2018 women’s down-run champion Ann Ashworth will head into her ninth Comrades Marathon this year. She reflects on her astounding career so far.
When did you first start running and when did it become a passion?
I have run since I was in junior school – primarily the 1200m and cross-country as a junior, and later the 800m, 1500m, 3000m and x-country as a senior. At school, sport was compulsory, and I just seemed to do better at events which were longer in distance (and not as fast as the sprints).
When I started to be selected for district/regional/provincial teams I came to realise that perhaps these were the kinds of events on which I should focus while still also trying to participate in hockey, squash, swimming, drama and anything else the school had to offer. This eventually led to me being offered a partial athletic scholarship to University. It was only after school and university that I really found my niche in long distance running. I was peer pressured into running my first Comrades in 2008 (during my second year of employment) and have never looked back.
How do you prepare for the Comrades?
Comrades training can be all-consuming at times, particularly during the 10 weeks immediately preceding the race. During that time, it’s quite hard for me to work full-time because of my heavy training load – strength 4-5 times a week; running at least once a day; cross training 3-4 times a week and sleeping in between in order to ensure adequate recovery.
I do not follow a particular diet. I have previously found that being unduly restrictive on what I eat, particularly limiting carbohydrates and cutting out fats was extremely detrimental to my health and my performance, so now I just try to eat healthy, unprocessed food according to hunger. I also don’t hold back on healthy snacks and the occasional treat.
Can you describe the experience of your first Comrades?
Comrades is a culture in South Africa. I had dreamt of running the race since I was a little girl and was equally excited and terrified at the start. A small part of me actually worried that I might die, but most of me just felt so lucky to be on the start line. My first Comrades was fantastic – no pressure, no time goals, no expectation! I could just run for fun and enjoy the crowd support and camaraderie along the way – it was hard, but also so much fun.
Which run was your most challenging and why?
Definitely 2019. I was diagnosed with a severe back injury just a few days before the start but elected not to tell anyone other than my coach. I had been in a lot of pain and discomfort in the build up to the race and dreaded having to run 90km with that pain unrelenting. As defending champion there was a lot of pressure and expectation on me. I didn’t want to let anyone down and so I committed to running the race as hard as I could, for as long as I could.
Unfortunately, to keep moving I needed to take a lot of pain killers and anti-inflammatories which caused me to suffer from terrible cramping and tummy trouble from about 50km. I kept on having to jump into the bushes. Then at 70km I was so dazed from dehydration and pain that I fell over a cats-eye and badly hurt my shoulder. But I kept going – as hard as I could, for as long as I could… to eventually finish 4th in a PB time on the Up-run. It was the hardest day of my life.
What has inspired you to keep competing?
I love Comrades. I think it is South Africa at its finest – equal, undivided, working for a common purpose. The race has deep meaning to me and my family, my Mum having seconded me at every Comrades I have run. Every race (except 2018 and 2022) I have run in memory of my Dad who passed away when I was 19 – he always thought I would do well at Comrades and so I have always run for him.
But in 2018, my Mum had started to get frail and I wasn’t sure how many more Comrades she would be able to watch. So just before the race I committed to running for her – to give her the race she always wanted to see – of her daughter getting a gold medal – and I won! My Mum passed away in June 2021. Before her death, she asked me to run Comrades 2022 for her – and so this year, I will run in memory of my Mum and I will carry her in my heart every step of the way.
What are your targets and/ or expectations for this year’s race?
I’m trying not to have any expectations this year because pressure and performance anxiety can really detract from one’s performance. It’s been so long since we last ran, and we have all been through so much since 2019… this year I want to focus on the joy of running. I want to run the race feeling all the things that I love about Comrades – the crowd, the camaraderie, the journey. I want to run a race that my Mum would be proud of, giving it my all from the gun – prevailing despite adversity. I’m completely focused on the “feel” of the race or the race experience as opposed to the end result… but hopefully they will go hand in hand.
How has the Hollywoodbets Athletics Club assisted you in preparing for this year’s Comrades?
The Club has been so supportive of me this year both financially and personally. The Club has covered the cost of my training in Johannesburg (away from home) where I can be close to my coach and my medical team in the event of injury. The club has been careful not to place pressure on me which I really appreciate and has been really great in making sure we have all the resources we require to train and compete at our best. I am so grateful for its support.
