90km at 75 for soup kitchen

“To get attention, it usually helps to do something incredibly stupid.”

These are the words of Bedfordview’s Paul Selby, who on June 13 will walk 90km as part of the Virtual Comrades Marathon.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Comrades Marathon, and it will be run under the Comrades Centenary Hope Challenge banner.
Inspiring hope is exactly what 75-year-old Selby hopes to do.

Once completed, the 90km walk will be Selby’s 704th marathon distance of 42km or more since he started his running career in 1985.

“Running is my second love.”

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His accomplishments include finishing 24 Comrades, including a double run for Cansa in 1999 that raised R250 000.

Selby’s first taste of running was when he took part in the Kellogg’s Relay in August of 1985.

The following May he ran his first marathon distance.

Around 30 years ago he started the Fit2000 running club, which he still runs today.

Selby’s running career abruptly ended in 2008 when he broke his ankle, but never one to stop moving, he started walking.

“Three years ago I underwent an ankle fusion operation that allowed me to run again, but due to a hereditary heart condition the strain of running is too much for my heart,” he said.
Selby has also endured hip replacement surgery and is a survivor of prostate cancer.

In preparation for the event, he and his walking partner, Tracy Bulivant, train every day.

Selby walks an average of 11 to 12km each day and a minimum of 8km.

Weekend walks for the two are often longer, regularly hitting the 21km mark.

“Training for events and marathons during a pandemic takes tremendous discipline,” he said.

Walking at around 8km/h, Selby and Bulivant will begin their Comrades journey at midnight on June 13.

They will complete several circuits of a 2km route around Selby’s house and enclosure before moving their event to a 2.3km set-out route around Oriel Park at around 6am.

“The walk will be tougher than any Comrades because some of the hills on Shirley Road overall provide a higher incline than the Comrades,” said Selby.

He estimated that it would take anywhere between 14 and 16 hours to complete the 90km. The athletes will do it all for a good cause.

“We will host a collection for food, clothing and blankets on the day for the Bedfordview Methodist Church,” said Selby.

On a recent visit to the church, Selby was left heartbroken by the number of less fortunate people who arrived at the soup kitchen in need of a meal.

“Eighty people showed up that day, and I ended up running around to scrape together food for those in need. We need to replenish the pantry at the church to help those in need.

“We simply cannot turn someone away when they are starving.”

While the situation is bad at the moment, Selby foresees it will get much worse in the coming weeks as the effects of the pandemic hit more homes.
“Residents who can bring food, clothes and blankets to Oriel Park on the day of the walk. The more food we get in, the more people we will be able to help this winter.”

Food items to bring along:
• Maize meal
• Tinned foods, including pilchards, baked beans, vegetables, and chakalaka.
• Packets of soup
• Two-minutes noodles
• Peanut butter
• Tea
• Milk (long life)
• Sugar
• Soya