UZIBONA esengakwazi ukugijima imijaho yeComrades Marathon engamahlandla awu-25, uBongani Ndlovu, waKwaMafunze, eMgungundlovu, osevele usesubathe lo mjaho ohlonishwa umhlaba wonke amahlandla awu-18.
Isolezwe lihlangane noNdlovu emzileni wePrince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Ultra 52km Marathon, obusuka eNquthu ubheke eDundee, emasontweni edlule.
Nakuba seyihambile iminyaka kule mpunga kodwa ibibabhincisele nganxenye abagijimi abasebancane.
Igcine ibaqwaqwade emakhanda ontanga bayo eqoqweni labaneminyaka ewu-70.
Engxoxweni ekhethekile nalo makadebona ogijimela iZabalaza AC, uveze ukuthi ngePrince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Ultra ubelungiselela iComrades yalo nyaka engu-87 km, ezobe yehla, isuka eCity Hall, eMgungundlovu, iphelele eKingsmead Cricket Stadium, eThekwini, ngoJuni 11.
UNdlovu oganwe uMaMtshali, uveze ukuthi kuzobe kungokwesi-18 egijima lo mjaho. Ngesikhathi ekhuluma naleli phephandaba ubelokhu egxumagxuma, ethi uzwa umzimba wakhe kungathi ngowomfana oneminyaka ewu-15.
"Ngesikhathi ngigijima iComrades yesi-15 ngazitshela ukuthi ngizogcina kweka-20. Njengoba ngonyaka ozayo ngizobe ngihlanganisa lesi sibalo, sengifisa ukufinyelela ku-25. Umzimba wami uphila saka. Ngithandazela ukuthi uNkulunkulu angigcine aphinde anqande nezifo. Isifiso sami kweyalo nyaka ukuthi ngilungise isikhathi engisenze nyakenye. Nakuba ngiwuqedile umjaho nyakenye kodwa isikhathi asibanga sihle," kubeka uNdlovu othe iComrades yakhe yokuqala wayigijima ngo-1991.
Uthe uthando lwalo mdlalo lwaqala esafunda. Ngenxa yokuthi amakilabhu abamnyama ayeyidlanzana waphoqeleka ukuma uwukugijima. Waze wabuyela kukho ngemuva kweminyaka ewu-16, izinto seziqala ukuqaqeka kwabampisholo.
Nakuba uNdlovu ethi awukho umklomelo omkhulu aseke wawunqoba kodwa kusukela angena kwiqoqo labagijimi abaneminyaka ewu-40 kuya kwelabanewu-70, useqoqe inqwaba yezindondo zegolide.
Uthe akasazi nokuthi useyimele kangaki iKwaZulu-Natal kwi-cross-country, track nasemgwaqweni kusukela ku-10km kuze kuyoshaya ku-42km.
Ube eseluleka intsha ukuthi izibandakanye nezokusubatha ngoba zigcina umzimba uphilile.
Kulabo asebeqalile ukuzibandakanya nalo mdlalo, ubayale ngokuthi bangalambeli kuwona.
"Imfihlo yami yokuhlala isikhathi eside kulo mdlalo ukuthi ngangeniswa kuwo uthando ngaphinde ngathatha izeluleko zabagijimi abadala. Kunabantu abangena kwezokusubatha ngoba befuna ukugijima iComrades. Iphutha liqala lapho. Kuthi uma sebehluleka kuyo baphonse ithawula. Akuhambe uthando lwawo mdlalo phambili.
"Ngaso sonke isikhathi gijima ngendlela yakho. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uzokhula. Ikakhukukazi uma usaqala, musa ukubanaka laba ababa seceleni komgwaqo abahlala bethi ‘hawu usesemuva kanje’. Bafana nomuntu ohleka umuntu ofeyile u-matric ekubeni bona begcine esikoleni ebangeni lesibili. Lo mdlalo ngowabantu abangayijahi ingcebo nabakwazi ukubekezela," kuchaza uNdlovu obuye abe nekhaya e-Unit 6, eHammarsdale, eThekwini. BenoMaMtshali babusiswe ngamadodana amathathu nendodakazi.