Robbers can’t stop Durban athlete’s London Marathon dream | Independent on Saturday – IOL
Robbers can’t stop Durban athlete’s London Marathon dream | Independent on Saturday IOL
Marathon runner Michael Ndlovu, 52, escaped a potential attack after being confronted by armed men on his way to work – by sprinting away.
For the veteran runner, who is training for the 39th Virgin Money London Marathon on April 28, the would-be attackers had little chance of catching him.
Ndlovu wakes every day at 2.30am and, at 2.35am, sets off on the road from his home in Ntuzuma, north-west of Durban, to his workplace in the city, running all the way. At the end of the day, he does the same thing to get home again, an estimated 40km daily.
Speaking to the Independent on Saturday on Thursday, Ndlovu, who works as a groundsman at a Morningside home, said he normally arrived at work at about 4.30am.
“I was running along as usual and it was before 4am, which is when there are a lot of runners on the road, and it was very quiet. A car came past me, suddenly did a U-turn and stopped close to me.
“Two men got out and one of them pointed a gun at me. I think there were some other men in the car. I ran away, jumped over a fence and hid in a yard. I think they tried to drive around the block to look for me, so I jumped back over the fence and ran away.
“I ran to the railway station and took a train to work,” said Ndlovu, whose hand was badly gashed when he jumped over the fence.
He said he was determined not to let the incident mar his preparations for the London Marathon. He will fly to the UK on April 24.
Ndlovu has been running for more than 20 years and has competed in 16 Comrades Marathons. His best time was 6.49.41 when he was placed top in the 50+ category, as well as competing in many other marathons and races over the years.
He said when he arrived at work every morning, he enjoyed tea and bread for breakfast and has not been following any special diet ahead of the marathon.
To even be accepted to compete in the London Marathon is a challenge with all the competitors being world-class runners or backed by a charity. Of the nearly 400 000 runners who applied to be part of this year’s race, only 38000 are accepted.
Ndlovu’s employer, Jonny Friedman, chief executive of commercial property urban regeneration specialists Urban Lime, has helped him enter the prestigious race and Ndlovu will be raising funds for Fields in Trust, a UK-based charity which focuses on preserving green areas for public use.
It’s a charity which gets the green thumbs up from Ndlovu who spends his days in the garden.
Apart from running to work and back, Ndlovu often races on a Sunday.
“I normally take Saturday off and will run a race on Sunday. But if I’m not running a race, I’ll train on Sunday as well.”
He started running in 1997, saying “I wanted to be strong” and, apart from the marathons in which he competes, Ndlovu also represents KZN in long distance running.
A highlight in his career was competing in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon which saw him fly for the first time. He said despite a strong wind, he finished “in a good time”.
“I enjoyed the challenge of the wind and I also enjoy taking part in runs outside KwaZulu-Natal.
“I’m looking forward to it, but I’m feeling a bit nervous. If I’m feeling okay on the day and depending on the pace, I hope to finish in 2.37,” he said.
Friedman said: “Michael’s passion for running is an inspiration to us all. Urban Lime are very proud to have Michael represent Durban and South Africa in one of the most elite marathons in the world.”
To support Michael’s cause in London, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MichaelNdlovu