A proposal of true ‘Comradship’
This runner fell short of the finish line but won over the heart of his long time sweetheart
LIMPOPO – Bernard van den Dool planned to go down on one knee at the finish line, but things didn’t go quite as planned.
Bernard had trained daily on the uphills and downhills on the Agatha road to prepare for the arduous hills on the Comrades stretch.
However, for months Bernard had been secretly planning to propose to long-time girlfriend, Tracey Leppan. He wanted to go down on his knees at the finish line and had organised this special event with the Comrades Marathon committee.
Tracey was by his side, following him throughout the Comrades – he was making good time and was 20 minutes ahead of his planned arrival time. Tracey caught up with him at Cato Ridge and gave him vital energy food. She got to the finish line at the stadium in Pietermaritzburg in good time, however, Bernard ran into trouble.
As he got to Polly Shortts Bernard’s legs started to buckle. With 800 m to go, he kicked his legs forward as Tracey and the crowd egged him on at the finish line. Disaster struck 30 m from the finish line – the gun went off, Bernard was 13 seconds away from finishing but collapsed.
Tracey and Bernard had arranged to meet in the physiotherapy tent and she headed there in a panic and waited about half an hour, not knowing what had happened to him or where he was. Then her phone rang and it was a doctor named Stephen. The doctor told her to head for the medical tent where she found Bernard lying down, on a drip, with blankets piled on his body as his legs had cramped.
A short while later Stephen accompanied Bernard wearing a space blanket that Tracey describes as looking and sounding like a giant chip packet. Bernard stood in front of Tracey with a fence separating them. He was devastated that he hadn’t crossed the finish line and he was even more devastated that his planned proposal didn’t take place. Tracey hugged him and through tears he asked her to marry him. Tracey gasped, gathered herself and said ‘yes’ with alacrity.
The happy couple is poring over designs for the engagement ring as they want something special. Separately they have made a positive difference to the Letaba SPCA and Haenertsburg Rotary and together this powerhouse couple will achieve even greater things for both the Tzaneen and Haenertsburg communities.
