Continental Challenge, plight of schools, calls South African to action

Seven marathons on seven continents in seven days was the answer Nontuthuko Mgabhi’s found in her quest for a suitable life adventure that would help her raise funds for a worthy cause. It also got her invited to join a field of elite runners in this week’s October 18 Cape Town Marathon.

Mgabhi was in action at the Sanlam Virtual Cape Town Marathon, in the process improving her personal best marathon time six minutes, clocking 3 hr 20 min.

The Human resources general manager at Richards Bay Coal Terminal, Mgabhi became aware of the plight of the Khipinkunzi Primary School in Mtubatuba, near Lake St Lucia, and felt moved to respond.

“I saw that classrooms had become derelict and were in urgent need of repair,” said Mgabhi after crossing the finish line at Green Point Athletics Stadium.

Mgabhi’s story came to Cape Town Marathon Race Ambassador, Elana van Zyl, through Mgabhi’s coach, ultra-distance road and trail athlete, Prodigal Khumala. “When I heard what she had taken on and achieved I felt I had to invite her to the race,” explained Van Zyl.

Mgabhi said she had chanced upon an opportunity to raise funds, through the World Marathon Challenge.

“Over three million Rand was needed to rebuild five classrooms and two administrative blocks and when I discovered the World Marathon Challenge on the internet I thought that it could be a strong vehicle for me to raise funds for the school.

“Richards Bay Coal undertook to fund my challenge, so all the funds I raised could go to the school and I’m pleased that I could have helped in this way.”

Coincidentally, Mgabhi found herself running along some of the same roads during the Cape Town Marathon on which she had raced during her second marathon of the World Marathon Challenge, which she joined in February this year.

“We had arrived in Cape Town before flying to Antartica for our first marathon,” explained Mgabhi. “Then on the second day we ran in Cape Town soon after our return flight.”

Thereafter it was go go go, with barely time to pause for breath as the contingent flew to Perth, Australia for the Day Three marathon, which was followed in close order by the UAE for Asia, Spain for Europe before the final two in the Americas – Brazil and Florida, USA, at the finish to complete a hard week’s work.

“The hardest two were definitely Antartica and Brazil – much too cold and much too hot!” laughed Mgabhi.

Mgabhi finished fourth woman in the competition, becoming the first African woman to have completed the challenge.