JACK MILNER
Pictured: Vic Boston holds up his Quadruple Green Number earned for running his 40th Comrades Marathon on May 29.
Vic joined Tommy Neitski and Zwelitsha Tiger Gono as the newest group to complete their 40th Comrades at this year’s 91st race of this prestige ultra-marathon.
Vic ran his first Comrades as a 17-year-old in 1977 and has not missed a single race in those 40 years. He runs for Rocky Road Runners and holds 17 silver medals, nine Bill Rowan medals, 13 bronze medals and one Vic Clapham medal with his best time of 7:08:21 coming at the 1984 Comrades.
There are only 12 members in the Comrades Marathon’s Quadruple Green Number club and they have run a combined total of 498 Comrades Marathons.
They are (under name, finishes): Dave Rogers – 45, Barry Holland – 43, Louis Massyn – 43, Alan Robb – 42, Dave Lowe – 42, Clive Crawley – 42, David Williams – 41, Kenny Craig – 40, Riel Hugo – 40, Zwelitsha Gono – 40, Tommy Neitski – 40 and Vic Boston – 40.
But, as Vic points out, only six of them have run 40 consecutive Comrades. “It does take a lot to finish that race, mentally and physically,” he commented.
But despite all the sweat, blood and tears, he is already thinking about breaking the record of 45 runs.
“I’m still running. I run all the time, I never stop, I don’t even think about the Comrades. I’ve fully recovered from this year’s down run and I’m ready for next year. I’m running, swimming, pushing weights.”
However, this year Vic had to take it a little easier than usual and nursed his way through the race. “My hernia worries me and I wanted to play it safe. I didn’t want to go hard and then have to pull out.”
He also had to deal with an upset stomach but admits he bears responsibility for that. “I took food with me from home and by the time we ate it in Pietermaritzburg it was a bit dodgy.”
He also prefers the up run, not because it is any easier but because of the weather. “At that time of the morning it’s much warmer in Durban than Pietermaritzburg. When you do the down run for the first two hours you run into a cold valley. With the up run you don’t even have to put on gloves.”
One must realise that despite his wonderful Comrades records, Vic’s achievements do not stop there. “I’ve also done Iron Man and over 20 ultra-Iron Man competitions where I’m a multiple gold medallist.”
Jewish runners have traditionally had “a good presence” at the Comrades. They are generally a competitive lot, but also revel in the camaraderie.
One person who believes Vic can own the record of Comrades runs is Ronnie Dribbin, who has just completed his 27th Comrades. “Vic has completed all these Comrades and he has the determination. As long as he stays healthy, he will do it.”
Ronnie’s 27 Comrades runs have just one blemish. That came in 2012 when he suffered a severe injury to his right knee which required surgery. “I was told I would never have full use of that knee again. Since then I have done Iron Man and Comrades.”
“I still have pain 99 per cent of the time, but I enjoy it too much to stop. I’ve done more this year than any other year.”
Last November Ronnie went to Bahrain to participate in an Iron Man event and finished second in the 55 to 59 age group. “As a result I have been invited to the World Championship on the Australian Gold Coast in September. Somehow I’ve got extra energy because going next month I’m participating in an Iron Man event in Budapest.”
He admits he does it all firstly to keep healthy and because he enjoys it so much. “I run with the most unbelievable group of people. They are younger than I am but are happy to let the ‘old man’ run with them.”
As far as the Comrades is concerned Ronnie is indifferent to an up or down run. “When I first started I referred the ups, then later the downs. But if I look at my best times there is just 20 seconds between my up and my down times. For me it all comes down to the day. If you wake up and feel well, then it goes well.”
He also has a simple approach to the Comrades: “You compete against yourself – not your friends or teammates – and if you complete the race, you’re a champion.
“If you look at what a guy like Vic has achieved, he is more of a champion than some of those who run once or twice and maybe even win the race.”
