Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 126, January 2020 | Page 21

be a daunting task, she also knew that before she
could even start to raise funds for her cause, she
needed to find the 35,000 Euros just to enter. In South
African terms, that is just over R550,000! “It really was
a problem for me, but I had to find a way to make
it happen.” This saw her launch her Go Beyond for
a Child cause, with the name derived from Nontu’s
intention to run beyond the finish line for a child from
a vulnerable community.
Next she spoke to her CEO at Richards Bay Coal
Terminal (RBCT), where she works as the General
Manager in Human Resources. “He was immediately
excited and told me that this could be a CSI initiative
for RBCT. He was scheduled to go into a board
meeting soon after our conversation and told me he
was not making any promises, but he would put the
idea forward. And guess what? The board agreed.
That was a big relief. That means that any funds I
raise go straight to the school, and not towards my
entry fee.”
Bitten by the Bug
Nontuthuko’s journey to this point in her running
career began with a simple invite to go for a walk in
2013. “A friend of mine told me to join her in the East
Coast Big Walk, which is 10km, and my initial reaction
was ‘Whaaaaat??? That’s faaaaaaar!’ But I did it, I
really enjoyed it, and the bug bit. Ten months later I
lined up for my first Comrades Marathon.”
Since then she has competed in over 50 marathons
and completed 15 ultra-marathons, including five
Comrades (she boasts a best of 8:53, which she ran
in 2018) and two 100-milers, both at Karkloof, as well
as the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 65km. She also climbed
Kilimanjaro in 2018. “I love hiking and try to do a lot
of it. All those hidden miles also help me with my
running. They really make a difference,” she says.
Still, Nontuthuko knows that to do seven marathons
in seven days, with all the travel in between, will be
something different, and she has been preparing for
months for the challenge. “I did around 450 kilometres
a month, and December was my highest mileage
month, where I did just over 500km. But I have eight
hours for each marathon and I am not out there to set
any records. It is about finishing and raising funds.”
Planning for Extremes
Getting back to logistics, Nontuthuko says she is
well aware that the travel and the conditions at each
run venue, in particular in Antarctica, will make the
Challenge all the harder to tackle. Not only will she
need to deal with time zone challenges, but also huge
changes in temperatures. Antarctica will be at sub-
zero temperatures, but from there it will be into the
summer of Cape Town, with the average temperature
hitting 23 degrees. Perth gets to 31 degrees, while
the average in Dubai in February is 32, compared to
12 in Madrid, and back up to 30 for Fortaleza. Miami
averages 24 as a high.
She says the Antarctica leg was the one that had
her the most worried, but she is thankful that her
warm clothing needs have been met. “Salomon
are sponsoring me, which has been a huge relief,
especially as finding the kit for conditions in the
Antarctic is not easy. With their knowledge and
expertise, that has become much easier.”
With the quick turn-around time between races and
flights, Nontuthuko will also need to pack cleverly.
“I basically plan to pack each races’ clothing into a
separate plastic bag and label them. We won’t have
time to wash clothes, because we literally finish
running, head off to the airport, board the plane and
fly to the next destination. We eat and sleep on the
plane, and I just know that my body will take a
beating, but how else can you do it?”
every 3km at each race. It is more the time on the
feet and then hopping on to the plane straight after
the run that will take a big toll. And the time zones. I
have mulled over how to deal with jetlag, but I have
decided I cannot change anything in that regard, and
will rely on my fitness and what rest I get between
each run to make sure I make it.”
Raising the Funds
At the time of writing in early January, Nontuthuko
had already raised R1.3 million rand for the school –
still some way off her target of R3.5 million, but she
remains motivated to chase that number. “Even if I
do not get the full amount, what has already been
raised will go a long way to helping the school. I will
also be reaching out to construction companies, who
may be interested in helping with discounts or even
donations. These kids need serious help.”
Nontu understands just how critical it is for a child
to get a good education, because she hails from
the rural area of Mseleniin Umhlabuyalingana in
Maputaland, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, and was herself
subjected to conditions such as these whilst growing
up. By competing the gruelling World Marathon
Challenge, Nontu is hoping to make a difference in
the lives of the children of the Khiphinkunzi Primary
School. “I know this will be tough, but I am looking
forward to it. I will definitely dip my feet and legs in the
ocean in Miami when it is all done, even though it will
be winter there.”
Of course, on each race day itself, the
organisers make sure that the participants
are catered for. “They have advised us to
bring our own gels and recovery drinks and
potions, but they will have a feeding station
To support Nontuthuko’s fundraising run in the World Marathon Challenge, you can make a
donation via her account on back-a-buddy, which you can access via her website at
http://gobeyondforachild.com.
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