ROAD RUNNING
Wishing Gigante a Happy 100 th Birthday !
just with the running . That was only a small part of a bigger story . No , I was impressed by all the many little things . Like Bia Figmo lending me her eye-mask so that I could sleep in spite of the bright lights , even though she needed it more than me . And Badger finding the strength to carry his daughter during his laps . Or Paulo , who would always smile at me when I asked for his race number .
And Mustang Mann , whose only complaint after her knee started to hurt was that she couldn ’ t run , and walking was too boring ! And of course , RamRod , who finished most of his laps in last place , but continued to smile even when he was forced to walk up the stairs . To me it was these moments , and many more like them , that made this event one the best in which I have ever been involved .
some strong athletes , and before being allowed to depart the barracks , each of these departing runners stood to attention as Alistair Mc Donald played Taps in their honour on his bagpipes .
Just after sunrise , the SBBU runners had a brief interlude and walked across to Casa Serena to sing Happy Birthday to 93-year-old Mrs Mackenzie and the indefatigable Gigante , who was turning 100 . It was a special moment , with Alistair ’ s bagpipes leading the runners into the singing of Happy Birthday .
Camaraderie All Round
Throughout the 24 hours , I was impressed , but not
Before the start , it was conservatively estimated that about half of the entrants would finish the full 24 hours , but on the 2nd of April , just before 6pm and in spite of tired legs and sore joints , 19 individual runners and the captain of the Flightless Eagles finished their final lap of 24 , to the cheers of their family , friends and other spectators . In case you haven ’ t worked it out , that is a whole lot more than 50 %. Special mention should also be made of Crazy Hazy ( the well-know ultra athlete Hazel Moller ), who decided on a whim to run 100 miles instead of 100km , and made it home alongside the other finishers .
True Spartan Spirit
Each runner received a Spartan Baby belt buckle , a finisher ’ s certificate and a packet containing the hottest chillies in the world grown by SBBU founder , Johnny Cobra . As one of the runners , Belloc72 , said , “ The difference between the SBBU and any other event is that here runners looked out for each other . Sons
Rob K checking in with Albertus the First
and daughters supported their running moms and dads , and parents supported their running children . We endured a tough and unforgettable 24 hours , but we were all in it together . It was about hardship , camaraderie and hope ... and hope prevailed .”
This kind of challenge is not for everyone – only for those with true Spartan blood – but even days after the run , there was still activity on the SBBU WhatsApp group , with thank you messages being sent and memories being re-lived . It was an honour to be a part of such an event , and being able to watch as the amount of donated money grew and grew throughout the 24-hour run , was amazing . In the end , we raised around R120,000 for CHOC !
Ninja , Sir King Katvis , Belloc72 and one of the Flightless Eagles
Johnny Cobra , founder of the SBBU
For race and future SBBU information , go to www . instagram . com / sbbu _ official .
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