The period 1980-1996 is not referred to as the golden era of roadrunning for no reason. The results of the athletes, the support systems, the ever-improving standard of the races and the often slow, but ultimately meaningful transformation of the sport bare testimony to such a statement.
Tragically during that period many great athletes, coaches, administrators and journalists were lost through illnesses, motor accidents and even violence.
It is not my intention to document everyone, but to touch on some of the characters of our sport.
Matthews Motshwarateu was a champion and record-breaking runner over distances up to the half-marathon and represented South Africa on numerous occasions post-apartheid. He was fatally shot by robbers.
Michael Scout, an SA marathon champion was killed in a hit and run; Thompson Magawana, who holds the Two Oceans 56km record of 3:03:44 set in 1988, died as the result of a pandemic, as did Border’s extremely promising Mzwandile Shube.
A car accident claimed the life of one of the all-time great distance athletes, SA marathon champion and joint fastest over 21,1km on SA soil Zithulele Sinqe, while a cycling accident robbed the sport of former Comrades winner Isavel Roche-Kelly.
There are many more who were leaders, friends and colleagues. Last year illness forced us to bid farewell to Tony Viljoen, who gave his all to the sport for many years.
Through all those years Mick Winn was either chair of the Comrades Marathon Association and later the South African Road Running Association [Sarra]. Last Saturday he passed away, having turned 90 a month earlier.
A grand age many will say, but so full of life was Winn that his passing rocked the athletics world.
During his time at the helm of Comrades the race was opened to both people of colour and women. It grew exponentially in every facet of the race.
Winn, race number 138, was a 6:35 Comrades runner, completing the race on 12 occasions. Most recently his son, Simon, completed his first Comrades wearing the same number.
Winn, by his very nature, ability to listen and to offer alternatives, attracted and led many great minds to deliver an outstanding era for the sport.
As a result, roadrunning grew and prospered, allowing athletes to do what they did best — simply to run.
South African records were the feature of every race, as were a number of world best times.
Sarra was the first sporting body from the establishment to be granted membership of the National Sports Congress because of the bona fides displayed by Winn and his team, which included wife Cheryl, the current chair of CMA and a past winner of Comrades.
I am writing this column at a venue called Lindisfarne, a few hundred metres from the intimidating Botha’s Hill past Hillcrest and some 35km into the up run of Comrades, not far from Winn’s home.
On Thursday I attended Mick’s memorial service close by.
Arriving in Durban sent many a Comrades jitter up and down the spine — the memories of such incredible friendships with all those mentioned above abound.
I feel so incredibly fortunate that roadrunning has afforded my life so much more.
Mick Winn was a friend who played a huge role therein.
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