MY COMRADES STORY BY GERRIDA RORICH

“2023 was undoubtedly the worst year for my family. It is a trauma I can't put into words. We moved provinces, started new jobs, and had to pick ourselves up again.

I decided that part of my healing would be to take on my 6th Comrades Marathon. I am a High School teacher and am Grade Head to 56 beautiful Grade 8 pupils.

Every day I had to tell them about my 4am run and they invested in my words.
The week before Comrades, they started sending me good luck messages on our WhatsApp group.

On the day, at about 20km to go (when it really starts hurting), I took out my phone and the grade group was flooded! Every learner had sent a message, from praying for me, to tracking me, to instructing me to bring my medal back to school, to telling me not to give up.

At that stage I was crippled in agony; my left calf was spewing anger at me. I decided to lift my head and give it my all to finish sub 11h00.

I had to show my kids that you never ever give up on your dreams and hard work. They were following me and encouraging me; I had to do it for them and be the example.

My little bronze medal is dedicated to them; hopefully I inspired some of them to one day take on this incredibly epic journey and let it change their lives the way it did mine.

#Comrades2024 literally saved my life from the trauma of 2023 and I have decided to go for my Green Number. That will be the year these special “babies” of mine will be in Grade 12. It will be for them as much as it is for me.”

The winner of this month’s Mr Price Sport voucher is Gerrida Rorich.