Shaun and Meghan flying through Phezulu
Carlo de Oliveira and Paula Symington looking strong and taking in the atmosphere
It was around that time that I realised the consequences of my parking actions . As we turned and made our way back to the car , I saw the mammoth hill I had sprinted down , and how far we now had to hike to get to the top . However , lady luck was still on my side , and we managed to hitch a ride on the back of a bakkie making its way up the hill , saving us a mountain of time and effort . Once back at our cars , Lauren and I parted ways as she headed off to the club tent in Westville , and I continued my seconding duties in Kloof . I managed to get to a decent point in Kloof with very little stress , and even managed to catch a glimpse of Janine and Steve making their way down Fields Hill .
After setting up near the BP in Kloof and confirming that I was in fact still ahead of the Kings ( whew ), I once again whipped out the famous green umbrella , the required nutrition , and got ready to hook up a FaceTime call with Shaun and Meghan ’ s daughter , Charlee . The size of the crowd was quite daunting , but I spotted them in the crowd and got the FaceTime going , and after a much-needed emotional boost , they were off again , looking amazing .
Getting to the Finish
The three of us had decided prior to race day that I would forgo the tent at Westville and concentrate on getting to the finish , with the reason being that the support would be immense from Westville to the finish , and more than enough to get them there . Also , this gave me a chance to possibly see Janine and Steve reach their goals and earn their first Bill Rowans ! After hanging around in Kloof a little bit longer to cheer on a few more other Westville runners , including Carlo and Paula , I made my way to the finish via a multitude of back roads . I even managed a quick stop at home to have a sip of water , fetch some Super Moos and have my first bite of food to eat of the day – the best-tasting pork sausage I have ever eaten in my life – before I headed down to the finish .
Fellow seconds Nicola de Oliveira , Garry Symington and Simon Lake , supporting Carlo and Paula
I always thought the first time I would be at the finish of Comrades would be when I one day crossed the finish line , so I really wasn ’ t sure what to expect . I knew I was good for time , so explored and took in my surroundings as I tried to find the best place to be , which ended up being at the back end of the medal shoot . The crowds are so intense that it ’ s hard for your runners to spot you as they cross the line , but at the medal shoot exit you get to see them in a special moment , as they realise their goal has officially been achieved . It ’ s an awesome moment to witness .
I happened to bump into Janine ’ s husband Dijon , and as we were going through the highlights of the day , up popped Janine with her Bill Rowan in hand , having just run a Comrades PB . I stopped mid-sentence and screamed with excitement . I was so happy that she had reached her goal , because I know just how hard she worked for it , something that was really a privilege to watch . Dijon made his way through the crowds to meet her , whilst I waited for Steve to come through , which he did three minutes later . After getting Steve to his tog-bag and showing him where the club tent was , I made my way back to my position at the end of the shoot .
Paul Pearce coming through for our signature fist-bump
Janine Nortje at the finish with her first Bill Rowan , having finished her ninth Comrades in under nine hours
Kylie Griffin smashing it through Westville
35