George Kusche worked hard in the run-up to the Comrades marathon. (Photo: Provided)
George Kusche tightened his Comrades laces for the first time in 2025 with a spectacular time (5:41:23) and place (12th).
Now it is a year later and the 27-year-old former pupil of Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool is stronger, wiser and ready for the challenge.
At the peak of his training program, he jogged as much as 1,000 km per month, while he used the challenging Two Oceans half-marathon just a bit as an additional stress reliever for Sunday’s big test.
“I prefer the uphill race, even if I have never done it before. I really like bumps and of course there is no shortage of nice uphills when you run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg,” he told Maroela Media.
Kusche showed in the Two Oceans with his good 21 km time (1:04:11) that he can also turn on the speed taps with ease.
A fast athlete who loves bumps; These are all the ingredients for a Comrades winning recipe, aren’t they?
“The Comrades is a challenge and there is always a degree of uncertainty involved. You try everything you can, but it remains a long race.”
The longer the race, the greater the chance that something could go wrong. That is precisely why Kusche believes that adaptability is the key.
“You know that you can calmly jog with the pack until the halfway mark. After that, you start to turn things into a race.”
(Photo: Provided)
Fatigue is also different in every race: In a shorter race you can simply be out of breath, in a challenging ultramarathon your body is really broken.
“Last year I struggled in the darts and I just put one foot in front of the other. However, I have worked really hard this year and I will keep going no matter what.”
But alas, the Comrades remain one of a kind.
“There is no other race on earth like the Comrades. I recently read Barry Holland’s book and it is clear that the marathon has the unique ability to improve people’s lives in tangible ways. It brings us as South Africans closer together.”
Will he run to win?
“I’m not going to choose a position. I’m curious to see how well I can do. I want to do everything within my control to be the best on the day.”
(Photo: Provided)