WASHONELWA wunkosikazi waganwa yiComrades Marathon umsubathi waKwaMashu, uKhethani Bhengu, ongomunye wabagijimi abangu-21 625 abangenele umjaho ka-2019 osuka eDurban City Hall, eThekwini, kusasa ngo-5.30 ekuseni.
Lo mjaho ongaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-86, uzosongwa eScottsville Racecourse, eMgungundlovu, kusasa ngo-5.30 ntambama.
“Ngizobe ngiyigijma okuka-13 iComrades. Okungikhuthazayo wukuthi angisangeneli mina kodwa sengenzela umkami ongasekho. Udlule emhlabeni ngo-2009 ngemuva kweminyaka emihlanu sishadile,” kusho uBhengu, osebenza kwaMasipala weTheku.
Uthe kusukela ngo-2009, yonke imijaho yeComrades ayigijimayo uyigijimela unkosikazi wakhe.
“Ngiqale ukugijima iComrades ngo-2005 umkami ubesekhona engeseka.
"Bengizitshela ukuthi ngifuna ukuzwa nje ukuthi kunjani ukugijima usuka eThekwini uya eMgungundlovu nokuphambana komzila ngokunjalo.
"Ukwesekwa ebengikuthola kuleya ntokazi bekuyisimanga, kwangenza ngafuna ukuqhubeka nokugijima. Nakhu-ke esedlula emhlabeni ngemuva kokugula amahora ambalwa.”
Ngemuva kokushona kukankosikazi wakhe, uBhengu usale nesithukuthezi okuholele ekutheni anqume ukuqhubeka nokugijima kuze kube imilenze yakhe ayisavumi ukuze ahloniphe umkakhe.
Uthi ukugijima kumkhumbuza yena.
“IComrades isho lukhulu kimi. Ngiphinde ngaba sengozini yemoto eyangishiya ngiqulekile emgwaqweni (ngo-2013). Into engiyikhumbulayo sengiphaphama esibhedlela, wukuthi ngabuza amanesi ukuthi ngisazokwazi yini ukuphinde ngigijime iComrades. Bathi yebo, ngabonga. Angisakhumbuli-ke ukuthi kwenzekani ngemuva kwalokho.”
Engozini uBhengu waphuka ithambo lenqwababa nelashintshwa ngocingo asagijima nalo nanamuhla.
“Ingozi yangehlela ngoMashi 2013 ngizizwa ukuthi ngiyilungisele kahle iComrades (eyayizogijinywa ekuqaleni kukaJuni). Angibange ngisagijima kodwa ngo-2014 ngabuyela khona nokho ngaquleka eCowies Hill.”
Ngemuva kokuquleka kwatholakala amahlule esifubeni nokwaphetha ngokuthi ampontshwe.
Nalapho wavuka wabuza ukuthi: Ngisazokwazi yini ukugijima.
Watshelwa ukuthi angabuyela okungenani ngemuva kweminyaka emibili noma emthathu kodwa yena uthi:
“Ngo-2015 ngahluleka wukulinda. Ngagijima i-ultra marathon (52km) eyayisuka eBergville iya eMnambithi nokwangikhuthaza ekubuyeleni kwiComrades kuze kube yimanje.”
UBhengu uthi inkulu inselelo yokulungiselela iComrades kumuntu onjengaye.
“Kunzima kakhulu, iningi lethu sinemisebenzi yansuku zonke. Mina ngiphinde ngibe nezingane ezingenanina. Kufanele ngibheke umsebenzi, wumuzi nezingane ngiphinde ngithole isikhathi esanele sokuzilungiselela. Kufanele uhlale uhlelekile uma ungumsubathi ngoba umzuzu nomzuzu usho lukhulu.”
UBhengu ubekhuluma emcimbini wase-University of KwaZulu-Natal lapho bekukhona nephini likangqongqoshe wezemfundo ephakeme, Higher Education, Science & Technology.
@IsolezweNews @IOLsport @ComradesRace @sejaldesai @UKZN pic.twitter.com/uKeBbib8fv
— Malibongwe Mdletshe (@Malbingo) June 8, 2019