Prepping for Comrades

In just a couple days I’ll be running 56 miles. From Pietermaritzburg to Durban, South Africa. It’s called the Comrades Marathon. The world’s oldest, most respected and most prestigious ultra-marathon.

Until a few months ago, I would not have imagined that I’d be lining up with 21,000 others doing what most other Earthlings have trouble comprehending. But somehow fate stepped in and set me upon yet another wonderful path of opportunity and self-discovery. (There’s something about running marathons eight out of ten weekends, mostly by yourself, that confirms you’ve been blessed with physical health and opportunities some others aren’t so fortunate to enjoy.)

Last December I was lining up a late entry to Ironman Canada when my wife, the lovely Dr. Sharon Wetherall, busted out the good news: she’s pregnant with our third child and it’s due on August 20…which happens to be a week before the big race in Penticton, BC. And like that, Ironman was out. Then the phone call came from the Challenged Athletes Foundation; “I just got a call from Andy Baldwin, he’s looking for a leg amputee to run this big huge race in Africa, are you in?” My gut reaction—and immediate answer—was “No.” Eighteen hours later, after a little time to digest and discuss with Sharon, I was in. Thirty-six hours later I got in a 12 mile run. A few days later I toughed out a 17-miler. Next thing you know I’m running a 34-miler in Moab…through a foot of snow!…for like a mile…but still.

Now I’m on a continent I’ve never stepped foot on before preparing for something I might never repeat. Heck, I might not even finish—there’s no guarantees. I’m hoping, in no particular order, that might back, my right knee (the “good” side”) and my stump can tough it out.

The one thing I have in my favor, other than lots of Ironman experience, is the knowledge that I’ve made a personal pledge—as did Andy, Josh Cox and 14 other runners—to generate 100 sponsorships for needy African children running as a member of Team World Vision. And to those sponsors (most of which I have yet to generate) I’ve pledged that I’ll finish the race to help provide a better life experience to those not as fortunate as me. So when the pain sets it, I’ll fall back on the knowledge that this suffering is brief and voluntary and that reaching the finish line—in less that 12 hours—is why I signed up and is truly the only option.

To support our teams efforts and sponsor a child so that he or she may receive immunizations, clean water, education and more, please visit www.theultimatecause.org.

Run 56 miles?

Yep, that’s what I’m gonna do…

I was asked to be part of a team of athletes headed to South Africa to partake in a staggering fund-raising effort to benefit African children. I would be expected to generate 100 sponsors willing to commit to a child for the next five years. To prove I was serious about the whole thing, I’d have to run the world’s oldest and greatest ultra-marathon, The Comrades Marathon: a 56-mile jaunt started 80 years ago to honor the fallen comrades of World War I.

My initial response was an emphatic “no,” the whole “run 56-miles” thing was a bit of a turn-off. Eighteen hours later something had shifted around in the cranium and all of a sudden I was anxious to start training and called back to commit.

It must have something to do with the enticement of a challenge, one I can’t say I was expecting anytime soon. Not surprisingly, such a task requires some serious training for most of us mortals. So on Saturday I ran 13 miles then ran another 20 on Sunday. Looks like I can expect similar workouts—just longer—for the next five months.

And you can expect that I’ll be looking at all avenues to gather the sponsors I’ve committed to generate. On that note, if you’re reading this, please consider. I’ll have more information available soon, but it’s something to the affect of $35/month to help an African child get an education, some food and clean water, and some clothes on his or her back.

Perhaps you can get a group together willing to sponsor as a team. Perhaps you can get your company, your fraternity brothers, your family or your basketball team to pool funds and commit with me.

Please come back to this site in the next few weeks for more information about how you can help. I know that the suffering I’ll experience on May 30 (not to mention the many, many miles and the many, many hours of preparation) will pale in comparison to living without the means necessary to live the lives we’ve been blessed with.

Still more info can be found at www.comrades4thekids.com and www.worldvision.org.