Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 67, February 2015 | Page 30

Promise to Pace
Ma my story

I have run as a Comrades Pacesetter most years since
2003, and it is not just because I like to help other
runners, but because I made a promise to do so.
– BY JOHAN VAN TONDER

started running when I was five years old
and it was always a dream of mine to run the
Comrades. On my 16th birthday, my grandfather,
who at that stage had terminal cancer, asked
me to run a Comrades in his memory, which I
promised him. He passed away a week later and
I kept on running. At the age of 18, I thought
I’m going to keep my promise, but the Comrades
Marathon Association had moved the age limit up
to 21. I did a couple of races, but lost interest.

PACESETTTERS

At the age of 24, I remembered that I had made
a promise, and so I did my first Comrades. That
was in 2001. Since then I haven’t missed a Big
C race, and in 2003 I ran as a Pacesetter for the
first time, helping Graham Bentz to drive the
sub-9:00 bus, which I brought home in 8:53.
The next two years we paced together again
and finished spot on. In 2006 I decided to run
with the well-known Madoko Spirit Bus, which
came home in 10:33, but in 2007 I was back
with Graham in the sub-9:00 bus. I didn’t have
a good run that year and dropped back from the
sub-9:00 bus, which Graham brought home on

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time, and I eventually
joined the sub-11:00 bus
and took over driving it
when that pacer dropped
back. I brought them home in 10:58.
In the 2008 Comrades, Graham and I were
partners again, but an unpleasant racial incident
between two ‘passengers’ in the bus made me
decide to withdraw as a pacer mid-race, and I
ran home by myself in 9:38. Then later in 2008
my son was born with a heart defect and had to
undergo heart surgery. The Wednesday he had
the operation and the Friday morning we got a
call from the hospital that said we must come
immediately, as they didn’t think Etienne would
make it. As I walked into the ICU, I saw him
lying there, only five weeks old. I took his small
hands and prayed to God that he must please
save him, and made a promise that if he did, I
would always run Comrades to help other people
reach their goals. At 12 o’clock that afternoon,
when I walked back into the ICU, my boy was
breathing on his own.

So in 2009 I
rejoined Graham and we brought the sub-9:00
bus in on time, and the following year I drove a
special Soccer World Cup sub-9:00 Bus home by
myself in 8:53. What a day that was! The 2011
race didn’t quite go to plan and I finished in
9:26, and in 2012 I helped the sub-12:00 pacers.
Then came the 2013 race, in that incredible
heat, and we found it impossible to keep the bus
on time as we finished in 9:07, but in 2014 the
bus was back on schedule as we finished in 8:56.
My son is now almost seven years old and all
that he kept from that operation is the scar
on his chest. He is my biggest hero, and the
inspiration for me to continue helping my fellow
runners. That is why I love my pacesetting so
much, because seeing people reach their goals
reminds me of my healthy son.

Modern Athlete Comrades Pacesetters Programme 2015
The Modern Athlete Pacesetters will once again be in action at his year’s Comrades Marathon on 31 May, but this
year the volunteer pacesetters will be appointed well in advance and will be in action in some qualifying marathons or
shorter ultras leading up to the Big C. This will allow runners to meet and run with the Pacesetters before the big day,
to get to know their pacing style and strategies.
Johan van Tonder is just one of our volunteer Pacesetters, and several others from previous years will also be returning
– watch the mag for more on them in coming months – but Modern Athlete is still looking for more pacers. If you are
willing to carry a flag at Comrades, please mail Sean Falconer at [e-mail] and include a brief
running CV. Please note that only experienced Comrades runners will be considered for this important but immensely
ISSUE 67 FEBRUARY 2015 / www.modernathlete.co.za job.
satisfying

Images: Jetline Action Photo

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