but it was good to see that table! Camperdown is normally the point where you have to start digging deep, and the race is often won or lost in this area. I was still fine, and lucky for me I was carrying my own Rennies, which I have learnt to take for nausea.
At about three in the afternoon fellow Durban runner Gina Hinchcliffe of Stella was suddenly running next to me. Her husband was struggling and told her to push on, and so we stuck together for the rest of the race. She gave me a helping hand down the hills, and we remained in a positive frame of mind as we walked the whole of small Pollies and then the whole of big Pollies. At the top of Pollies, I said to myself,“ Goodbye Pollie, I have kissed your arse goodbye... finally!” We were then confronted with the nasty new finish – 7.2km of rollercoaster, but we kept moving. A friend riding a bike reported that Gina’ s hubby had been spotted at Pollies. We hoped he would pull finger and finish in time. The same guy then told me it looked like I needed a good meal.
PJ’ s
PIECE
Gina informed me that she had a friend about 2km from the finish waiting with wine.“ Yay,” I said, hoping she would share. When we got to the friend, Gina had her sip of white wine and I had 2 big glugs. Tasted so good! Revived and with a grin, off we went. Meanwhile, Body Guard Clive( my husband) and I had arranged that if he could get close enough, he would hand me a banner which I could run in with. I spotted him, collected my banner and Gina and I ran in carrying it for an 11:43:50 finish. My‘ triplets’ had finally been born, and I was such a happy girl. To add to the pleasure, Bruce Fordyce and Alan Robb handed me my Triple Green.
afety is always a concern when you do an outdoor activity. There are too many things that are not in our control and we just have to deal with it
Swhen it‘ hits the fan.’ The best thing to do is to be cautious, but not fearful. Fear can paralyse you and make you ineffective in dealing with a dangerous situation, so try to be alert but not paranoid. We don’ t want to live in fear, but we also do not want to fear living our lives.
Coming from the Cape Flats, I am acutely aware of the challenges many runners face. In my neighbourhood, you run the risk of getting robbed, shot, stabbed, or if you are a woman, the horror of being raped. These are everyday issues of safety that the community has to deal with, but for runners who have to train early in the mornings, or late in the evenings, these concerns are grave indeed.
All done … kind of
After the race we went to see my mother, who lives in Pietermaritzburg. She had bought me a teddy bear wearing a hat, and she said this was because she took her hat off to me. She then told me to put my hand on her Bible and swear that I wouldn’ t do Comrades again! I said 30 Comrades is really enough for me … but if I am in one piece, I would like to run in 2020( as a 60-year-old) and in 2025 when it is the 100th running of Comrades. If I am still able to qualify in 2025, I will be at the start. After 32 Comrades’ starts and 30 finishes all I can say is that Comrades is not for sissies. It is ******* hard, and don’ t let anyone tell you otherwise, but is it absolutely worth it!
Many folks have told me that they would love to take up running, but they don’ t want to put their safety at risk. Believe me, I totally get that. I’ ve personally experienced getting shot at on a morning run – not just once, on multiple occasions. I have been chased by robbers and stray dogs in equal measure. It is like running the gauntlet in a horror movie!
The reality is that you will never be truly safe anywhere, so be vigilant. Try to run in groups whenever it is possible. If you are on a solo run, let loved ones know your route and estimated duration of the run beforehand. If you like running with earphones, use one instead of two. Have emergency numbers saved, as you don’ t want to find yourself in a dangerous situation and fumbling with a phone keypad. And if you can run away from danger, then do that, but if you need to fight, don’ t hold back.
I believe that we cannot let fear stop us from enjoying an active, outdoors lifestyle, but we can’ t neglect our own safety either. So go have fun out there, my friends, and enjoy this amazing lifestyle with passion, but be safe.
Receiving Triple Green from Alan Robb and Bruce Fordyce
Images: Fotolia & PJ Moses
About the Author:
PJ Moses is a former Cape Flats gangster who took up running when he turned his back on that dangerous lifestyle, in order to set a good example for his two young sons and make sure he would be there for them, instead of becoming just another crime statistic. He has recently also turned his hand to writing.
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