The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
LAST Sunday saw five Bulawayo-based road runners take up the gruelling 90km in the Comrades Centenary Hope Challenge.
More than 13 000 runners from over 50 countries took part in the Comrades Marathon Centenary Hope Challenge virtual race last Sunday. It was meant to be a special day as this year marks the 100th year anniversary of the iconic Comrades Marathon which for the second consecutive time could not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Zimbabweans decided not to be left out as they registered for the various races that were being run virtually where runners got to run their own race, along their selected routes anywhere in the world. A total of 90 Zimbabweans took part, with the groups split between Bulawayo and Harare.
Fatima Hassin, Stanley Sibanda, Zumba Mhere, Misheck Matanhire and Simbisai Mutandi were the brave ones who chose to run 90km from those based in Bulawayo. From the group, Hassin and Sibanda had twice previously taken part in the actual Comrades Marathon.
Last Sunday, Hassin, Sibanda, Matanhire and Mutandi finished the 90km all inside the 12-hour cut off time while Mhere dropped out after running 65km due to cramps.
The 90km runners started some 10km outside Plumtree and finished off their run at the Bulawayo Athletic Club.
Mutandi was the first to finish in a time of 11 hours, 20 minutes and 41 seconds. He was followed by Sibanda in 11 hours, 28 minutes and 26 seconds. Matanhire crossed the finish line in 11 hours, 38 minutes and 12 seconds while Hassin, the only woman in the group clocked 11 hours, 50 minutes and 53 seconds.
Hassin, Sibanda, Mutandi and Matanhire will be getting Comrades Marathon Centenary Hope Challenge medals from South Africa together with those who finished the 45km and 21km. One had to register on the Comrades Marathon website, pay a registration fee and submit their finishing time at the end of the run for them to get a medal.
For all those who ran the three races on the day did receive medals that were organised by Fitness First Athletics Club. Despite failure to complete the 90km, Mhere said he had a great time and cannot wait to take part in next year’s Comrades Marathon if it is taking place.
“In as much as I couldn’t manage to complete the 90kms, I enjoyed every moment and I don’t regret it. Being my first attempt, I think I can do better next time. I will start early to prepare for the next year’s comrades marathon which I hope will be done in Durban if the Covid-19 virus is contained,’’ Mhere said.
Mhere said he had worked hard in preparing for the virtual run, which made him enthusiastic ahead of last Sunday.
“I was very excited to register for the Comrades Marathon for the first time. I had trained very hard for the event.
From January to end of May I had run a cumulative of about 1 600km. The longest being 65km from Mbalabala to BAC which I managed to do 63km,’’ he said.
Mutandi, while he was taking part in a 90km-run for the first time, feels he was really prepared. His main concern was the knee injury he had suffered in the build-up to the race, which saw him take a one-month break from training.
“It was my first 90km-run, I trained hard for it. From January we started the preparation runs in the middle like at Mbalabala about a month-and-a-half back. From the word go I told himself that there was no return, we started slowly as I didn’t know if I was going to go the full race as I was also coming from a knee injury that took a month of my training,’’ Mutandi said.
For Matanhire, he found the run satisfying as he took part in the race for purposes of challenging himself.
“I found the run very fulfilling. Unless you are an elite, ultra-marathons are mainly for self-actualisation and challenging yourself,’’ Matanhire said.
As much as they have done their preparations, Matanhire said they were still cautious on the day of the race.
“While we had prepared for the run very well climaxing in a 66km Mbalabala to Bulawayo run followed a distance taper down towards run day, we still ran a cautious run ensuring a sustainable energy distribution so that we don’t run out of fuel before the end of the run. We were also lucky to have two Comrades veterans who were responsible for run strategy and tactics including pacing, energising and when to do short power walks which engage a different set of muscles while giving the main running muscles a moment to rest,’’ he said.
He revealed that at the 80km mark, their bodies could not take it anymore, something they had been warned about beforehand. Matanhire is eager to take part in the actual Comrades Marathon if it is being held next year.
“As expected, and warned, at 80km our bodies had shut out and could not energise or carbo-load so we ran to the end without any other intake. This run was testimony to the fact that with practice and training one can achieve the unthinkable. Come March we are starting preps for the next one, hopefully not virtual,’’ Matanhire said.
For the 48-year-old Sibanda, who went to the Comrades Marathon in 2017 and 2018, running virtually did not feel the same as taking part in the physical race.
“It wasn’t that competitive as compared when running in SA. A virtual run doesn’t give that vibe, you run waiting for each other, eat and start again, but a real race there is nothing like waiting for others because it will be a competition,’’ Sibanda said.
He recalled that when he got to Mbokodo Abbattoir, he started feeling cramps and he let Mutandi and Matanhire continue while he followed behind.
“When I got Mbokodo area I started to experience cramps which were caused by stopping and walking. I had to let Simba and Misheck proceed and followed them slowly doing run walk. Although this run was a down run, ours was different because from the start it was an up run until we get to Bellevue,’’ said Sibanda.
Hassin described last Sunday’s run as remarkable, made special by the support from their Fitness First teammates who came out to support them when they were 20km from the finishing point.
“It was quite amazing as when the 90km runners got to the 20km mark the rest of the team came out to support. It was with the help from our team mates pulled us to the end,’’ said the 54-year-old Hassin a mother of two.
After such a gruelling run, the runners have taken time off training and will resume running in September.
