on Thursday, contradicting claims by Soweto Marathon Trust (SMT) representatives that the country's biggest one-day road race had been cancelled. Jabu Mbuli said nine of 11 Soweto running clubs had agreed to administer the race through an NPO. This came after allegations against the previous two bodies that staged the race — the SMT and then a private company that stepped in to organise the past two races in 2023 and 2024. 'We believe this [NPO] option will assist in ensuring good and proper governance and sound financial accountability,' Mbuli said. 'The appointed non-executive board of directors will comprise largely of qualified professionals and will include chartered accountants and attorneys. The athletics clubs of Soweto own this race and they will focus on the race organising committee to run this race by the people, for the people.' SMT representatives recently claimed there would be no race this year, but Mbuli said the 2025 race would be launched this month and would take place at the end of November.
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Soweto Marathon shifts to late November under new organisation
The 30th edition of the Soweto Marathon is shifting to late November, a spokesperson for event said on Thursday, contradicting claims by Soweto Marathon Trust (SMT) representatives that the country's biggest one-day road race had been cancelled. Jabu Mbuli said nine out of 11 Soweto running clubs had agreed to administer the race through a nonprofit company. This move came after allegations against the previous two bodies that staged the race — the SMT and then a private company that stepped in to organise the past two races in 2023 and 2024. 'We believe that this [nonprofit company] option will assist in ensuring good and proper governance and sound financial accountability,' Mbuli said in the statement. 'The appointed non-executive board of directors will comprise largely of qualified professionals, who will include in the number chartered accountants and attorneys. The Athletics Clubs of Soweto own this race and they will focus on the race organising committee to run this race by the people, for the people.' SMT representatives recently claimed there would be no race this year, but Mbuli said the 2025 race would be launched this month and would take place at the end of November.
