Miway Wally Hayward Marathon 2025

One of the reasons I participated in the Wally Hayward Marathon 2025 is because of the legend himself “Wally Hayward”. The enigmatic Wally Hayward led an eventful life as an athlete. Wally began his running career at just the age of seventeen years old. At the age of twenty one he took the plunge and entered the Comrades Marathon. In 1999 the Comrades Marathon Association honoured him by dedicating the race to the long distance running legend himself. 

In 1989, just a few weeks after his 81st birthday he completed his last comrades marathon. The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 88 km which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It is between the cities Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Not only is the Comrades Marathon the world’s largest race, it’s the oldest and the ultimate human race of all time.  

Why is this important to me?

Wally’s life is a reminder that there is grace to move or rather movement is grace.  

We tend to take the ability to move freely without being assisted for granted. 

Let me take you through my journey. 

When I began my running journey, I had no intentions to participate in races or marathons. The goal at the time was about weight loss and later weight management. As I grew older, running completely changed my life. Now, it is associated with my mental health and overall well-being. That alone has changed my life and my outlook on life. 

I say this because running will humble you and make you a beginner. You can be the most intelligent one in the room and apply yourself. However, on the streets, you need to first build or train your muscles just for them to carry you. You teach your body and your mind needs to register then process this sport. Once your mind has registered the sport, it slowly applies itself. This is gradual. From time to time your body will get shocked and the re-registering in your mind restarts. 

Take for instance my first half marathon experience that I shared previously on LinkedIn. I ran my first half marathon in 3:25:15. I did this without training and a poor diet. My body took weeks to recover because it did not register what I was doing to it. I then completed my second half marathon in 3:04:15. My body was not as shocked and my mind started processing this concept. On the 01st May 2025 I completed my third half marathon in 2:50: 31. My body and mind are slowly registering the sport.  

Why am I sharing this with you?

Well firstly like Wally Hayward’s running career, it did not start off smoothly. He did encounter injuries and had to strategise a suitable training programme to meet his needs. Secondly, incorporating positive habits takes time. You need to train your mind before it can apply itself. That alone is a process. 

Lastly, the slogan for the Hayward marathon is #borntomove. I believe we must not take the ability to move for granted. I think what keeps me on the street is the sixty year old plus men and women I run with. They tell me all the time, one day you will lose your ability. Therefore, move now because there is grace to move. 

Runners, walkers or any form of movers. Movement is grace. MOVE your body! Remember the life of Wally Hayward. 

Phiwe Mncwabe is storyteller, blogger and voice in Africa.

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