Humorous Anecdotes, Observations & Accounts of Marathon Running & Agile Adventures.
This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s September 2026 marathons including race descriptions and recommendations. You can find the full 2026 marathon / ultra calendar here.
A summary of your choices is below:
In early May 2024, I got a message from Eric Venter saying, “Dear Running Mann – I was a category winner In the 60+ Two Oceans ultra. Besides the ‘No-Podium’, I have yet to hear from them regarding acknowledgement of my win or prize money – maybe it is something to look into…”
I had just exposed Two Oceans’ “Digimag Debacle” and explained that Two Oceans were giving me the silent treatment but passed the relevant contact information along and wished him well.
Eric mentioned “for interest’s sake” that his previous Two Oceans was almost forty years earlier in 1986. “Wow, that’s a long break between Oceans!” was my reply but it was his comment after that stuck with me, “I’m trying my best not to let the old man in.” Definitely a good mantra to live by!
Continue reading ““Don’t Let the Old Man In”: Eric Venter’s 40-Year Silver Lining”
A Green Number that’s lain dormant for three decades, a lockdown lawnmower loop and proof that “never again” is just Comrades-speak for “ask me again tomorrow”.
There are comebacks, and then there are Comrades comebacks. Missing a year or two because of injury, life or a sudden outbreak of common sense is understandable. A decade away from the Ultimate Human Race will earn you a few raised eyebrows and a respectful nod. But returning to Comrades after 31 years, at the age of 72 years and 11 months, is the sort of thing that makes even the most battle-hardened Green Number stop mid-war story and ask, “What took you so long to return?”
Continue reading “Never Say Never Again: 31 Years for the “one in your Green Number” run at Comrades”
Late in the afternoon on 14 June 2026 a Comrades record was broken that went largely unnoticed: As she crossed the finish line in 10:43:23 for her third medal, American runner Suzanne Koonce became the oldest female finisher in the history of the event.
At 74 years and 276 days, she broke the previous record set by Petra Myburgh in 2023. Before the 2026 event, Myburgh was the only lady older than 74 years to finish but was a few months younger than Koonce.
I am not one to let these kinds of achievements slip by unnoticed and insisted that Suzanne share her inspiration story with us…
On 1 August, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) members delivered a clear message that they were tired of the parasitic meddling and interference from KwaZulu Natal Athletics (KZNA) and Athletics South Africa (ASA).
Almost 80% of voting members chose a “CMA first” over an ASA / KZNA “accommodative” approach when voting on the first resolution and over two-thirds (67%) validated the decision at the November 2025 AGM to disaffiliate with KZNA.
There are a lot of “What does this mean?” messages as well as plenty of fearmongering and misinformation from certain quarters. There are many things that we cannot know for certain but there are several highly probable outcomes. Below is my detailed analysis and predictions as to how this will all play out.
Continue reading “Comrades Gains Freedom: What Now?”
This is how I voted ahead of the SGM on 1 August and why I believe it’s in the best interests of the Comrades Marathon to secede (for now anyway).
The benefit to Comrades is clear and obvious. Withdrawing comes with little or no drawbacks.
Continue reading “CMA SGM: My vote is not a secret”
KwaZulu Natal Athletics (KZNA) decided to play a game of chicken with the Comrades Marathon and, just before impact, KZNA have realized that they are riding a bicycle and Comrades is about to hit them with a bus.
A day after the final hearing on the urgent interdict that the Comrades Members Association (CMA) raised against KZNA’s “locals only” edict, KZNA finally appeared to acquiesce with a conciliatory press release headed “KZNA Supports the Comrades Marathon and Requests Urgent Independent Mediation”.
Continue reading “KZNA Blinks First in Comrades Chicken Run”
There is a big difference between a rule and a law. A law is a formally enacted rule made by a government that is enforceable by the legal system. A rule is a guideline or requirement set by a particular organization, group, event or authority. A simple way to look at it is that all laws are rules, but not all rules are laws.
If there is ever a battle between a rule and a law, the law wins. Always.
Continue reading “Why the Comrades Marathon will go ahead (with or without ASA)”
Report Compiled via Hermes Agent. Whilst every effort has been made to check facts, artificial intelligence sometimes makes errors that might not have been picked up in the report.
Steve Mkasi was re-elected as President of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) on 14 June 2025 with 36 of 95 votes (37.9%) — a plurality in a 5-way split. 62% of voting clubs voted against him. His tenure has been marked by:
Here’s a second video of Steve Mkasi hunting down and getting ready to assault Best of the Best race director Sphephelo Ndlovu. The footage was taken shortly before the widely circulated video of Mkasi and Ndlovu rolling around on the street. Once again, the video quality is very poor. This is understandable because the cameraman is a 14-year-old kid whom Mkasi has just threatened, telling him, “If you take a video I’ll shoot you.”