Running 520km through Namibia ‘a gift’ for Mgabhi

South African ultramarathon runner Nontu Mgabhi has defied the odds, becoming one of only two finishers in the gruelling The Track Namibia, a 520km race across scorching desert and unforgiving terrain.

The Track Namibia is no ordinary race. Spanning nine stages over 10 days, it pushes participants to their limits. Despite these extreme conditions, Mgabhi remained motivated.

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“Running for a good cause has given my adventures greater meaning,” she said.

“My initiative, Go Beyond for a Child, drives me to turn pain into a creative offering… I remind myself that I am privileged to do this. Running is not a punishment, it is a gift.”

Through her expedition, Mgabhi has raised money to provide schoolchildren from Somotha, Sekusile, Khiphinkunzi and KwaMboma Primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal with 600 pairs of school shoes.

“Many children in deep rural areas and townships walk a long distance to school yet they cannot afford a shoe that can take on those miles.

“In many households, a school shoe competes with bread and butter. The need is real. A school shoe may seem basic but for many it isn’t,” said Mgabhi.

The toughest part of the race was having to carry a 13kg backpack with the food and supplies needed for surviving in the desert.

“The temperatures were also a challenge as on some of the days the temperatures went up to 46oC.”

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This is not the first time she has completed a mammoth challenge of this kind to improve the lives of rural children.

The Richards Bay runner once ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents and more recently finished the 160km Ultra-Asia race in Vietnam. This has been one of the toughest tests of her resolve to date, however.

“This was a step up for me as my longest stage race prior to The Track was seven days.

“To progress to nine stages and 10 days of competition I knew it would challenge me both mentally and physically.

“After day 5, my mind and body did send me signals that we were now pushing limits. At some point you have to create a distance between your spirit and body because you are not your body.”

Mgabhi, a 37-year-old psychologist from KwaZulu-Natalm said focusing on the present moment was also key.

Those who want to contribute to buying school shoes can contact Mgabhi at nontu.mgabhi@icloud.com.