Pretoria-based athlete, Kenneth Ramaano, recently completed his challenge to run 400km on the spot, in front of the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha, to help raise funds for 4 000 needy learners around South Africa.
Ramaano concluded his challenge on August 6, having run 400km at the same spot through a new phenomenon called spot running, which involves running at the same spot as one would do on a treadmill.
Ramaano honoured an invitation to participate in the inaugural challenge, dubbed 400km Iconic Challenge Run, a charity initiative hosted by the Icon’s Journey Marathon Foundation in line with its corporate social investment programme, started in 2018, to give back to rural communities annually.
The challenge started on July 31 and concluded on August 7, with 16 social runners from seven provinces taking part in the physical part of the run.
“The run set off from Fort Hare University, an institution attended by the late president Nelson Mandela, proceeded to Healdtown High School, where Mandela matriculated and the town where struggle icon, Charlotte Maxeke, was born, and touched other towns such as Cala, Cofimvaba, Tsomo and Ngcobo, which are notable places of birth of notable liberation heroes such as Dr Xuma, Chris Hani, Walter Sisulu and Mama Albertina Sisulu,” said Icon’s Journey Marathon Foundation founder and chairperson, Prince Bandile Sangoni.
The foundation has set up a crowd funding-platform through Back-a-buddy on www.backabuddy.co.za/400kmiconicchallenge and in-kind donations that will benefit rural schools nationally with school shoes and various team sporting kits.
