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09 June, 2019, The day I conquered The Ultimate Human Race. Today marks a year since I tortured myself.
A thread...
A thread...
Well, it all started when i landed a job in Vaal Marina, November 2006, and i had to relocate from PTA. Soccer was the drug then and I could play while staying in PTA but commuting btwn Vaal Marina and Denneysville meant I couldn’t make it in time for soccer practice.
This was the life i was living. Young, single
, not paying rent meant that I could support my alcohol habit unhindered. I fell ill and after that, I decided I would take up running to counter the effects of my lifestyle. This would be the 1st time I bought running shoes
, not paying rent meant that I could support my alcohol habit unhindered. I fell ill and after that, I decided I would take up running to counter the effects of my lifestyle. This would be the 1st time I bought running shoes
Fast forward to 2018, hungover as hell, beer in my hand, i see @Xolanilivelife attempting to finish the @ComradesRace. Up until this point, i had called everyone running this race crazy but as i went to bed that day, i knew things were not the same. Something inside me had moved.
I would later tell @Sammyphax1 that I wanted to run @ComradesRace but seeing that 2019 was an up run, I would ready myself for 2020. Looking back, I think the underground gang knew that #Covid_19 was coming and they did their thing
Anyway, @Sammyphax1 introduced me to @BlackDiamondsAC and with this, came the trips to wonderpark to train with coach Madoko. Until now, i had NEVER ran more than 10km cause bekungekho need. Now people were talking million kms a week and i was not coping
I had heard about the @SowetoMarathon and it was later in the year so I thought this would be my 1st marathon kanti I didn’t know. My running teammates were going to run the Vaal marathon and even though i felt i was not ready, this would be my first marathon
The 1st lap was ok but the 2nd lap showed me flames. At some point i felt like getting on the ambulance but then i saw Tuks.His was a familiar face i had seen at MTC and he pushed me to the finish line.Time, 4:56,Humza had qualified for the big C and it was happy days. Or did he?
A week or so later, the CMA launched Comrades 2019 and they announced a new qualifying time of 4:50. I was very motivated and I was not too worried because i still had time and besides, I had already registered for Soweto (where i fetched 4:46) so all was good.
Knowing that i was within gave me purpose. I was dedicated to my training, changed my lifestyle and focused on preparing for the Comrades Marathon. Fast forward to 6th June when i went to see my Physio who recommended that I don’t run it. In my head, I thought “wa tamba lweyi”...
There was no way i had trained like that and someone was gonna tell me not to run on the eve of the race. He was worried about long term injuries and I couldn’t be bothered. I told him to strap it and also told him that i wasn’t going to consider his opinion.
I had already been home so that my mom could wish me luck. After mocking my weight, She said “I’d rather have a son who didn’t finish the Comrades than have a son who died attempting to finish against all odds.” These words would ring in my head when the going got tough.
We arrived in Durban, collected our things, settled in and then it hit me. In less than 48 hours, i was going to attempt the ultimate human race. The best thing about this day was that i got (a portion of) my tattoo idea at the ICC the cut off points were gonna be a part of it
the cut off points were gonna be a part of it
The day before was the worst. All everyone was talking about was “drumond this, inchanga that” and it was working on my nerves. I was alone in the room for most of the day then @kabelo_masuku and the gang arrived and took my mind off running.
Race day. @ the starting point, we walked out the bus like soccer stars, Ready or not, this was it. @Sammyphax1 looked at me and said, we finish together akere mfanaka!I agreed but deep down, I was not too sure. National anthem, chariots of fire and walla mokoko,we were off.
Under the leadership of the novice bus driver @Lojario,we marched forward towards PMB. At some point, I started singing and he gave me that look ya “boy shut the f*ck up”.I would later learn that i had no business singing during this race as I needed to reserve energy for the kms
We arrived in Pinetown soon after leaving Durban where we met @LwazmeroDlams and the gang. All was well at this stage, seeing them gave me the much needed motivation to march on.
Somewhere along the road, I don’t remember the exact details, we met the BDS support team. @Kegomod66868021, @Khensan30753141, @DINEO93, Ses Caro and @maria_naniki had made efforts to support us and as always, it was an absolute pleasure seeing them next to the road
After Cato Ridge, the race started getting personal and my mother’s words were ringing in my head, doubt crept in and I genuinely thought my race was over. I told Sam to leave me, he gave me a syrup and left. Watching him disappear into the crowd was the hardest thing for me.
At km 61 I felt like the time to throw in the towel had arrived. I had seen the Maharaj buses and i was starting to accept that I might just find myself inside one of them. Something inside me told me to rest instead so i put my feet up and i closed my eyes to reset the brain.
I initially thought I would rest for 5 min but before I knew it, i was gone. Enter @elias_modiba who saw me lying next to the road and came to check on me. I remember him asking me if he should call the ambulance and I refused, asking him to pull me up instead.
Things were tough from here onwards. All that was on my mind was a video that i had received from @thuthu_1995 the previous night where him, @camillamgiba, @ThulaSpies and some of my forces were wishing me luck. I didn’t want to disappoint them so i kept going.
As i hit km 86, time on my watch says 11:41. I was sure that I would finish but now time had suddenly become an issue. As I started crying, from nowhere a miracle appeared, there was @kabelo_masuku and the boys making a noise for me from a distance.This was all I needed at that..
..time to push the required pace to the finish line. As I approached, i saw them crossing the street towards me and as much as I wanted to stop and embrace them, i had to tell them to stay away from me because...Mkhulwana captured that moment as i was telling them
I crossed the line soon after, time, 11:56. I had done a lot of things in my life but this was the hardest i had ever done. This was followed by the comrades medal tour, I literally wore it everyday for a couple of weeks. Got my leg inked to commemorate the event too. The end.
