Glen Anil resident takes on the ultimate obstacle

GLEN Anil resident Claude Eksteen is no stranger to overcoming obstacles, whether they be physical or mental.

The 46-year-old, who holds several national titles in triathlons and obstacle-course racing (OCR), is now set to take on his first Ultimate Human Race, the Comrades Marathon.

“I’ve always wanted to run it. The Comrades Marathon is the pinnacle for any young athlete and anyone who lives in KwaZulu-Natal. It is the biggest ultra-marathon in the world – you could have represented SA at an Olympics or Commonwealth Games in running, but the question would always be ‘Have you run the Comrades?’ Growing up, I was always drawn in by the prestige and reverence shown by athletes for the Comrades. The allure would grow stronger with the likes of the legends, Bruce Fordyce (nine-times Comrades winner) and Shaun Meiklejohn (1995 Comrades winner and 31 runs). As a youngster, they served as an inspiration to me,” he said.

For the last few years, Claude has also been a seconder for his wife, Trish, who has completed six Comrades.

“This year, the roles are reversed. Trish will be supporting me along the route. I’m really looking forward to race day, and I’ve set out the pace I want to go and the medal. I’d like to finish sub-six hours for a Wally Hayward medal, but I’m also aware that anything can happen on the day, so I’ve planned for all contingencies,” he said.

Claude also runs Adventure Obstacle Training (AOT) in La Lucia and said he has been working on strength work and cross-training for this year’s Comrades.

“Aside from the physical preparation and doing long runs and route testers, it is also important to prepare mentally. I have looked at breaking the marathon down into 10km segments to process it. Another big part for me has been testing the right nutrition. I’ve never been big at refuelling, and you can get away with it on shorter distances, which I’ve done more of. I think in an ultra-marathon like the Comrades, it’s going to be important to ensure I’m keeping hydrated and my energy levels up,” he said.

Claude said his dream would be to do a Comrades Marathon with his wife and two sons, Keagan and Daniel, who are both keen runners.

“They’ve even floated the idea, but it would be a dream to have them on the route, running with me. It is already a huge motivation having them cheering me on and motivating me across the finish line,” he said.

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