From behind the mic to the Comrades: Clement Manyathela shares his experience

You may recognise his voice from our sister station 702, meet Clement Manyathela… Comrades runner. 

Anele and The Club on 947 catch up with the radio personality.

Listen below.

Radio and television presenter and now Comrades runner. 

While he is no stranger to the marathon scene, how exactly did he get into running?

It’s a tale as old as time… 

“I started running because I was trying to charm someone who loved running. There was somebody who loved running, two years ago and I was like ‘oh, I also run, 10kms I will join you’. And then I loved it.”

- Clement Manyathela

“The bug caught me… I have told the listeners on my show that I would do Comrades before I was 35, I am turning 34 this year… I hired a coach in January and started training.”

- Clement Manyathela

But what does it feel like to take on the ultimate human race? 

“When you are at the finish line [at Comrades] and they play Chariots of Fire in the background, people start crying. I cried… you are thinking you are excited, you are grateful but also you are scared, physiologically your body reacts.”

- Clement Manyathela

“It’s mind over matter, literally Comrades is not just about fitness, you have to be mentally fit. At 70kms, for me, that’s when my body said ‘I’m done’ and my mind took over.”

- Clement Manyathela

“I can’t remember anything between 75kms and when I crossed the finish line… But I am elated, I am going to do another one.”

- Clement Manyathela

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.