Rich history defines Buffs experience

THE Buffalo Marathon awaits its 44th journey on February 18.

The “Buffs” as it is affectionately known throughout South Africa has been and should continue to be one of the key marathons in any marathoner’s repertoire.

To add evidence to this thought a perusal of past race results offers up names such as Ephraim Sibisi, a winner of the Two Oceans Marathon; Willie Farrell, a past SA Marathon champion as was Kevin Flanagan; Bruce Fordyce, Alan Robb, Sam Tshabalala, Cheryl Jorgenson (Winn) and Frith van der Merwe, all Comrades Marathon winners.

From a local perspective, the very best the province has produced have also graced this fine old marathon that dates back to humble beginnings with just 58 finishers in 1974.

Gordon Shaw has without doubt been the best of the men, winning the race five times – something no other runner has ever done.

He ran a personal best of 2:16:44 in 1983 when he raced Fordyce to the finish. Fordyce also recorded a lifetime best on that day with a 2:17:18.

Those times can be placed in perspective by the fact that Mzwandile Shube, one of the fastest athletes ever produced in the region, won the race in 1989 with a time of 2:18:03.

Other top locals have included Mlamli Nkonkobe 2:19:16, Willie Mankayi 2:14:15 (on an uncalibrated makeshift course) and Thembinkosi Bishop 2:21:37.

The Buffs is very much about great runners, but great, not just in the realm of speed, but of some of the great characters of the sport.

Stories of camaraderie abound. Stories of ordinary runners challenging those around them to a race within a race.

Because Buffs is an all important qualifying race for Two Oceans and Comrades, it becomes crucial to those campaigns too, as the result determines a runner’s seeding on the big day.

The Buffs Marathon is one of the fastest marathons, albeit the final 6km offer three stings in the tail via Willasdale Drive, Galway Road and Buffalo Park Drive. It is also strategically placed date wise, and those who save their qualifying marathon for Buffs are always at an advantage over those who chase an earlier one. The race is only two weeks away and will be run on a Sunday, a week earlier than usual.