THROWBACK: "I blacked out 150m short of the Comrades finish line"
Durban runner shares exclusive details of how he blacked out during the comrades marathon.
Mere metres from the Comrades Marathon finish line in 2022, Junaid Bhayat, blacked out.
We had an exclusive chat with this Musgrave runner about his road to recovery.
He had to be resuscitated and placed into an ice bath after he took part in the Ultimate Human Race,
Listen to his story below:
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As shared in the podcast above, Junaid is a local runner who works as a chartered accountant.
On the day of the race, Junaid had to be held up by friends before a medical team took over. He was transferred to the Netcare St Augustine's Hospital's ICU.
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Junaid offered some insight to his mental state during the race.
"My heart rate was climbing higher and higher, and I was overheating, but I kept my mind on the finish line," he said.
When Junaid reached Westville and was met with family and refreshments, he knew he had to push harder.
In true comrades fashion, Junaid dug deep to get himself across the line. In doing so his body began to shut down due to dehydration and the heat generated in the last section of the marathon.
Junaid’s running mates tried their best to keep him going despite their own exhaustion.
He was just 150m short of the finish line when he collapsed and blacked out.
Junaid’s inspiring story proves how even when you're knocked down you can bounce back even harder.
We can't wait to see what's next for Junaid. He may not have received an official medal but his story has undoubtedly won our hearts.
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Image courtesy of Junaid Bhayat