Good evening everyone
I’m sure most of you know by now I have a terrible fear of speaking in public. I really dread being called upon to give speeches. However, this time around, I decided to face my fears and volunteer to give a speech. I wanted to give a little bit of inspiration and motivation to our runners and I hope these few words will do the trick. I do not want to talk about logistics or how you should run. You have probably heard more than your fill of that by now and should have your own plan of action locked and loaded. If not, you really came to the right place! There are many runners here who would be eager to answer any questions you may have so take full vantage of this opportunity! Anyways, let me proceed to burden you with a few words about the reason we are gathered here today, the Ultimate Human Race, The Comrades Marathon!
There are many people, runners and non-runners alike, who are in awe of the Comrades and anyone who may attempt to conquer it but I bet few people have really thought about the reasoning behind their reverence. Why is the Comrades Marathon such an amazing feat? What is it about the race that makes it such a miraculous achievement?
Is it the course? The Comrades runs through the Valley of 1000 hills and it is aptly named! The route is hill upon hill upon hill. You get to the bottom of one hill only to begin climbing again. I often say, any 10km segment of the Comrades Marathon is the toughest 10km’s I have ever ran. You will be climbing almost 2000m in the duration of this run. Yet, does a hilly route justify the name ‘The Ultimate Human Race’? Surely, there are more difficult races, the Great Wall of China Marathon comes to mind where runners must climb over 5000 steps.
Is it the distance of the Comrades that makes it so revered? 87-89 km’s is a daunting number! There are few people in the world who have ever run so far in a day. Even more impressive, there are few creatures on the face of the Earth who could cover that distance in a day. Humans are designed for long distance running. We can outrun, km by km, almost any creature on the face of the Earth including horses, dogs, hyenas and antelope. There is no animal more suited for endurance than we. There is actually a hunting technique, sometimes called persistence hunting, used by tribesman and early humans whereby hunters would run their prey to death. God designed us to run! Our entire bodies are designed to cover large distances. We have specially designed ear canals to keep us balanced, tall thin bodies to better manage the heat, better blood flow to the brain, big BUTTS to stabilize the upper body, and lower legs that are built like rubber bands and act as springs to propel us forward. The ingenuity of our bodies is truly miraculous.
But if we are designed for endurance running that does not really give us an answer to our question, what makes the Comrades Marathon such a miraculous feat of accomplishment?
The truth is, we are designed for endurance running, and while we may be able to outrun the entire animal kingdom, we are not physically able to run the distance of the Comrades marathon. There is actually a little fun fact about the origins of the marathon I would like to share with you. Back in ancient Greece, a messenger ran from the city of Marathon to the Greek Capital of Athens with a very important message. The distance between the two cities was 42.2 km’s, your standard marathon distance. This was the birth of the marathon as we know it today. However, what most people do not know is that the messenger, upon arriving in Athens, dropped dead.
I believe what makes the Comrades such an amazing accomplishment is not the physical strength needed to get to the finish. I am sure many of you have noticed those who conquer the Comrades have a broad variation in physical build, some may not be describable as having your ‘typical runner physique’. They may not possess the most athletic figure and they may not be at the prime age of their life. You may also notice that the training of runners varies from person to person.
Yes, I believe all of the above: the difficult route, the long distance and the physical strength of the runner contribute to making the Comrades marathon such an accomplishment to finish. However, I believe there is one key element that makes the Comrades Marathon truly great, truly remarkable and indisputably ‘the Ultimate Human Race’. Because, while a horse or a dog can be considered physically stronger than the human, we surpass them in mental ability. It is not the strength of our bodies that will get us to the finish, but the strength of our minds. Don’t get me wrong, you need to be a strong runner, you need to train long and hard for this race, harder than any other race you have ever prepared for. But you can be the strongest runner in the world and not be able to finish the Comrades if your mental strength is lacking.
