Fordyce team clinches the win at Battle of the Sports Challenge
Fordyce believes lockdown to be a crime against humanity and a “hideous mistake”
Comrades Marathon’s legend Bruce Fordyce, with his dream team of ultra-marathon runners, Bongmusa Mthembu, David Gatebe and Jenna Challenor, recently won the BrightRock Battle of the Sports Challenge.
They claimed ultimate bragging rights over Team Rugby, Team Cricket and Team Soccer.
After winning the overall event, Fordyce said no one team is a winner.
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“We are all winners and we are humbled to have been given this incredible opportunity to do something positive in such a challenging time.”
Fordyce (65), president and CEO of Parkrun South Africa, was born in Hong Kong and lives in Johannesburg.
He started the parkrun concept in South Africa and Benoni also hosts these popular events at Ebotse Golf and Country Estate, Homestead Dam and in the Atlasville Spruit Park.
“We are working hard to get parkruns started again as soon as possible,” said Fordyce.
“We have 230 existing parkruns and over 1.2 million registered parkruns.”
But what started Fordyce on this running journey?
“I started running in June 1976 because I wanted to run the Comrades Marathon,” he explained.
“Readers who want to know more can buy my book, Winged Messenger, which I have wrote for Comrades novices. It explains how I started running and how others can start. The book will be available from February.”
Fordyce attended school in Singapore and Malaya, both British military schools.
“I then went to the King’s School Canterbury, in the UK. In South Africa I attended Woodmead High School.”
Fordyce used to hold the records for the up and down Comrades Marathons, as well as world records for 50 miles and 100km, but these have since been broken.
“I was essentially a Comrades Marathon runner,” he explained.
“I won from 1981 to 1988 and one more in 1990, running my last Comrades in 2012. In total, I ran 30 Comrades and won nine.
“I have also run over 400 ultra-marathons and marathons.”
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Asked about lockdown and the pressure it has put on sport in South Africa, Fordyce said he believes lockdown has been a hideous mistake.
“It has been a crime against humanity, in my opinion, and apart from destroying thousands of lives and businesses, it also has halted all running events, including parkruns.
“However, runners will be back and I have continued to run throughout lockdown, even at its most severe. I had to run 54 laps of my garden just to log 5km.”
Fordyce feels that being a runner is the greatest gift he could have given himself and holds many memories of his running career close to his heart.
“Meeting Nelson Mandela to receive a sports award and meeting the queen of England at a sports cocktail party are two of my greatest memories,” he said.
“Also, winning the Comrades and being given an honorary doctorate from Wits University.”
