Bruce Fordyce has run 117,000 lifetime miles (March 1, 2017)

Bruce Fordyce
Johannesburg, South Africa
DOB: Dec. 3, 1955
---------------------------------
Chicago Lakefront, 1984
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bruce is one of the world's greatest distance runners, with nine victories in the Comrades Ultra Marathon. In many ways, he is the Bill Rodgers of South Africa: a dominant runner and even better and more politically-aware person. He was extremely helpful to me in my two Comrades runs. In fact, I wouldn't have finished the first except for Bruce's recommendation that I see his personal physiotherapist about an inflammed Achilles tendon. Ouch, that guy hurt me! But my Achilles was fine for the race several days later.]


So I’m approaching 200,000 kms which I should reach in early 2018. I started running at university (University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg) on June 18th 1976 two days after the Soweto uprisings which affected me very deeply as a student. My direct plan was to train for and run the following years Comrades marathon in 1977 . With one or two very short breaks for post marathon recovery or injuries I have run consistently ever since. I have run over 150 ultra marathons in the 50 -100 km range and well over 300 marathons. 

Other race distances too numerous to count. I do keep a detailed training and racing diary. While my knees are starting to bother me I still run around 50-70 kilometres a week. I managed to run the New York City Marathon in 2:58 at age 55. But my knees have grown stiffer since then.

Highlights of my running career are 9 Comrades marathon wins where I broke the course record 5 times (1981-1990). I also finished 2nd and 3rd on two occasions. I was a member of the winning team 5 times. In total I have run 30 Comrades marathons. I also won 3 back-to-back London to Brighton races ( 53 miles) 1981-1983 and I won the AMA Us 50 mile champs in 1984 in Chicago in 4:50:51 setting a world and US time which still stands. In 1989 I ran 100 kms in6:25 which was a short-lived World record. This year I am running the Two Oceans 56 km in Cape Town for the 32nd time. My best there was 4th in 1983 in 3:13. I have run 15 Pieter Korkie 56 km races between Pretoria and Johannesburg winning it once in 1985 in 5:21 at high altitude.

My proudest achievement was receiving the President’s award for sport from Nelson Mandela. Also, winning the 1981 Comrades marathon in record time splattered with eggs and tomatoes thrown at me by angry white spectators because I wore a black armband in the race, protesting the race’s incorporation into the government’s celebration of 20 years of Apartheid.

My best times:
Mile 4:11
5000 metres 14:26
10000 metres 29:53  
Marathon 2:17:18
50Km.2:53
56 km. 3:13
50 miles 4: 50: 51 in Chicago 1984 4: 50 30 London to Brighton point to point course
100 kms 6:25