The Washie 100 miler is considered one of the most gruelling and challenging road races in South Africa. For the previous finishers, they have described the 160km distance, as monstrous and a crazy event to tackle – and that’s just what Nande Mantiyane did. Thathe Msimango caught up with her.
The event is usually scheduled for the first week of July, and runs between Port Alfred and East London in the Eastern Cape, requiring all participants to finish before the 26-hour cutoff. One of the finishers this year is Hollywood Athletics Club runner Nande Mantiyane, who was making her debut in the race.
Mantiyane, who was born in Flagstaff, was convinced by her friend Siyasanga Ngxangana to consider the race. She can now be proud of herself after finishing the race in 22:52:02, crossing the finish line as the 40th runner.
“I’m very happy and proud of myself at the same time. The experience of running the Washie is priceless and a crazy idea too. From the beginning, when I signed up for it, I needed to prove that I’m capable of accomplishing anything in life,” explains Mantinyane, who finished her fourth Comrades Marathon in 11:02:23 on 8 June.
“I didn’t want to tell my mother that I’m going to participate in the race. I knew my mother wouldn’t approve of it. I only told her after I finished running. To take part in the race, I was pushed by my friend Siyasanga Ngxangana who supported me through the whole process. She was even seconding me in the race to ensure I had a smooth ride. It was a hell of a great experience even though I’m still recovering from the fatigue,” she explained.
Now, the 33-year-old Mantiyane, who is now based in Engcobo, due to working under the Department of Justice as a Stenographer, describes the first half of the race as the hardest. The first 35km of the race, the seconding is not allowed, and there are three water points.
“I knew in the first 35km loop, the seconders were not allowed, and you must run on your own, and that was tough. I came prepared, though, for the assignment, as in the past I have completed a distance over 100km,” explains Mantiyane, a 2023 Icons 100km finisher in 11 hours 14 minutes.
“Despite the first half being tough. I also dealt with injuries (shin splints) along the route, which made me stop for over an hour. Despite those challenges, I believed I was going to have a good and strong finish in terms of time. The most important thing is that I held strong to cross the finish line. This race is one of the hardest I have ever done in my career,” she said.
Now Mantiyane, a new member under the Purple Team after joining the club this year, is focused on the Hollywoodbets Durban 10k race taking place on 30 August at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium.
“At the moment, I’m still recovering well from the race. I don’t want to rush to run as I might risk injuring myself. I’m going to have enough rest before the next race, which is the Hollywood race in Durban. The most important thing is to have fun there,” she concluded.
