On May 20 three runners bound for Durban began a journey from Centurion as part of the Ten Comrades in Ten Days (ten10) initiative in an attempt to raise funds and generate donations for animal shelters in South Africa.
The runners are Bedfordview resident, Hazel Moller, Mr Dewald van Niekerk and Mr Tumelo Mokobane.
The Ten Comrades in Ten Days takes place over nine days, preceding the Comrades Marathon.
The initiative challenged Johannesburg running clubs and its members to collect as much animal food for animal shelters, which will be distributed along the route down to Durban.
Money can also be directly donated to Pet Empowerment in Townships (PETS) and the Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA.
“Positive energy is also welcome. We will appreciate it all,” said Hazel.
She urged others to make donations towards the animal shelters.
“This is your way of doing something worthwhile for the plight of animal shelters in SA,” she said.
“Over the last 18 years I have run practically every day of my life. I have met the most amazing people. Running has been a source of pleasure, camaraderie and inspiration to me and I wanted to use my love of the sport to help others,” said Hazel.
“Through assistance of my family and the Bedfordview Athletics Club team, ten10 became a reality. We run 10 Comrades marathons in 10 days. We are not allowed to run on the Comrades route so I thought, let’s make this interesting, run 86-90km a day in under 12 hours, for 10 days,” she said .
In 2014 the first ten10 event raised R88 000 which was donated to Pink Drive and PETS.
“Last year I decided that all funds would go to domestic animal charities as they get no exposure or and very little support from sport events and sponsors. PETS became our sole beneficiary, for which we raised R86 000,” said Hazel.
“We run for all the animals that are sitting in cold shelters who have no one who loves them. Many have no room to move and definitely no room to run,” she said.
Ten Comrades in Ten Days will end at the finish line of the Comrades Marathon, the 10th and final leg of the journey, which will amount to a total of approximately 890km run for animal charities and organisations.
For more information visit the website www.ten10.co.za.
