Kelehe ready to call the shots yet again
DURBAN: Gift Kelehe changed his Whatsapp profile picture late yesterday afternoon. For most of last week, the picture he used was the one taken for the Entsika Athletics Club’s brochure for the Comrades Marathon.
Though clearly posed, it was a beautiful picture.
The current one though tells the story of the man’s frame of mind. Kelehe is in a winning mood and the opposition better be prepared to “work for their money” if they are to be champions.
It is a picture of him pouring water on himself during a run. It wasn’t just any other run though. The picture is from the 2015 Comrades, yes the one he won to set a remarkable record that saw him and his brother Andrew become the fist South African siblings to win the Ultimate Human Race.
Throughout the build-up to Sunday’s event, Kelehe has been vocal about his goals.
“I have a point to prove my brother,” he said. “I want to show that I can also win the down-run.”
Yesterday, at the pre-race conference at a hotel on the city’s south beach, he again articulated his goals, warning the rest of the field that he will not be easy to beat.
Kelehe, you see, is among the most consistent runners of this world famous ultras, his times since he went to champion coach John Hamlett and begged him to “make me a champion like my brother” immediately after Andrew’s 2001 triumph being pretty impressive.
Incredibly, Kelehe describes himself as more of an up-run person but all his times suggests he has it in him to win running down from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
He ran a 6:18:31 in 2007; 6:40:52 in 2009; 5:53:38 in 2010; 5:38:39 in 2012; 5:34:39 in 2014 and 6:09:41 in 2016.
“My best was in 2014 when I finished third. If I can see myself improving on that time, then I am sure I will win it.”
“I honestly believe it is my time to win the down-run. My aim is to run a sub 5:28 time. I don’t see the record (of 5:18:09 set by his club mate David Gatebe in 2016) falling, but it is possible. The route for this year has changed a bit, and the last seven kilometres are a bit up and down.”
Kelehe will be taking a lot of lessons from that 2014 run into tomorrow’s race to help him overcome the opposition.
“I have vivid memories of that race. There was six of us in the lead, Ludwick (Mamabolo), Bongmusa (Mthembu), Rufus (Photo), (Stephen) Muzhingi, Mncedisi (Mkhize) and myself. I had a plan to break at a particular point but then Bongmusa went away before me and for some reason none of us followed.
But when I went for it, everybody else came after me. I ended up finishing third behind Bongmusa and Ludwick.”
As he looks back, Kelehe knows that allowing anyone to get away from the bunch would be suicidal, just as it was for the rest of the leading group two years ago when they thought they could catch Gatebe.
“I learnt from 2014 that while you stick to you plan, you must also be wary of when the others might try to move away. You can’t ignore any of these guys because they are all highly experienced runners with great talent. They know what they are doing. The key is that they must not dictate, I must be the one dictating.”
And he is in the physical condition to call the shots, he says
“I feel much stronger than last year and I’ve had some good training runs at both the Om Die Dam and Loskop Marathons. And fortunately, I am injury free this year.”
He is also been fortunate to have in his brother, his number one fan.
“Andrew plays a critical role in my running career. Whenever I need advice he’s the one I go to. He has been very influential in all my running.”
And then there’s also his family, whom he often has to spend a lot of time away from.
“Family is very important. Being away from them for two months is draining, on both sides.
“I know it is hard for me and it can’t be easy for them. “I have an 11 months daughter and daily I make video calls back home just so she does not miss me too much.”
With his latest profile picture though, his wife will do well not to show it to their baby girl as she probably would not recognise daddy.
But the discerning Comrades follower will see that picture and know that Gift Kelehe means business. Will it be 2015 all over again?