Local runner is racing toward Big Apple dream
WATCHING KZN’s ultra-marathon champion, Bongmusa Mthembu, win his first Comrades Marathon in 2014 inspired domestic worker Veronica Mthethwa to follow her dreams.
And she has not only followed them, but has brought them to life and is setting herself new goals.
This week the quietly spoken 34 year old from Pongola, who works for the Cameron family in Ballito, has spoken about that first moment of inspiration when she watched the Comrades Marathon from the sidelines.
“I had watched it before on television, but in 2014 I went to watch the race. Bongmusa Mthembu is a good runner and I watched him in 2014 win the race. Seeing all those runners cross the finish line, I wanted to do that.”
Mthembu took his second Comrades Marathon win two weeks ago on the 2017 up run.
Like many others inspired to take to the road the day after Comrades, Mthethwa did just that, in 2014, starting with a 2km run, and fell in love with running.
She joined the Dolphin Coast Striders running club, and in 2015, ran Comrades for the first time in 11 hours and 30 minutes. In the past three years she has clocked up numerous marathons and ultra-marathons, including the Two Oceans.
With running opening up her world, she told employers Jody and Peter Cameron that her next goal was to take part in the New York Marathon, one of the world’s most famous marathons.
She carefully saved money for the trip, but when her mother was hit by a stray bullet over New Year and was rushed to hospital, she had to help with covering the medical bills. Happily, her mother recovered.
Jody Cameron said: “When she joined the running club, she would run 10km there, do a 4km time trial and run 10km home. Then she started running to and from work, which was about 20km, but now lives with us.
“I thought it would be one Comrades and then she would be done, but running has changed Veronica’s life.”
To get her to New York, the Cameron family and Mthethwa set up a crowdfunding project with Mthethwa starting a Facebook page, “Dreaming of New York”.
Through sponsorship and support, the air tickets and accommodation are booked, while Mthethwa has a fully sponsored running kit.
Cameron, who will fly with Mthethwa for the marathon on November 5, said: “Now, she just needs help with transport to and from the race and meals.”
Mthethwa will train under Comrades runner Prodigal Khumalo over the next few months.
“I am a bit nervous but I am happy. I love running and I am happy when I run.”