Durban University of Technology (DUT) Sports Studies lecturer Collen Lotz who will be competing for the third time in the upcoming Comrades Marathon. She has said that she will be aiming for another under 11 hours finish. Lotz has run two Comrades Marathons (back-to-back) in under 11 hours, finishing 10 hours 15 minutes, and 10 hours 58 minutes.

This year’s Comrades Marathon is scheduled to be run on Sunday, (9 June 2024) from Durban to Pietermaritzburg (Up Run).

“I was not going to compete in the Comrades Marathon until the end of April, so finishing under 11 hours would be great since I had less time to prepare. Finishing on time is something that I am hoping to achieve,’’ she said.

The 53-year-old from Westville, Durban shared that although there have been some challenges, her preparations are going well. “Training is going very well. Two Oceans Marathons have prepared me well. They were my fastest and most fun race,’’ she said.

Lotz’s passions go beyond sports as she enjoys enabling students to grow in service learning and gain work experience within the sports industry.

The two-time Comrades marathon runner has always enjoyed participating in physical activity. Her athletic career started as a KZN swimmer and then a few years after school, she started cycling. She has competed in five Cape Town Argus Tours, a Sani2C Mountain Bike three-day stage race. The Iron Man in 2019, the Berg and Bush Mountain (two-day Bike Stage race).

One of her biggest dreams is to get an entry to the London Marathon. Her favourite athlete that she looks up to is Gerda Steyn. “She works extremely hard and yet is the most humble and friendly person. She is always available to chat and share her advice to anyone,’’ she said.

The biggest challenge Lotz had experienced in her athletic career was in her second Comrades Marathon where she had tendinopathy in both glute muscles and could not run for seven weeks.

Pictured: Collen Lotz

Vukani Langa