“Comrades” – at 99, the world’s greatest ultra-marathon, now virtual, too

Over 40 000 runners from around the world participated in Sunday’s (June 14) virtual Comrades Marathon, celebrating it’s 99^th year remotely, away from the iconic 90 km route between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.  The massive participation underlined the race’s status as the greatest ultra-marathon on the planet.

It is doubtful that Comrades founder – and engine-driver on South African Railways – Vic Clapham, even in his wildest dreams, could have imagined that the event he struggled so hard to launch would one day be recognised this way. More doubtful still that he could have imagined a virtual race, run using something called the “internet”.

Returning home after campaigning with South African troops in East Africa during World War One, Clapham approached the ex-soldiers association, the ‘League of the Comrades of the Great War’, in 1918, for permission to organise a race. It was to be run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, under the name of the Comrades Marathon. He was laughed at and denied. Such a race would be altogether too strenuous, the League responded.

Clapham stuck to his guns, however, and after three refusals was finally given the go-ahead in 1921. He was paid one pound sterling towards expenses, though that amount had to be refunded after the race, as a condition was that “the event did not cost the League a cent”.

On the 24^th of May 1921, 33 hopeful adventurers faced the Pietermaritzburg mayor’s starting gun on a journey that was to prove epic in every sense of the word. Sixteen completed the distance. The rest, as they say, is history. What a history it has been, too.

The evolution of the Comrades Marathon – now recognised as Africa’s oldest existing footrace – from its original, exclusionary format to one which now, perhaps more than any other, embraces South Africa’s sense of a ‘Rainbow Nation’, is an evolution of far more than a footrace. It reflects, in its inclusivity and ethos, what – despite today’s hate-mongering – has been hailed as a miracle of transformation in South Africa and serves as an example of what is possible across the world.  Alongside Siya Kolisi leading the Springboks to rugby World Cup glory in Japan and the country’s hosting of the football World Cup in 2010, the Comrades is arguably South Africa’s most powerful sporting symbol of integration and reconciliation.

Those participating in Sunday’s race did so not on the 90 km of tarmac between ‘Maritzburg and Durban, but virtually, on courses of varying length, around the globe.  COVID-19 and World War Two are the only “show-stoppers” to have forced the cancellation of the great (actual) road race.

Comrades Association Chair, Cheryl Winn, remains hopeful that next year’s centenary event will take place as planned. “We’re planning three weeks of festivities, starting on 24 May – the day of the first Comrades, leading up to race day,” explained Winn. While organisers will celebrate 100 years since the inaugural event, they will have several years to wait until the 100th race – thanks to WWII and now, the coronavirus.

“Our celebration of 100 Comrades Marathons will now take place in 2026, one year later than planned,” Winn said.

Winn represents one half of an exceptional team with deep roots in the race. Husband Mick ran his first of twelve Comrades Marathons in 1964, while Cheryl ran six – winning in 1982 affter placing second to UCT athlete, Isavel Roche-Kelly, in the previous two years. 

But the Winns will primarily be remembered for their outstanding administrative skills and leadership. Both served the race in numerous capacities, including that of race director and chair of the association, a position Cheryl still occupies. Together they have an extraordinary 57 years of involvement as a husband-and-wife team, in the race.

For Cheryl Winn, it is the spirit of inclusiveness that makes Comrades great. “Our vision statement is that Comrades is the biggest, best, most competitive and inclusive ultra-marathon in the world.  And I believe that ‘inclusiveness’ is the most important.

“From time to time we’ve had challenges from various sectors, but we’ve always reached out to them in such a way that they became part of our Comrades Community,” added Winn. “A few years back there were protest threats from the impoverished residents at Inchanga.  We met with them and now they are part of our team on race day, where they are employed to marshall an important refreshment station.

“Then the taxi operators were very unhappy about losing business through road closures on race day.  Following discussions, they are now fully on board and employed to provide much-needed shuttle services along the route.

“Lastly, the business sector also plays an important part. There’s the garage-owner who estimated he lost close to R100 000 through the road closure on race day, but he has also come to the party and says it’s his pleasure, recognising potential marketing benefits the race brings.”

