Comrades Marathon
Written by Chris Taylor
Taylor is a UKA Running Coach and an Expedition Leader. He's coached multiple world record holders, has organised record-breaking events on all 7 continents, and has helped raise more than Β£5million for charity.
21st June 2023
Reading Time: 1 Minute
In Pietermaritzburg, black and yellow marks the start,
From the historic City Hall, is where we depart,
For Comrades Marathon, a national institution,
Of cultural significance, a symbol of revolution,
The first edition, May 1921,
96 times since, theyβve fired the gun,
Just 16 runners, out of the 34 starting,
Completed the task, at the first time of asking,
A century on, and 20,000 toe the line,
I stand among them, a shiver down my spine,
For the time is near, and the crowd has undertaken,
Singing the song, of their great African nation,
You can feel it deep down, as the chorus runs through you,
How powerful the history, of the people of Zulu,
Shosholoza is the hymn, of the Nguni clan,
It means go forward, or make way for the next man.
At 05:00, under a dark sky weβre gathered,
In suncream and deep heat, our bodies are lathered,
The chant grows louder, as the group unites,
On reaching the finish, weβve all fixed our sights,
One mission for all, to complete this ultra marathon,
Itβs the oldest and largest, without comparison,
87.7 kilometres, the distance we face,
South east towards Durban, the direction we race,
A quirk of the event, it alternates every year,
Between Up to the mountains, and Down to the pier,
12 hours the cut-off, 9 different medals to pursue,
As we collectively embody, the spirit of Ubuntu.
At 05:30, a cannon is set fire,
Animals unleashed, heartβs full of desire,
Though I run in a pack, I am a lone stallion,
On a wild hunt, for a silver medallion,
Sub 7 hours, was my original goal,
But the last few months, have taken their toll,
A busy start to the year, many marathons to churn out,
The price I paid, was debilitating burnout,
I contemplated not starting, so low my self-esteem,
But my confidence and identity, I desired to redeem,
So I entered the ring, with a new aspiration,
Sub 07:30, and to run the duration,
Nearing the finish, my heart full of pride,
Not just for myself, but for those in my tribe,
My girlfriend had called, running with glee,
Our good friend Carla, had already finished top three,
Perceived physical limits, the challenge you must embrace,
At Comrades Marathon, the Ultimate Human Race.
Interested in
In Pietermaritzburg, black and yellow marks the start,
From the historic City Hall, is where we depart,
For Comrades Marathon, a national institution,
Of cultural significance, a symbol of revolution,
The first edition, May 1921,
96 times since, theyβve fired the gun,
Just 16 runners, out of the 34 starting,
Completed the task, at the first time of asking,
A century on, and 20,000 toe the line,
I stand among them, a shiver down my spine,
For the time is near, and the crowd has undertaken,
Singing the song, of their great African nation,
You can feel it deep down, as the chorus runs through you,
How powerful the history, of the people of Zulu,
Shosholoza is the hymn, of the Nguni clan,
It means go forward, or make way for the next man.
At 05:00, under a dark sky weβre gathered,
In suncream and deep heat, our bodies are lathered,
The chant grows louder, as the group unites,
On reaching the finish, weβve all fixed our sights,
One mission for all, to complete this ultra marathon,
Itβs the oldest and largest, without comparison,
87.7 kilometres, the distance we face,
South east towards Durban, the direction we race,
A quirk of the event, it alternates every year,
Between Up to the mountains, and Down to the pier,
12 hours the cut-off, 9 different medals to pursue,
As we collectively embody, the spirit of Ubuntu.
At 05:30, a cannon is set fire,
Animals unleashed, heartβs full of desire,
Though I run in a pack, I am a lone stallion,
On a wild hunt, for a silver medallion,
Sub 7 hours, was my original goal,
But the last few months, have taken their toll,
A busy start to the year, many marathons to churn out,
The price I paid, was debilitating burnout,
I contemplated not starting, so low my self-esteem,
But my confidence and identity, I desired to redeem,
So I entered the ring, with a new aspiration,
Sub 07:30, and to run the duration,
Nearing the finish, my heart full of pride,
Not just for myself, but for those in my tribe,
My girlfriend had called, running with glee,
Our good friend Carla, had already finished top three,
Perceived physical limits, the challenge you must embrace,
At Comrades Marathon, the Ultimate Human Race.