Comrades: 15th consecutive run
2007-06-14 07:02
Pietermaritzburg - While Russian athletes are being tipped to earn the Comrades crowns on Sunday, there are around 150 additional international runners from outside Africa coming to be part of Sunday's 89.3km classic between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
The international sporting ban was lifted on May 29 1992, which effectively means that the first legal international runners came to Comrades in 1993.
Two runners, German Klaus Neumann and Scotsman John Sneddon, have made the trip every year since 1993 and on June 17 this year will run their 15th consecutive Comrades marathon.
Sneddon arrived in Cape Town on Monday and arrives in Durban for his final build up on Thursday.
"I keep coming back to Comrades because of the crowd support, the camaraderie between runners and the atmosphere before, during and after the race are second to none" says Sneddon.
A compliment indeed from a runner who has run in many marathons and ultra's throughout Europe, and has represented Scotland in the 100km Celtic Plate, but each year vacations for three weeks in South Africa.
Sneddon first heard about Comrades while on a tour to the Athens Marathon in 1992. "I thought someone had made a mistake - I couldn't believe a race of 90km would attract between 10 000 and 15&nbs;000 runners" said the stocky Scot who is now regularly a manager of Scottish ultra teams.
With one silver, three Bill Rowan and ten bronze medals to his credit, one of the largest hurdles to Comrades is conquering the annual challenge of snow, ice and bone-numbing winds in his desire to notch up another successful journey on the Old Main Road.
Injury restricted his training
"The hardest part is training through the winter when it's dark until 09:30 in the morning and the lights come back on at 15:30 in the afternoon," adds Edinburgh based Sneddon.
"It's the thought of the race and South Africa that pulls me through. Ironically this has probably been the mildest of winters, but injury restricted my training."
While running around the streets of the Scottish capital in winter can be lonely, he has been supported at each event by his partner who he presented with a gold Kruger Rand after crossing the line in 2002 when he earned his green number 8612.
"John wanted to run one race in his green number in 2003 .. but then the sights moved up to double green" said Isobel. Three years later they invested in a flat in Cape Town providing a base for their annual trip
"Spending 3 weeks holiday basking in the sun, in some of the worlds most scenic and inspiring countryside really doesn't require that much encouragement. Especially when you can get four bottles of wine for the price of one in the UK."
If eight international tourists initiate employment for one South African, John and Isobel have not only become part of the Comrades history, but over 15 years significantly contributed to South Africa's growth and economy.
"This year does seem a bit colder than past years, but it will still have to drop a many more degrees before it matches a good summer's day in Scotland," quipped the Scot from Cape Town earlier this week. If the current temperatures continue, John Sneddon will be the runner in shirt and vest at the start.
- The Witness