#Comrades2023: Harriers geared up for Comrades

In his 25th Comrades Marathon in the 2013 up-run, former Benoni Harriers chairperson Allen Collen, lined-up at the starting point in Durban with one goal in mind – to finish.

He did finish, but without the elusive medal he wanted. He missed the cut-off time by 20 seconds, joining a long list of runners who have spent 12 hours toiling on the road, only to miss the cut-off by seconds.

As heart-breaking as it was, Collen wasn’t completely gutted because he already had his double-green number and his name engraved on the Comrades Marathon wall of honour.

Collen said during the Harriers’ chairman’s breakfast at La Como Lifestyle Estate on June 4, “It was a disappointment on the day. But I realised on the two previous runs that I was getting slower.

“I couldn’t train the way I used to because of a hip injury but I had 24 medals at that stage. I was happy with what I’d achieved.”

Injured and with his best years behind him, Collen went back for his 26th and 27th Comrades in 2014 and 2015 – this time supporting his son. Again, he couldn’t finish. But he had achieved his goal and passed the torch to club stalwarts like Kishore Magan.

Magan earned his double green-number in 2019, and like Collen, all the years of dedicating the first six months of the year to the ultimate human race are beginning to catch up with him.

Last year, he crossed the line four minutes before the cut-off and this is something he is planning to improve on Sunday.

“My first Comrades started as a challenge from a friend. I agreed and said I would only do one. Eventually, the bug bit and I completed 21 consecutive races,” he said.

Eight-time finisher Caroline Collings agrees with Magan that Comrades is as a drug you can’t shake off. She also planned to run one Comrades.

“Running has always been a social thing. I started with my dad, wanting to run one Comrades. I did the up-run, then the down-run. Now I’m going for my ninth medal,” she said.

Collings is excited to run in the Benoni Harriers colours for the first time in the ultra-marathon. She is determined to be the at finish at 17:30 on June 11 to earn her green number next year.

“I’m nervous for next week. I haven’t trained properly because of illness, but I love the Comrades. I would love to run my tenth next year,” she said.

Like Magan and Collings, Riamari Schoombee has caught the Comrades bug. She is running her second Comrades and looks forward to creating more memories.

“Last year, I didn’t know what to expect, but it was absolutely amazing because there’s so much support along the route. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. When I finished, I thought I could conquer the world,” said Schoombee.

A total of 20 runners will line-up at the start in Pietermaritzburg in the colours of the club for the 102nd Comrades Marathon on Sunday.

Club chairperson, Ashvin Jivan, wished the runners well and advised them to approach the race cautiously.

“The first ambition is to finish the race. I hope all the runners finish. It would be good if we get a 90% to 95% finish.”

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