On the 2nd June 2013 I am going to take on the 86.6km Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. This will be the end of a 17 month journey for me and the fulfilment of a life time goal as I have wanted to run this race ever since I was young boy. 

I will have 12 hours to cover the 86km uphill run. Failure to finish within the 12 hour cut off will mean no medal, no T-shirt and no finisher’s time. A big fat DNF (Did Not Finish). I will have to climb over 1,300m to get from sea level to the finish. 

I grew up just outside Durban and my parents now live near Hillcrest which is on the route of the race. The run also passes through the Valley of 1000 hills, a very beautiful part of Natal, but also an area ravaged by poverty and HIV / AIDS. There a numerous cases in the area where the parents of young children have died from HIV / AIDS leaving them to fend for themselves, be cared for by grandparents, or in some cases be looked after by older siblings. Unfortunatley it is the children that suffer from their parents actions. 

It is for this reason that I am raising funds for Starfish Greathearts, a charity that supports SETHANI an aids centre that looks after aids orphans that live in the valley.  

The fundamental principles behind the centre are to empower people and not create a dependency, by helping people to make a better life for themselves. This is achieved through education and support, training and counselling.  

The SETHANI centre currently looks after 1,509 orphaned and vulnerable children whose parents have died from HIV / AIDS, 377 are below the age of 5. Support is achieved through school support (uniforms, shoes and stationary), physical needs (food parcels, blankets, clothing and medicine) and emotional needs (counselling, life skills and grief counselling).  

In fact, SETHANI is only a few miles from my parents’ house, and I am trying to organise a visit to the centre whilst I am out there to see first-hand where your donations will be going. If possible I will take some photos (provided I am allowed) and update this area with news.  

So, if you would like to support this cause, and my madness, then please make a donation, no matter how big or small it all helps. All funds raised will go to the Sethani centre.

If not then thanks for taking the time to read my story. 

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