BALULINDELE ngamehlo abomvu usuku lwangeSonto abesifazane abazogijima kwiComrades Marathon yanonyaka, ezosuka eThekwini iphele eMgungundlovu.
UMabongi Zikalala (50) wakwaNdengezi, ogijimela iHollywood Athletic Club, utshele Isolezwe ukuthi kuzobe kuyiComrades yakhe ye-11. Usegabe ngenombolo eluhlaza enikezwa asebegijime imijaho ewu-10
UMabongi, onguthisha esikoleni iZwelinjani Secondary eZwelibomvu, uthi waqala ukugijima iComrades Marathon ngo-2008, emuva kwalokho wajoveka futhi juthi akasayiboni impilo yakhe ngaphandle kwalo mjaho.
Uthe ukugijima koweComrades akumdingi umuntu onyanyalatayo, kumele azimisele, ajime ngendlela efanele futhi azibophezele kwezokusubatha. Ubalule ukuthi kubalulekile ukudla izinto ezinomsoco owakha umzimba.
Ugqugquzele abesifazane ukuthi bagijime, wathi ukube kuya ngaye ngabe abesifazane badlala lonke uhlobo lwemidlalo olukhona ngoba kuyasiza ukugcina ingqondo iphile kahle.
UMabongi uthi waqoka iHollywood Athletic Club ngoba ubulungu bayo abumbi eqolo futhi babuye bagqugquzelwe ngemiklomelo ehlukene uma bephothule iComrades.
Omunye wesifazane ongenele iComrades, nguMiliswa Zenzele (41) wasePort Edward, othi waqala ukugijima ngo-2015, enzela ukuchitha isizungu.
Ngaleso sikhathi wayegijima imijaho emincane yo-5km, kuya ko-10km. Kuthe ngo-2016 waqala wagijima imijaho yamabanga amade ngoba umdlalo ususegazini kuye.
“Ngangizitshela ukuthi ngizongenela iComrades Marathon yokuqala ngo-2020 kodwa ngagcina ngingayingenanga ngenxa yeCovid-19. Ngenza umjaho wabo o-virtual, kuzobe kungeyokuqala lena. Ngijabule ukuthi ngizobe ngijima, ngike ngawugijima umzila esizohamba ngawo ngabona ukuthi ngikulungele ukugijima ngeSonto,” kuchaza uMiliswa.
UMasibulele Mkhundlu (31), odume ngelika-Fit Masi The Runner ezinkundleni zokuxhumana, uthe uzobe egijima iComrades Marathon yesithathu futhi uselinde ukuthi kube yiSonto, ngendlela ajabule ngayo.
Le ntokazi yaseNgqeleni, e-Eastern Cape, iqale ukugijima ngo-2018 ngamabanga amafushane yase ikhula yenza amabanga amade okubalwa o-45km kuya ko-70kms.
Uthe wagijima iComrades Marathon yokuqala ngo-2022 wenza isikhathi esiwu-11:29, emuva kwalokho wenza eyesibili ngoba egqugquzelwa wukuthi uthola izindondo amabili. Kulo nyaka uzobe eqala ukugijima koweComrades Marathon esuka eThekwini, iye eMgungundlovu ebizwa nge-Up Run.
Uthe abangani bakhe bathi yima bezombiza ngomgijimi weComrades Marathon ngoba uzobe esezazi izingqinamba zokunyuka izintaba ebheke eMgungundlovu.
UMasibulele waziwa nangokuba yinxusa leComrades Marathon ngoba usebenzisana nayo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana.
Uthi selokhu aqala ukugijima isifiso sakhe kwakuwukungenela iComrades Marathon eyodwa kodwa akasakwazi ukuyeka. Ukhuthaze abafisa ukuyingenela ukuthi bajime, badle kahle ngoba akuwona umjaho ongawungenela ungajimanga kahle futhi ungadli ngendlela efanele.