And why is that? Why must you be so mentally resilient? Because, while your physical strength, thanks to your training may get you to 60, 70 or 80km’s, at some point that strength is going to run out. You can only train to run so far, after that point it is willpower alone that will get you to the finish. At that point, it is no longer a battle between you and the road, it is a battle between your self-worth and your self-doubt. I will tell you right now, if you do not believe in yourself, you will not finish the Comrades. Your brain will use every reason imaginable to get you to stop running. ‘You didn’t train enough, you trained too much, you’re too old, you’re too young, you’re too thin, you’re too fat, you’re not strong enough. You. Are. Not. Enough. Every insecurity you have ever felt will be brought to the surface during this race and it will be used against you to get you to quit. You are not a quitter. You have trained hard these past months, building up not only your physical strength but your mental strength as well. How many times did you shut that voice down when it told you were too tired to train? How many times did you push through the cramps and the pain in the training marathons and continued on to the finish line. All of that was to prepare you for this day, for this moment when you will need to find the strength to push on, to tell that voice in your head that you will not quit, that you are enough and that you will finish this. This is what makes the Comrades the Ultimate Human Race. It is where we overcome all our self-doubt, all our insecurities and prove to ourselves that we truly are capable of anything we put our minds to. We just have to believe in ourselves.
We are very fortunate at ARD. We do not have to fight this battle alone. We have the entire clubs belief in our ability to finish the Ultimate Human Race. And if you think that doesn’t mean anything, you obviously have never participated in the Comrades before and I hope one day you get the opportunity. The supporters are a huge driving force to get us to the finish. Whether you are at home sending us positive thoughts or on the road with us, your support fuels our belief in ourselves. On behalf of all the runners whom you will be assisting, we Thank-You.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Comrades Runners group. To all those who contributed with support, their physical presence at training runs, sharing advice, tips and tricks as well as a couple laughs along the way. You made this journey to the Comrades easy! I never thought I would say that. Thank you for the laughs, the encouragement, words of wisdom and the comradery.
I would like to wish all the participants in the Comrades Marathon an enjoyable experience. Soak up every moment because the energy and atmosphere at the Comrades is found no other place. The air is so charged with emotions right from the walk to the shoots it is almost a tangible force you can feel. Enjoy it, have fun, be safe and go get your medal!
I’m sure most of you know by now I have a terrible fear of speaking in public. I really dread being called upon to give speeches. However, this time around, I decided to face my fears and volunteer to give a speech. I wanted to give a little bit of inspiration and motivation to our runners and I hope these few words will do the trick. I do not want to talk about logistics or how you should run. You have probably heard more than your fill of that by now and should have your own plan of action locked and loaded. If not, you really came to the right place! There are many runners here who would be eager to answer any questions you may have so take full vantage of this opportunity! Anyways, let me proceed to burden you with a few words about the reason we are gathered here today, the Ultimate Human Race, The Comrades Marathon!
There are many people, runners and non-runners alike, who are in awe of the Comrades and anyone who may attempt to conquer it but I bet few people have really thought about the reasoning behind their reverence. Why is the Comrades Marathon such an amazing feat? What is it about the race that makes it such a miraculous achievement?
Is it the course? The Comrades runs through the Valley of 1000 hills and it is aptly named! The route is hill upon hill upon hill. You get to the bottom of one hill only to begin climbing again. I often say, any 10km segment of the Comrades Marathon is the toughest 10km’s I have ever ran. You will be climbing almost 2000m in the duration of this run. Yet, does a hilly route justify the name ‘The Ultimate Human Race’? Surely, there are more difficult races, the Great Wall of China Marathon comes to mind where runners must climb over 5000 steps.
Is it the distance of the Comrades that makes it so revered? 87-89 km’s is a daunting number! There are few people in the world who have ever run so far in a day. Even more impressive, there are few creatures on the face of the Earth who could cover that distance in a day. Humans are designed for long distance running. We can outrun, km by km, almost any creature on the face of the Earth including horses, dogs, hyenas and antelope. There is no animal more suited for endurance than we. There is actually a hunting technique, sometimes called persistence hunting, used by tribesman and early humans whereby hunters would run their prey to death. God designed us to run! Our entire bodies are designed to cover large distances. We have specially designed ear canals to keep us balanced, tall thin bodies to better manage the heat, better blood flow to the brain, big BUTTS to stabilize the upper body, and lower legs that are built like rubber bands and act as springs to propel us forward. The ingenuity of our bodies is truly miraculous.
