The holidays are all but over and are sure to have triggered ideas to enhance the running experiences of 2026. The options are wide and varied, and hopefully this column will bring many of those home to readers in the weeks and months ahead.
On the road there will be the great old favourites, none more so than the Comrades Marathon in June, when the 99th race takes place as a forerunner and final dress rehearsal to the 100th event in 2027.
Nearly every runner spoken to during the holiday season has shared thoughts about what it would mean to be on the start line in Pietermaritzburg on the day, trained and ready for the excitement of running the 90km to Durban.
The Comrades was sold out in under 10 hours, and the Total Sports Two Oceans 56km ultra is closed to entries for 2026, other than the opportunity through charity entries.
The need to qualify for ultra marathons is a feeder system to most club marathons, and in East London the most prestigious marathon in this respect is hosted by Buffalo Road Runners, back where it belongs on March 1.
The atmosphere at “race weekends”, be it on entry to Durban or Pietermaritzburg before the Comrades, Cape Town for Two Oceans or for the visiting runners who come to run Buffs, is always special.
Prior to Border’s most historic marathon are two events that capture the imagination of runners across SA.
The first is the Bridle Drift Half Marathon on January 25.
It is not only one of the toughest in the land but also offers scenic beauty on the approach to the dam and the excitement of one of SA’s largest and most vibrant townships.
The second big build-up event will be the 51st Discovery Surfers Challenge on February 21.
An event of immense beauty with two river crossings, a beach and the citizens of Buffalo City out in full force.
Then there are all the club races that make up the local running calendar and the hundreds, probably thousands, of volunteers who come out during the year to ensure the sport continues to thrive. We owe them respect and gratitude.
What if a runner wants to run something extra special this year because they are turning 50 or 60, 70 and beyond?
An international experience might do it if funds allow.
Two years ago Malixole Kalideni and Yanga Malusi, two of Border’s top distance athletes, were the beneficiaries of the Kotela Foundation when they ran the London Marathon.
It was an outstanding experience the two runners will cherish forever.
Last year, Thato Kabeli, a security guard who hails from Barkley East, received support in many forms from the “mountain community” surrounding Rhodes and was able to run the UTMB Mont Blanc 100km in the Alps.
He also did the region proud and is not finished.
Other runners who have travelled internationally on a regular basis are Colin and Sharon Bosch, while more recently Charl Pienaar ran the Valencia Marathon in Spain, having turned 70.
He chased those in his new age group and finished second. Pienaar previously had success at the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia.
Chasing dreams is an age-old objective and one well worth engaging in, even when the goal looks so far removed from daily life.
I am sure Thato, Malixole and Yanga would agree.
I once had hoped to be a part of the Olympics, which few believed could happen, but in 1996 what started out as a far-fetched dream became a reality and will live on.
A marathon gold medal for Josiah Thugwane elevated that dream more, as did the friendship.
In 2026, 30 years later, I hope many more folk have similar dreams and they are realised.
Running the 99th or 100th Comrades Marathon sounds like a manageable one for those who are fit and strong.
Simply engage with someone who has been there and done it effectively, slot into a training programme, and run and do it for yourself.
Deliver oneself a happy New Year.
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