On October 15, runners from across the country took to the N6 for the 45th edition of the NFB Private Wealth Management Tony Viljoen Masters Marathon or the Glacier by Sanlam Border Masters Half Marathon, with many incredible wins across five age-group categories.
This included an outstanding triumph of the human spirit as one runner, David Duff, took on the entire 42km despite sustaining severe and life-altering injuries a year before the race.
Hosted by the Border Masters Athletics Association, the marathon is one of six October marathon staples in the country and is regarded as a straight-forward downhill race that is designed to put runners in competition with themselves and and to encourage runners to focus on improving their performance, irrespective of who crosses the finish line first.
The race finishes at Beacon Bay Country Club and includes both the 21km and 42km route.
This year, 558 runners crossed the finish line and although excellent personal best times were achieved, no records were broken.
The first man to cross the finish line for the 42km was Perfect Dlamini from Hollywood Bets, who completed his run in 2hrs and 27min. He ran in the 35-39 age group category and said his win meant a great deal to him because he had just recovered from a debilitating injury that saw him ruled out of this year’s Comrades.
Dlamini said: “My win confirmed to me that I am on track with my recovery plan which has boosted my spirits greatly.
“I was very disappointed to have missed the Comrades and my team of fellow runners from Kokstad are the ones who inspired me to run the masters this year despite my fear of my injury.
“The last 6km was terrifying and challenging because I started to feel my injury flare up but because I had pushed myself to stay among the frontrunners, I didn’t have to worry about falling behind. I had established a comfortable pace.”
The first woman to cross the finish line for the 42km was Caryn Lategan from Easy Equities Born2Run, who completed her race in a time of 2hrs and 54min in the 40-44 age group category. She was followed by Oxford Striders’ Melanie Elsdon.
Lategan said her win would enable her to get an early A seeding qualifier for any big races she may decide to do next year.
“At the stretch between 24km- 32km my mind and my legs were tired. My coach could see this at the 27km mark and told me to relax and enjoy and this took the pressure off.
“The win is a bonus.”
Duffy, a lifetime runner, completed the 42km despite sustaining severe injuries in 2022, when he was shot four times during a robbery and hijacking that almost cost him his life.
Duff was hospitalised for six weeks and couldn’t move for 10 weeks but friend, Richard Patten, said that running was Duffy’s life and nothing anyone said or did could him away from the sport.
Patten said Duffy vowed to return to the Comrades and the Washie.
Race organiser John Oatley said: “As we had 20 categories to consider it is difficult to cite an outstanding achievement, as many a runner is there to beat their individual challenges. However my pick would be Duffy, who ran the 42km event against our advice and made it through.”
