her arrival in Sherwood , refreshing the App every few seconds in the minute leading up to the cut-off , but she had actually built quite a buffer and cruised across the timing point with a 32-second cushion . Now it was game on !

Brigitte had averaged 8:06 per kilometre until this point . With 6.5km left , she now had to run 7:45 per kay to beat the final gun in Durban . As any Comrades runner will tell you , those last 6.5km into Durban are far from easy . The jarring down 45 th Cutting and then the left turn to climb towards Tollgate are both excrutiating , so running this section faster than you have run any section the whole day is considered highly unlikely . However , Brigitte just put her head down and went for it . With darkness well and truly set in , and the bugler about to play The Last Post on the finish line , Brigitte entered the stadium and made the victory lap around the Kingsmead Oval , wearing the biggest smile ever . She snuck home in a time of 11:59:24 – 36 seconds under the final cut-off – and her coveted Comrades medal was safely in the bank !

BRIGITTE ’ S CLOSE CALLS CUT-OFF POINT TO GO TIME IN HAND

AGAINST THE ODDS

To put her effort in perspective , Brigitte completed the first sector of the race ( Start to Lion Park ) as the 16051 st -fastest runner , whereas in the last sector ( Sherwood to Finish ), she recorded the 5127 th -fastest time , that of a comfortable bronze medal finisher ! Looking back on her epic day , Brigitte says she couldn ’ t have done it without all the support she received . “ It meant the world to me to have my family there at 30km and 60km , cheering me on , but they knew that I would be pushed for time , so we agreed before the race that it would be a very quick stop for big hugs . It was also so nice to reach the Bedfordview tables – very special people ! And the supporters at the cut-offs cheering me on , many calling me by name , they make you run a little faster !”

The pacing charts , statistics and predictions all say that Brigitte should not have made it , but she proved that anything is possible if you hang in there and believe . “ I never once thought about giving up . I wasn ’ t tired , or sore or feeling sick , it just all came together , and I just loved it . Running your first Comrades is undoubtedly one of the best days of your life … but I have already entered 2017 to claim my back-to-back medal ! If 2016 is anything to go by , she will get it , too .

( Timed by ChampionChip ) Free T-shirts to the early entrants

EARLY BIRD ENTRIES AVAILABLE Information soon on www . omdiedamultra . co . za Put the Old Mutual Om Die Dam Ultra Marathon on your 2017 race calendar now , and train for the challenge .

IAU GOLD LABEL STANDING 2016

Hosted by Hartbeespoort Marathon Club

* The 50km and 21km events are timed by ChampionChip . No chip . No result . No prize .

41