Congratulations to the athletes of Complete Athlete for their remarkable achievements at the Comrades Marathon, the world's oldest and largest ultra marathon. Despite the relatively small number of 11 athletes out of approximately 16,000 runners, it is evident that quality prevailed over quantity.

As the coach of Complete Athlete, the responsibility of preparing athletes for an ultra marathon is no easy task. The race itself is a formidable challenge, capable of testing even the most prepared and fit individuals. However, the athletes showcased their strength, determination, and character, living up to the motto of Complete Athlete: "RUN HARD, STAY STRONG, THINK BIG."

Special recognition goes to Lisa Selwood, Manorah Sithole, and Ron Van Eck for earning their green numbers. That's a great achievement! It took Ron 40 years to go green, demonstrating proper dedication. Despite wanting a better time, completing the marathon in 11H32 at the age of 63 is still impressive.

Manorah, you are consistently strong, but remember to start your watch for a huge improvement! Candis, although training with us for only a few months, described her race as one of the most comfortable runs she's ever had. Just think of what we can achieve in a year!

Lisa, I know your heart is set on a Bill Rowan, and once again you narrowly missed it. But sometimes the run doesn't reflect the medal. You ran so well that you deserve a gold! That was a champion run!

The next group, known as The Backstreet Boys, not only sing better but also run better! Andrew missed his personal best by just 2 minutes, finishing at 8H26. That's 31 minutes faster than last year, and he didn't even need a complimentary drip.

Cliff, congratulations on a new personal best, beating your previous time by 10 minutes. I saw you at our club gazebo, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

As usual, Koen goes all out and improved his personal best by a massive 22 minutes! Congrats, guys, you rock!

And then there's Megan, who trains in the Free State on a flat gravel road. She gives me nightmares about her lack of hill training, but she still managed to achieve a remarkable time of 8H50. What a class runner with a very bright future!

Our two Pirates runners did what they always do—run fast! Gary achieved a new personal best, surpassing his previous time by 6 minutes, despite running while sick. He's a powerhouse on legs, and that sub 8 is within his sights!

Lastly, I must mention Duncan, not only a good person and friend but also a brilliant runner. With a time of 8:01, he breezed through the course. He casually admits that he ran comfortably and could have shaved off another 15 minutes if he had pushed himself. I'm certain there will be a 7 behind his name next year, accompanied by a sparkling silver medal.

One of my regrets is not having two of our athletes at this year's Comrades. Chantal couldn't run due to an unfortunate incident during her qualifying marathon, and Marlene, who surely would have achieved a fantastic time, was out due to illness with the flu. You two ladies are a great addition to Complete Athlete!

From my side, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your hard work, patience, and trust in me as your coach. It is a great honor and privilege to work with such a talented bunch of athletes!