The Comrades Marathon - Alpha Pharm KZN

At six o’clock on the morning of 24 May 2009, a bevy of Alpha Pharm KZN staff arrived at the cordoned-off area that was to be their "office" for the day.   While some were still rubbing their eyes and yawning to wake up, other were offering coffee around and unloading the trucks that were laden with special goodies for the brave souls who were on their way to Durban from Pietermaritzburg.   All were in a great mood - after all, the Comrades marathon is the oldest and largest in the world and it will end in Durban this year!  And even though the staff was not running, this offered them an opportunity to be part of this great race’s spirit!                                                               

Gazebo's, flags, tables, chairs, tin baths with ice (Ice for Africa!), energy drinks, water, ligament spray and suntan lotion was carted around from once place to the other.   Tables were set and chairs unpacked.  Oranges and fresh fruit were sliced and packed in specially prepared trays.....and all the time the staff were twittering excitedly while taking turns in nourishing themselves in preparation for the day ahead.   The organisation that it takes to ensure that such a water station runs smoothly is massive.   Luckily, the Alpha Pharm water point was the last one of the day and once they passed our water station, they knew that the end was near.                                                                                         

At around nine o’clock the buzz started, because it was time for the leaders of the race to start passing by – and lo and behold – there they were – incredibly fresh and absolutely focused - Stephen Muzhingi from Zimbabwe, Leonid Shvetsov of Russia, Charles Tjiane (RSA) and all the other front runners pass us one by one.   Some of them take some refreshment, but most of then are totally focused on the end goal.   Then the ladies start passing us.    Slowly but surely the slower runners come by and the staff has to start running to pass on the refreshments.   Some of the runners stop for a muscle rub or a smear of suntan lotion.   Some of them are so exhausted that they have a glassy look in their eye.   Lost of sympathy, TLC and refreshments are being handed out.   The sun sets and it is dark by the time that the last stragglers pass us.   Everybody is exhausted!

But it is not the end of the day for the feisty and exhausted staff!   Everything that was unpacked twelve hours earlier must now be packed again.   The highway must be cleaned of all debris.  The highway patrol helps us by driving up and down so that we can see the surface of the road in their car’s lights.   Finally everything is done – and quite frankly, it feels as if we had all run a marathon as well!    But it was worth every moment that we spent with the runners – sharing their determination, passion and pain in a very small way – as part of the Alpha Pharm KZN Comrades staff team!!