Comrades: For Kaizer, the race never stops

At the crack of dawn on Sunday, 11 June 2023, 20,000 athletes will line up for the 96th Comrades Marathon. Dr Adele Broodryk, a senior lecturer at the North-West University’s School for Human Movement Sciences, who came third overall in 2022, and Tete Dijana, the overall men’s winner last year and a familiar face on the Mahikeng campus, will be there.

Another familiar person, Kaizer Phakathi who works and studies on the Potchefstroom campus of the North-West University (NWU), will be next to the road the whole way, egging on seven athletes he coaches. 

The Comrades Marathon is revered by marathon runners across the world due to its reputation as one of the most grueling endurance events. Among the 20,000 athletes who will compete on Sunday, are 2,354 international runners from 84 countries, according to the official Comrades Marathon website.

This year’s Comrades is a down run, starting at the city hall in Pietermaritzburg and ending in Durban almost 90km away. The challenging route consists of steep hills and restricted paths, including the infamous Polly Shortts hill.

The Comrades is more than a mere competition, it is an opportunity for athletes to showcase their strength and talent – and especially their endurance. As the runners pass by, numerous fans cheer them on to show their support for the marathon, Phakathi said. He has finished the Comrades 9 out of 12 times, and plans on running again in 2024 in honor of his mother. 

A time restriction heightens the challenge. To receive an award, runners must finish within 12 hours. This deadline creates considerable stress for participants as they strive to sustain a steady speed and efficiently regulate their stamina throughout the course.

Runners are pushed to their physical and mental edge due to the long distance, challenging environment, and cut-off time that test not only their determination but also their resilience. Endurance athletes must remain steadfast in their commitment throughout the race despite feelings of weariness and uncertainty if they wish to succeed.

One of Phakathi’s athletes, Brain Senokwane (39) from Potchefstroom, said that the Comrades is a very difficult race, as it tests an athlete psychologically, physically, emotionally and spiritually. “The challenging part is when you do not have a preparation plan and a coach. A coach is of paramount importance. When you do not have one, you do not do the correct exercises resulting in injury, not following a balanced diet and training regiment.

“Given the fact that the Comrades spans a grueling almost 90km and it runs from 05:30 until 17:30, it could be quite a hectic and very long day so you need to have a structure and coach, someone there to advise and guide you. So for the last 3 years, Phakathi has been my coach. He has been trying to minimise these difficulties because he has experience,” Senokwane said. 

Being part of the Comrades marathon is an honor for him. It is his second attempt. Senokwane did not finish his first Comrades in 2022, due to an injury around the 35km mark.

Another Potch athlete Phakathi coaches, Mojalefa Ditshwele (39), said that the Comrades is one of the biggest races in South Africa, which makes it difficult for athletes to participate in. It is very expensive and one needs a lot of preparation and training. “One of the difficulties is having a sponsor, and constructing a preparation plan for the marathon.”

Ditshwele said that he has been training with Phakathi for the last four years and that his coach played an important role in preparation for the marathon. “He structured a good plan for six months for me.” Ditshwele aims to finish the Comrades Marathon amongst the elite athletes.

Phakathi, now a coach and student, misses taking part in the Comrades. He said that securing a sponsorship is one of the challenges. He said that sponsorship helps with running shoes, race registration, accommodation, physio, food, supplements, and transportation. The entry fee for South Africans in 2023 was R1,200. Transport and accommodation costs push the expense up considerably. 

“Respect yourself, before you respect the next person,” is the motto athlete, coach, and now student Bonny Kaizer Phakathi (53) lives by each day. Born in Potchefstroom, he started his athletic career by always being late for school. This meant he had to run to the Terra Peccana Primary School 10km outside of Potchefstroom on Carletonville Road. At school, there was PT (physical training) for 30 minutes three times a week. 

During those days, Phakathi would perform “exceptionally well” across distances from 100m to 1,500m. It was from that moment that he knew he was born to be an athlete. He continued to perform at Tlokwe Secondary School, where he became one of the top runners. He has not stopped running yet. 

Athletes spend countless hours in the gym. They also prepare themselves mentally and emotionally before a competition. “Asking about their training routines and preparations is valuable because it helps you understand the sacrifices that come with being an athlete.” 

Phakathi emphasised that he trained for six months in preparation for each Comrades Marathon. “So, I would prepare for six months. I trained for four hours – two hours in the morning, and two hours in the evening, depending on my training plan.” It all comes down to having a good foundation, he said.

His training included reading magazines and taking a page out of other athletes’ training regimens (pun intended). “I used magazines to check how other athletes prepare their plans. And that is how I used to survive, using old training montages that had been used by old athletes, and then modifying them to suit my training.”

