MOST people dive under the covers when recovering from surgery – not Glenwood Resident Sandy Mullins. Just two months after a gall bladder surgery, she was at the Comrades Marathon start line. What’s more, Mullins said it was her best run yet. She has completed seven Comrades Marathons. This year, she aims to cross the finish line for the eighth time.
Looking back, the 2012 run is still a highlight in Mullins’ Comrades ‘career’.
“I had not done any long runs in training, so it was almost impossible, but it ended up being my best time. It was one of those races where I ran in with a huge smile on my face. My friends were at the entrance, and as they saw me, I remember thinking, I’ve done it against all odds,” recalled Mullins.
She also had a negative split during her 2012 run – she ran the second half of the race in a faster time than the first half.
“When I had my gallbladder removed in April, people didn’t think I would run Comrades, but I had a friend who coached me and took me through training,” she said.
Mullins received her back-to-back medal that year, having completed two consecutive Comrades Marathons.
“I prefer the down run – because you are coming home. The first 30kms of the down run feel like I’m in no man’s land. As I reach Hillcrest, I start to recognise places. Mentally, it’s easier because you know where you are, and you can see where you’re going and set target points. There are also so many people on the side lines who you know cheering you on,” she said.
A race like no other
“There’s nothing like the Comrades Marathon. There is camaraderie with your teammates and total strangers alike. We all have the common goal of making it to the finish line. There is also such amazing support from the side lines,” said Mullins.
After achieving her back-to-back medal, she did not plan to continue running the 90km marathon.
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“I thought I’d just run two Comrades, but the bug bit,” she said.
In fact, the Comrades bug bit so hard that it trumped a stomach bug as Mullins opted to tackle the 90km in 2019.
“The one year, I got sick just before the Comrades – I shouldn’t have run as I picked up a stomach bug at the Iron Man triathlon. I was sick the Monday before Comrades, and I had lost all my electrolytes. According to my doctor, electrolytes are only replaced in the muscles after two weeks,” she said.
Amazingly, Mullins completed 56km of the race before calling it quits – a testament to her love of running. The second time Mullins fell short of the finish line was in 2017
during a bout of hot weather when berg winds left runners struggling to stay hydrated.
A love of running
The mental benefits of running are what got Mullins hooked on the sport.
“It’s a stress reliever. At the end of the day, you get on the road and just let go. Running is not just physical – it’s mental, spiritual. If you are suffering from depression, for example, it helps to release those endorphins. Running through Covid-19 kept me going,” she said.
She joined Stella Athletics Club in 2007 and ran her first Comrades Marathon in 2011.
“I used to run around the Greyville racecourse, and a friend invited me to join the club. I’ve never looked back,” she said.
Before she took up running, Mullins was a self-described couch potato.
“In 2005, I decided I needed to get fit and change my lifestyle. I started walking and going to gym and then joined the running club in 2007. It was a few years before I tackled Comrades. I remember working at a table on the Comrades route in 2010, and I decided, Next year, I’m going to run Comrades.” She recalls that she ran with her cousin who had completed a few Comrades before, and they tackled the route together.
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“It was great because it was a new experience. Yes, it was long and hard, but it was awesome. At one point, I lost my cousin, but we ended up crossing the finish line together,” she said.
Supplements and diet
Mullins supplements her diet with glutamine, whey powder and slow-release magnesium to keep her on track. Ahead of Comrades, she carbo loads with pasta and potatoes and opts for lean, white meat or mince. She also takes 32Gi, a pre-prepared carbo loader. On the day, she gets up at 02:00 to eat oats and make sure she is hydrated. On the run, she makes sure to eat every two to three hours.
“I don’t always like to eat, but I have to because it’s a long day on the road,” she said.
The runner also takes a goo supplement and electrolytes every hour on the road.
