Comrades Marathon fever has gripped Durban. This as thousands of runners converged on the city for last minute preparations for Sunday’s ultimate human race.
Over 21 000 of them will take off from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. It’s going to be the biggest field after the Millennium race in 2000.
On the eve of the Comrades on Sunday thousands gathered at the Durban exhibition centre.
It was thrill and excitement especially for the novices.
“I’m afraid to be honest; my family does not believe that I’ll make it. I always said I’ll run my first Comrades when I’m 40 and that year has come,” says a novice.
At 23 degrees Celsius the weather will enable some to improve on their personal best times.
The Comrade’s marathon is among the biggest and best organised races in the world.
President of KZN Athletics Sello Mokoena says: “It has out grown the province, even nationally. It has become the single biggest event in the province and we are very proud of that.”
Over 1 million fans are expected to line up the 90 kilometre race, giving support to the runners from handing over water, food and that much needed rub.
Meanwhile, thousands of mainly school children participated in a 10km youth run on Saturday. It’s meant to give them a feel of the Comrades Marathon.
“The youth run is fun because it is going to help our legs get stronger,” says one school kid.
“I heard about the race for youth then I prepared myself,” adds another school kid.
The marathon starts at 5:30am from outside the Pietermaritzburg town hall and ends at Durban’s Moses Mabhida stadium.
It will be shown live on SABC2.
