Comrades Marathon great, Bob de la Motte, was in Pietermaritzburg this week for the launch of his autobiography, Runaway Comrade.
De la Motte, who now lives in Australia and is best remembered for his epic duels in the 1980s with nine-times Comrades winner, Bruce Fordyce, is on a whirlwind tour of South Africa promoting his book, and so it was only fitting that he visited the home of the most famous ultra-marathon in the world – Comrades House in Pietermaritzburg.
De la Motte has written Runaway Comrade against the backdrop of South Africa in the politically charged ’80s in honour of the Comrades Marathon and some of his less fortunate fellow runners.
“Many of these trail-blazing black distance runners from the apartheid era have simply disappeared; their triumphs ignored and possibly forgotten by those who should be honouring them,” de la Motte said.
He intends using the net proceeds of the book for the benefit of these champion ultra-marathon runners from the 1974-90 era.
In what is a personal memoir, De la Motte explains his naive dalliance with the Comrades; the crucial social role Comrades played in South Africa at the time; and elaborates on the hyped-up rivalry between himself and Fordyce.
He also explores hypocrisy and speculation of cheating and explains why he chose to emigrate to Australia in 1987.
Speaking at the launch, De la Motte revealed that had he known Nelson Mandela was going to be released from prison in 1990, he would not have left the country.
De la Motte relives his own personal triumphs, disappointments and challenges, his South African heritage and his hectic life on four continents.
De la Motte also speculates on the future of the Comrades Marathon and airs his contemporary views on a politically democratic South Africa.
“This book also afforded me the opportunity to introduce readers to some of the wonderful characters I was privileged to work with and run alongside,” he said.
* De la Motte ran second to Fordyce in the Comrades Marathon in 1984, 86 and 87. His runner-up time of 5:26 in 1986 has only been beaten by four winners of the Comrades marathon over the ensuing 28 years.
He won the prestigious 50km JSE (City2City) marathon in 1985 and the 56km Korkie Marathon in 1986.
In Australia he won the Perth Marathon, the national Australian cross-country title – and set Australian records for 30 miles and 40 miles in the Mundaring to York ultra-marathon.
This year, the 60-year-old ran the Boston Marathon in 3:06, finishing ninth in his age category.