Road Runners ready for the Comrades Marathon
Two top athletes from Pietersburg Road Runners Club, Rufus Photo and Bethuel Netshifhefhe, aim to complete the Ultimate Human Race in the top 10 this year.
POLOKWANE – The Comrades Marathon will take place this Sunday starting in the early morning hours at 05:35 and will continue until 17:30. This year’s race is a ‘Down Run’ starting at the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg and finishing at The Sahara Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban.
Rufus ready for the Comrades Marathon
Rufus Photo has proven himself several times over in the past and this year will be no different as he takes on the Ultimate Human Race on Sunday.
He competed in his first Comrades Marathon in 2012 where his talent was clearly visible when he finished the race in a time of 05:47:55, bagging a Wally Hayward and the 19th position.
In 2013 and 2014 Rufus upped his game and became a top 10 competitor in the Comrades Marathon, securing a ninth position and gold medal in 2013 with a time of 05:51:52 and improving on his personal record in 2014 when he secured a fifth position and gold medal with a time of 05:35:30.
“I have been training hard and I believe I am ready to achieve my goal for this year’s race.”
Unfortunately early last year he suffered an injury which hampered his performance in the Ultimate Human Race and he dropped out of the top 10.
However, despite struggling with his injury during the marathon, he still managed to finish in 14th position and claimed a silver medal with his time of 06:02:52.
“This year I feel a lot better and I am positive that my performance this year will outshine those of my previous attempts,” he said confidently.
His main aim for this year’s Comrades Marathon is to improve on his personal record.
Bethuel aims to finish Comrades in the top ten
After finishing in ninth position during his debut Comrades Marathon in 2009, Bethuel Netshifhefhe says he aims to complete the Ultimate Human Race in under five hours and 30 minutes on Sunday.
Bethuel, who is the 2007 Old Mutual Two Oceans winner, says he has trained hard for this year’s Comrades Marathon and he believes he will finish in the top 10. His best time for the Ultimate Human Race was in 2009 when he finished in a time of 05:43:34.
“Tall athletes like me excel if the Comrades is a down run and I hope I will do better this year since the race is going to be a down run,” he explains.
According to Bethuel it took him about three months to prepare for this year’s race.
“I dedicated three months to normal training and eight weeks to serious training to prepare for this year’s Comrades Marathon. I am addicted to running and I don’t think I will quit anytime soon.”
Bethuel, who started taking part in road races in 1994, encourages athletes not to use banned substances during the Comrades Marathon or any other race.
He says such substances destroy an athlete’s running career and damages the body in the long run.
He urges athletes to keep their heads held high, even if they don’t finish the race as expected.
He says it takes perseverance and dedication to get to the top and get recognised in whatever you do.
calvyn@nmgroup.co.za endy@nmgroup.co.za
