Veteran ultra-marathon runner Charne Bosman skips this year’s Comrades

The 87km up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg is scheduled for June 9 in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Bosman, who won the Ultimate Human Race in 2016, has faced significant challenges in recent years, including testing positive for COVID-19, collapsing during an ultra-marathon, and suffering a heart attack.

This year, she will focus on shorter distance races and aims to return to the Comrades Marathon when she turns 50 next year.

"Sometimes you need to step back to go a little bit higher in life. So, after last year, I think 2022 was a big disappointment for me. I wasn’t in such great shape, ending up in hospital, having Covid and didn't finish that race,” Bosman said.

“I wanted to come back in 2023 to show them that in 2022 I could have made the top 3 and then 2023 I think I tried too hard and I actually tore my hamstring muscle at the beginning of the year but I didn't want to listen because I wanted to get to Comrades and that was the biggest mistake to start Comrades with such a big injury and I couldn't finish Comrades last year. So, I decided to take a six-month break after last year.”

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Bosman has accomplished much in the Ultimate Human Race, earning six gold medals, and securing, first, second, and third-place finishes in eight years.

She is taking a break to return even stronger in her milestone year when she turns 50.

"I came second, I came third, I do have six gold medals and I decided next year I will turn 50, why don't I take a break and just be stronger? So, at this moment I'm doing a lot less mileage but I'm focusing on my strength work and doing a lot of strength. When I'm 50 there are new goals, I can run the best time for a 50-year-old at Comrades," Bosman added.