Bruce Fordyce remains one of the most recognisable names in South African athletics, even though his ninth, and final, Comrades victory came thirty years go.  The come-from-behind running style of the former Wits student often made for riveting viewing during the live television broadcasts in the 1980s, which helped to make Fordyce’s career.  

The ultra-marathon supremo now presides over the popular 5km Park Run organisation, but the magic of Comrades still flows through his veins. He is in no doubt on the status of the Comrades as the world’s biggest and best ultra-marathon. “Without any doubt”, Fordyce said without hesitation. “There’s nothing close to Comrades. 

“Other ultras such as Western States 100 miler (USA trail race in California), the World 100km championships and Two Oceans Marathon are all fantastic, but there’s nothing close to Comrades.  There are a number of factors which have made the race truly great.

“First its age – there are just so many stories, celebrities and traditions linked to Comrades.  It has a similar feel to the Boston Marathon in the States, which is the oldest city marathon in the world.  Secondly, it is the race all leading South Africans want to run, which has made it truly competitive.  There is the sense that whoever you are, your running CV is not complete until you’ve run Comrades. Even Zola Budd!

“The Comrades’ race traditions are numerous and have become such an important part of the race.  The start is the best I’ve ever come across with its atmospheric build-up and the playing of Chariots of Fire.  And the excellent tradition of alternating direction each year gives the ‘up’ and ‘down’ race completely different character.

“The cut-off gun provides a moment of excitement at the end of the race every bit as dramatic as when the winner crosses the line. And the crowds (estimated at close on a million) which line the route and fill the stadium at the finish surpasses anything I’ve seen in South Africa.”

Maritzburg athlete, Bongmusa Mthembu, has come closest to “legendary Comrade” status in recent years, with three wins, seven podium finishes and eight gold medals in his 14 completed races. He admits that Comrades has transformed his life for the better.

“This is one amazing race,” Mthembu admits. “It must be number one. Superbly organised with so much atmosphere and it is powerful enough to change your life.  It has certainly changed mine and I’m enormously grateful for that. I would not have been able to provide for my son in the way I have were it not for Comrades.

“For me, it was a tremendous privilege to have been able to run and complete the Comrades. And then to win it was just the cherry on the top.  To come back and achieve success after winning for the first time was very satisfying.

“I think what makes Comrades so special, is that organisers are part of the community of running.  If you’re running Comrades, you have the feeling that it’s about YOU.  It’s not about the Comrades Marathon Association – it’s all about the runner.

“Perhaps I’ve missed out a bit on some of the atmosphere along the route as I am very focused when running Comrades – every second of the race.  If I lose concentration, even for a moment, it could cost me at the finish.”

Another “legend-in-the-making”, Gerda Steyn, whose record-breaking victory in last year’s ‘up’ run invited comparisons with the great Frith van der Merwe, agreed with Mthembu on the transformative power of the Comrades.  “It’s a race like no other! Crossing the finish line in first place last year changed something in me,” remarked Steyn from Dubai, where she is locked-down due to the pandemic.

“It was a life moment that I will never forget and I shall forever be grateful for that. Comrades is so much more than just 90 km of running. Each race is a year-long journey where you will meet like-minded people, make life-long friends, get to know yourself better and learn how to push through the toughest of times.

“When you finally line up at the start, you have already conquered so much.  Race day to me is where we can celebrate the inputs and sacrifices we made to get there. Regardless of whether you are racing for the top spot or running it as a social event, Comrades will leave you changed for the better!  And no matter how tough the battle is on the day, when you cross the finish line it will make you want to do it again and again!!”

Zimbabwe-born multi-Comrades gold-medallist, Prodigal Khumalo, sees the Comrades as the Olympic Games of Africa. “The down-race is my favourite – I love it from Drummond to Durban where there are spectators swarming all over on the road. I have never seen anything like that in any race here in South Africa!

“We spend months in the mountains preparing for the big day and then it all comes together in amazing fashion.  And I know every elite runner wants to get a gold medal (top ten finishers).  It is a special prize – one ounce pure gold. No other race gives such a medal.”