But if we are designed for endurance running that does not really give us an answer to our question, what makes the Comrades Marathon such a miraculous feat of accomplishment?
The truth is, we are designed for endurance running, and while we may be able to outrun the entire animal kingdom, we are not physically able to run the distance of the Comrades marathon. There is actually a little fun fact about the origins of the marathon I would like to share with you. Back in ancient Greece, a messenger ran from the city of Marathon to the Greek Capital of Athens with a very important message. The distance between the two cities was 42.2 km’s, your standard marathon distance. This was the birth of the marathon as we know it today. However, what most people do not know is that the messenger, upon arriving in Athens, dropped dead.
I believe what makes the Comrades such an amazing accomplishment is not the physical strength needed to get to the finish. I am sure many of you have noticed those who conquer the Comrades have a broad variation in physical build, some may not be describable as having your ‘typical runner physique’. They may not possess the most athletic figure and they may not be at the prime age of their life. You may also notice that the training of runners varies from person to person.
Yes, I believe all of the above: the difficult route, the long distance and the physical strength of the runner contribute to making the Comrades marathon such an accomplishment to finish. However, I believe there is one key element that makes the Comrades Marathon truly great, truly remarkable and indisputably ‘the Ultimate Human Race’. Because, while a horse or a dog can be considered physically stronger than the human, we surpass them in mental ability. It is not the strength of our bodies that will get us to the finish, but the strength of our minds. Don’t get me wrong, you need to be a strong runner, you need to train long and hard for this race, harder than any other race you have ever prepared for. But you can be the strongest runner in the world and not be able to finish the Comrades if your mental strength is lacking.
And why is that? Why must you be so mentally resilient? Because, while your physical strength, thanks to your training may get you to 60, 70 or 80km’s, at some point that strength is going to run out. You can only train to run so far, after that point it is willpower alone that will get you to the finish. At that point, it is no longer a battle between you and the road, it is a battle between your self-worth and your self-doubt. I will tell you right now, if you do not believe in yourself, you will not finish the Comrades. Your brain will use every reason imaginable to get you to stop running. ‘You didn’t train enough, you trained too much, you’re too old, you’re too young, you’re too thin, you’re too fat, you’re not strong enough. You. Are. Not. Enough. Every insecurity you have ever felt will be brought to the surface during this race and it will be used against you to get you to quit. You are not a quitter. You have trained hard these past months, building up not only your physical strength but your mental strength as well. How many times did you shut that voice down when it told you were too tired to train? How many times did you push through the cramps and the pain in the training marathons and continued on to the finish line. All of that was to prepare you for this day, for this moment when you will need to find the strength to push on, to tell that voice in your head that you will not quit, that you are enough and that you will finish this. This is what makes the Comrades the Ultimate Human Race. It is where we overcome all our self-doubt, all our insecurities and prove to ourselves that we truly are capable of anything we put our minds to. We just have to believe in ourselves.
We are very fortunate at ARD. We do not have to fight this battle alone. We have the entire clubs belief in our ability to finish the Ultimate Human Race. And if you think that doesn’t mean anything, you obviously have never participated in the Comrades before and I hope one day you get the opportunity. The supporters are a huge driving force to get us to the finish. Whether you are at home sending us positive thoughts or on the road with us, your support fuels our belief in ourselves. On behalf of all the runners whom you will be assisting, we Thank-You.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Comrades Runners group. To all those who contributed with support, their physical presence at training runs, sharing advice, tips and tricks as well as a couple laughs along the way. You made this journey to the Comrades easy! I never thought I would say that. Thank you for the laughs, the encouragement, words of wisdom and the comradery.
I would like to wish all the participants in the Comrades Marathon an enjoyable experience. Soak up every moment because the energy and atmosphere at the Comrades is found no other place. The air is so charged with emotions right from the walk to the shoots it is almost a tangible force you can feel. Enjoy it, have fun, be safe and go get your medal!
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