Phakathi starts his day at 04:30 with a bodyweight workout. At 06:00, three times a week, he runs to the NWU where he works as an administrative officer. From 17:00-18:30 he coaches. “I coach seven athletes for the ultra-runs for different clubs, and I am in charge of their training regimen.” These include two athletes from the 296 Run Club in Potchefstroom, one athlete from Promosa, athletes from Kwa-Zulu Natal, and three from a newly formed club in Kimberley. He meets these athletes three times every three months. 

Phakathi has trained more than 20 athletes throughout his 30-year training career, from children to adults. In January, more learners line up because of the sports days at schools during this time.

Before 2007, he taught cycling classes for pensioners and adults in the Ikageng township three times a week. In 2007, he was employed as an administrative officer at the courier department on campus. In 2008, he started teaching spinning classes at the Virgin Active gym on the Bult, but stopped when lockdown started in 2020.

During his 2008 spell, he would see a lot of NWU personnel, and that was when he got to know Dr. Thalyta Swanepoel, a person who is very supportive of his studies and always gives him a positive boost. “I honestly admire her interest and concern towards my studies.” In turn, Swanepoel said he was the best spin instructor she has ever had.

Only in 2022, he focused on getting his studies underway in an effort to strike a balance between the theory and practice of athletics. Phakathi is a first-year student at the NWU on the Potchefstroom campus, studying towards a diploma in coaching science at the School of Human Movement Sciences. “Given the practical experience I have in athletics and my academic knowledge in coaching science, I am able to understand how the body works and what is good in terms of nutrition.”

Prof Hans de Ridder, Director of the School of Human Movement Sciences at the NWU, said that the Comrades Marathon takes tremendous effort regarding preparation. He said Broodryk describes the race as “hitting a wall”. 

He said he hopes the community recognises the commitment Phakathi has for the sport and the athletes he coaches. “Nothing beats experience. The fact that he was an athlete himself, means he understands what athletes go through in terms of injuries, diet, and nutrition.’’ 

De Ridder emphasised that South Africa needs coaches like Phakathi who are there to help guide young athletes to unlock their talent. He added that he is proud of Phakathi for furthering his studies which only adds to years of experience in the sport.

Illustrious career

Phakathi said that one of his most memorable career highlights was competing in the 1999 Duathlon World Championship in North Carolina. In 2000, he also took part in Powerman Duathlon in Centurion, where he was among the first black elite athletes in the event.

He has more than 500 medals. Of those, roughly 50 are gold, more than 100 silver, and fewer than 100 bronze.

Participating in epic races can teach an athlete a lot about themselves, their capabilities, and their weaknesses. Phakathi learned that at the lowest points in his career would be feeling “homesick” as an athlete, especially when I was abroad. Having been a triathlete and a marathon runner, you would travel abroad and be homesick”.

Athletes are not immune to the challenges and struggles of life. They encounter challenges that test their mental, emotional, and physical strength. Phakathi said obstacles are an essential part of an athlete’s career. “It is also important to acknowledge these struggles because it adds depth to the athlete’s experience.”

In preparation for a long-distance race, Phakathi faced numerous challenges in training, however, that did not hinder him from performing at his best. The challenges he faced were that he did not have enough water, supplements, or even transport, should he sustain an injury. “I had to construct a plan.”

The day of the race is when all the preparation and training pay off. However, it is also the most challenging part of any event. The Comrade’s Marathon is no exception. Therefore, it is essential to understand what an athlete goes through during the race.

Phakathi mentally prepares himself for a competition by evaluating his training plan every six weeks, prior to a competition. “I will check whether it was aligned with my goals, and having done that it would allow my mind to be mentally prepared for the next race,” he said.

His process for overcoming mental barriers would be that he did not have an emotional background on how to deal with setbacks, and how to manage it, but as he got older, he started to grow and learn from his mistakes. “The most important aspect is discipline and accepting the outcome of failure. In some instances, I managed to deal with failing; it humbled me.”

He emphasised that he also prays. “I pray for everything, even when I would take my bike for cycling, I would also pray for that bike. It is one of the main rituals that has helped me to be one with GOD. Pray, pray, and pray.”

Phakathi said that finding sponsors was a challenge for him. “It is extremely difficult for young athletes and I who had the drive, passion, and love for athletics, to not actually excel, due to a lack of sponsorship.”

However, Phakathi did not let him lose his passion. He was grateful for the support structure that helped him in terms of providing funds. “My family had to take out loans just to help me fulfill my dreams.” 

He went on to be the first-ever black athlete to be selected for an elite team and represented South Africa in countries such as Italy, the US, UK, and Hungary.

He stated that one of his most memorable career highlights was competing in the 1999 Duathlon World Championship in North Carolina, US. “Being the first South African, I remembered the support and feeling overwhelmed by different countries and people. That feeling still resonates within me up until now and finishing amongst the first 11 athletes was memorable.”