Veteran to receive award for 20th run
REAL Gijimas runner and veteran, Nkosana Mpolweni, will be honoured on Saturday at the Buffs Marathon on the occasion of his 20th appearance in the race.
The 64-year-old East London roadrunner has also done more than 20 Comrades Marathons. “I am quite excited about that [having run 20 Comrades Marathons],” he said.
“Running is my first love. It brings me closer to God. I grew up in the bundus and I would walk 20km to and from school every day. I believe that the Lord was preparing me for the marathons because at my age, I am still running and I will continue to run for the next 22 years,” Mpolweni said.
He ran his first Comrades Marathon in 1995 but he never finished the race, due to a number of factors, among them, unsuitable running shoes. “I went home that day without a medal, but that did not stop me. I told myself that I would go back the next year, which I did and I brought back a medal,” he said.
The highlight of his running career is running the Two Oceans Marathon in 2000. “There were about 2000 runners and I was the 199th person to finish and I received a silver medal. I was also announced as the top runner in our region. It was just great,” he said.
Mpolweni said he was grateful to everyone who supported him on his journey and the people who always cheered him on in races.
