Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
IN YOUR STRIDE — 100 years of the Comrades Marathon
SUPERSPORT has a show called Cover to Cover in which the personable commentator Andy Capostagno reviews sports books. He is always firm but fair in his analysis and when I heard he had given this book 10 out of 10, I wanted to see why.
So I arranged to meet the authors, Steve Camp and Brad Morgan, in a coffee shop in Gillitts, less than a hop, step and a stumble from the actual Comrades route and found out how this masterpiece came to be.
Brad, I knew from his time covering rugby with me in the Kings Park press box when the Sharks were the Team of the ’90s, and I wasn’t surprised to learn he had done most of the writing.
Steve is a renowned adventurer and I was a touch intimidated to discover he had run the Comrades 10 times, done the Dusi on 17 occasions, completed the Cape Town Cycle Tour 14 times, swum 19 Midmar Miles, sailed the Cape2Rio yacht race and, for good measure, climbed four of the “Seven Summits” (the highest peaks on each of the continents).
Clearly this gentleman knows his stuff when it comes to toughing it out, and they had to do plenty of that when Covid halted production.
There is a third member to their team, the designer Kerry Pentz, and each page of the book was a collaboration in terms of the “look” and the content. It was also the culmination of years of research and sourcing of rare picture material, much of it never published before.
The overall look and feel is outstanding and it is remarkably sustained over the coverage of every one of the 94 races that took place over the 100 years of this institution – four editions did not take place during World War II (1939-1945) and then Covid cancelled the 2020 and 2021 races.
Speaking of World Wars, it was World War I (1914-18) that gave the Comrades its origin. Vic Clapham, a veteran returning to Durban from that global conflict, was so appalled at the loss of life – including thousands of South Africans – that he resolved to create a living memorial to the spirit of the soldiers of the Great War.
Clapham knew from personal experience that a soldier’s life included endless route marches that required huge reservoirs of grit and determination, and on those marches, the fitter men helped their struggling comrades and together they dragged themselves to the destination.
Clapham wanted to create a challenge modelled on those feats of endurance and a 54-mile (87km) race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg was one of the great “light bulb moments” in the history of South African sport.
It took a long time for the concept to be grasped – many believed it could not be done – but after three years of effort by the indomitable Clapham, the first Comrades Marathon took place on May 24, 1921, and immediately the element of adventure captured the imagination of the public, although it would take decades before the number of participants swelled.
And as the race grew exponentially, so of course did the unbelievable rigmarole that it takes for this world famous event to go off as slickly as it does.
When you consider that in 1921, Vic had to borrow a policeman’s firearm to start the race because the only thing his one-man committee had not organised was a starter’s pistol, and then you look at the heaving mass of humanity that the race is today, I reckon the Comrades is by some margin South Africa’s proudest sporting and cultural achievement
With an estimated 350 000 spectators cheerily lining the route, there is nothing quite like it anywhere in the world – as the 2 500 foreigners who enter each year will tell you – and this book explains why.
In every facet, the Comrades has grown spectacularly over its century and yet it has still kept its charm and that is because its ethos has been carefully preserved by diligent organisers who refuse to compromise the proud spirit of the event.
It could long ago have been hijacked by big business – one multinational wanted to make it into a franchise and export it around the world – because it is a sponsor’s dream with its 12 hours of non-stop drama.
The manner in which the event has evolved is extraordinary. The early runners had to fend for themselves, hoping to be fed and hydrated by well-wishers along the way; then there was the era of “seconds” assisting runners, and eventually came refreshment stations.
In 2019, 5 000 volunteers at 43 refreshment stations dispensed 2 million Thirsti water sachets; 480 000 Energade sachets; 1.5 tons of cooked potatoes; 4.5 tons of oranges; 9 tons of bananas and 20 000 energy bars.
That is some transformation from 1922 when the legendary DHS school teacher and rugby Springbok, Bill Payn, stopped at a pub at Drummond and fuelled up on beer and curry and rice before continuing to finish eighth!
In 1971, entries topped 1 000 for the first time and it was in the ’80s that participation rocketed, thanks in large part to nine-time champion Bruce Fordyce’s heroics being captured on television (the first full TV coverage was in 1986, which was also the year entries topped 10 000 for the first time).
As the numbers climbed (today there are 27 500 entries), so did the need for medical attention, although it was only in 1977 that the first medical facility was provided at the finish, an army-issue tent with one doctor.
Today, the medical facility is reputed to be the largest temporary medical facility in the world outside of a war zone, with 45 interns, 20 medical officers, 10 specialists, 20 nurses, 16 ambulances, six rapid response vehicles, six paramedics on motorbikes and a helicopter.
The year 1975 has to be the most celebrated year of the 100. This was when the race was opened to all, irrespective of gender and race. It had previously been the exclusive preserve of white males but now blacks and females could enter.
If you consider that 1975 was at the height of apartheid, the success of the race organisers to make it multiracial is nigh on miraculous, and I love the argument of the great Comrades organiser Mick Winn.
He said at the time: “The roads belong to all … there are no ‘Slegs Blankes’ (Whites Only) signs on the roads!” And Fordyce himself said this of the success of the Comrades in breaking down barriers: “For years, it was a beacon of light against the dark crime of apartheid, showing what our nation could be when united to attain greatness while pursuing a common goal.”
• This 264-page coffee table book ends with the Comrades Green Number Roll of Honour – if you have run 10 Comrades or more, you are in the book!