THIS is Comrades Marathon week, as the 2014 edition of the big roadrunning event takes place on Sunday. This fact alone is lost on the imagination of the wider population of the country. Comrades is no longer in the hearts and minds of South Africans, from children to the elderly, as it used to be. Sunday is just three days away and yet the once powerful Comrades spirit is not lingering in the air, and there is hardly any discussion going where people meet, on the radio, social media, nowhere.
In the days gone by the discourse around the favourites and the prestige of the race itself would be reaching fever peak these last days ahead of the big day. What went wrong?
Perhaps the general mood of our society has changed in the past decade that things which used to be held in high esteem do not matter anymore. Could it be that we are now seeking new kinds of inspiration and achievement in different areas and activities? Maybe it's a reflection of dwindling interest in sport, which is highly noticeable in the townships.
However, one factor that is crucial to me was the dissociation of the Comrades Marathon from its previous date, June 16. The two were a perfect combination because Comrades espouses the spirit of youth, while June 16, Youth Day, marked the zenith of youth month celebrations in the month June. While nobody knows much about June 1, there's no escaping June 16 - it is a public holiday! This means the legacy of Comrades Comrades stands a better chance to be preserved through Youth Day.
Moreover, June 16 also needs a national event of international proportions to accentuate its importance, and to drive its central message for the development of the youth, promotion of healthy living and encouraging everyone to set high goals with difficult odds to surmount. In simple terms, June 16 and Comrades Marathon speak the same language, and they say: "Challenge yourself and rise to the occasion."
Nothing beats the sight of a 69-year-old person coming over to cross that finish line, after 10 hours running between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Now, that is what is meant by the enduring spirit of youth because that woman or man in their late 50s and 60s entering this gruelling but beautiful race, let alone finishing it, they are simply young at heart.
Political agendas came between the Comrades and June 16 ten years ago. It was an ill-advised, emotional decision even at the time to separate the two. Any mistake can be corrected no matter how long it takes to do so. To the powers that be, I say merge the two events again; June 16 and Comrades Marathon just go well together. I can't think of a better combination to celebrate all that is good about the spirit of youth from the South African perspective.
About the race this year, the 90km event on Sunday June 1 will be the "down run", starting outside the Pietermaritzburg City Hall to Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.
To all participants, from professional athletes to social runners, may the force be with you!
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