Durban - As if running the Comrades marathon wasn’t arduous enough, a Durban man is “bouncing” his way through the world’s most challenging ultramarathon.
Myles Buxton is planning to run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, bouncing a tennis ball all the way along the blacktop.
His escapade will raise funds for two children who need substantial funding for medical care.
“I have run five Comrades Marathons over 19 years, and have always run for charities, including babies’ homes and the Sunflower Fund. By God’s grace I have raised over R150 000 over the course of these runs,” he said.
“On the last two down runs, I realised that I wanted to do something different, so I bounced a tennis ball the entire way,” Buxton added.
A 10-year-old boy suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, as well as a 14-year-old girl with leukaemia will benefit from the funds he raises in the 2017 race.
“The support from local media, businesses and the community has been amazing. The Cell C Sharks, Radio Pulpit and East Coast Radio have all gotten behind the run and are wanting to sponsor me,” he said.
Buxton said that the idea of bouncing the ball while running was spawned from the Tom Hanks movie Cast Away, where his basketball Wilson is his soulmate and friend.
“I have called this run Bouncing Wilson for the Children. I’ve done two ball-bouncing Comrades Marathons to date, and both were down runs. I’ll only be able to say I’ve completed the ball-bouncing Comrades experience when, God willing, I complete the up run in June,” he said.