Runner beats the odds to run his first Comrades Marathon
Comrades Marathon novice Sanele Mkhungu took up the sport after recovering from a serious injury. He is due to run his first ultra-marathon at the end of August.
FIRST-TIME Comrades Marathon runner Sanele Reggie Mkhungu says he took up the sport as a route to health after recovering from a serious accident.
“I started running because of a car accident. I sustained head injuries, and I was in hospital for six months. When I came out, I experienced seizures. My colleague, who was a social runner at a Hillcrest club, knew that the doctor told me to exercise, and she suggested I take up the sport,” he says.
“Running has been good to me, from my first marathon, then my second, and now preparing for my first Comrades Marathon. My personal best (PB) of 03:09 allows me to aim for a Silver, based on my training, and if everything goes well on the day, I’ll finish. It’ll be good to have my name on the Comrades list of runners for 2022,” he says.
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Mkhungu runs an average of between 100 and 120kms weekly.
“I run before work in the mornings, and sometimes again in the afternoons. On the weekends, I do a longer run,” says the athlete.
Joining a group to train with regularly helps with motivation and mentorship. Mkhungu’s group, Beloved Long Run, meets at various locations at 04:30 daily.
Mkhungu says, “I am from Molweni, but I drive to Hillcrest to meet my running group. We run from Lineage Coffee Shop, the Hillcrest Aids Centre or the filling station in Winston Park.”
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Mkhungu says that running wasn’t a dream or passion of his.
“I started running, and I’ll never look back. I’ll never do any sports other than running; I just love running now. It’s my life, and I love the people in the running community. We have a lovely bunch of guys that we run with, and there are many things we can learn from each other,” says Mkhungu.
Mkhungu, who is in the shipping and forwarding industry, says that the day will be emotional for him.
He says, “It’s very emotional for me. My family is behind me, as are my colleagues at work;the club is supporting us – there are a lot of people looking out for me – so there’s the pressure to do well, too. Hopefully, everything goes well on the day. All of us runners appreciate the support of the public.”
