The Real Gijimas 50km ultra-marathon has been built on the back of many older 50km and 60km races, which had proud histories but were ultimately shelved by past, sometimes older, clubs in favour of shorter races which are easier to organise.
This one is unique in that its route does not simply follow national roads, as many others have.
The terrain is picturesque and challenging, offering superb training for the Comrades Marathon, with hills to test the finest of runners.
It is also a qualifier for Comrades, the second of three offered in the Border region.
The start point this year is very different due to roadworks and starts outside Fort Jackson and moves towards Berlin, making it a looped out-and-back route.
The organisers are asking seconding teams to drop their runners and move to the Walter Sisulu University complex or wider road areas such as the Berlin CBD for parking to avoid congestion at the start.
Three weeks into March, and the weather has already changed significantly.
The temperature at the start is predicted to be a cool 16°C, warming to 18°C with a light breeze by the time most will have completed the course and then warming up significantly in the afternoon.
The backdrop for most of the route is dramatic, with distant mountains and close-at-hand hills and valleys that should inspire any runner.
History should never be discredited, for it is the road map to the future, and while the early days of the race were intriguing, the comeback after three years of being locked out and, indeed, being the first local race to suffer that fate – picking up the pieces once given the green light – was not easy, but the organisation has shown impressive resilience and is back on top.
2019 was a pinnacle year in many aspects of running, and the 50km race from Zwelitsha to Mdantsane was no exception.
An outstanding head-to-head race between Mziwonke Ngwendu and Gift Chigorarawa, both of Nedbank clubs from across the country, raced intensely throughout.
Ngwendu won in 3:01:23, with his close rival second in 3:02:28. At the first checkpoint of approximately 15km, they were together in the lead group, with Bric Sigxashe of Youth FC ever so slightly in front.
At the second checkpoint nothing much had changed, though at the standard marathon mark Ngwendu had built up a 59-second lead over Chigomarawa, while Sigxashe was now over five minutes off the pace.
That year was the fastest to date in both the men’s and women’s races, where Nokholo Hlezupondo of SANDF won in 4:06:25 ahead of local stalwart Xoliswa Bici of Hlazo AC, who was approaching the end of her career.
Her finishing time was 4:25:03, having led the race to the halfway mark by nine seconds.
Race director Alex Kambule has suggested Chigomorawa, who was second in 2024 and won it last year in 3:05:56, could and possibly should still be the favourite on Sunday.
Carmen Schaefer and Sibongile Ratekane have won the last two women’s races close to Bici’s time, but not that of Hlezupondo.
So the history will continue to develop in the footsteps of the likes of Tammy Bilibana, ninth at Comrades the year he won a local ultra; Phillip Quvana, a man for all seasons; Gordon Shaw, Bob Pape, Kenny Wilkinson, Herman van der Wilt, Solomon Pongolo, Edgar Moyo, Naas Kitching, Thomas Gxakaza, Mickey Doo, David Skepe, Jean Rayner, Lizanne Holmes, Stephanie Smith, Bici and Estelle Botha.
Buses to the start leave outside the Sisa Dukashe Stadium at 4.30am.
The prize money for the ultra is attractive and should attract new runners to the race.
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