With great physical preparations under her belt, along with equally important mental training, DUT Sport Studies lecturer Colleen Lotz is ready to tackle her fifth consecutive Comrades Marathon this coming weekend.
She will be among 30 excited DUT staff, students and alumni running the gruelling race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, 14 June 2026, and she can barely wait to take the first steps of the 85.8km journey in her well-worn shoes.
Just last Sunday, gutsy Colleen took part in a triathlon in Durban, such is her strength and enthusiasm when it comes to sporting endeavours.
“I wanted to complete an Ironman and Comrades within the same week, trying to push myself to see if it’s achievable. It is hard, as there is really not enough recovery time between the two events. Training has been hard, but good. With taking part in the Ironman 70.3 the week before Comrades, I have had to put in so much more work this year,” she said.
She has expressed that she is ready to work very hard, physically and mentally, on Sunday, as she eyes a good finishing time in the well-loved ultra-marathon that connects KwaZulu-Natal’s port and capital cities.
“You say you only want to complete one Comrades and then another and another. There is nothing like the feeling you get once you have completed the race leading up to the race, sharing experiences, sharing your life and just the support you get from the community,” she explained.
Colleen indicated that she has been training twice a day for the past four months, and twice a week, three times a day so that she can get some strength work in.
In terms of food, she knows how to balance her diet before big events and on race day, which is critical.
“Believe it or not, you do not lose weight with all the training as there is no such thing as eat what you like. I like to eat a healthy, balanced diet, and race week, up the carbs or cake. You also have to prepare for race day nutrition, which does end up costing quite a bit, with having gels, etc,” Colleen said.
Colleen added that she had such a great race last year, and this year she is not putting any pressure regarding a time.
“I do have a preferred finish time in my heart of course,” she added.
Her advice to novice runners: “Take in the race vibes, make some new friends on the route and always thank the spectators, they are what gets you through in the end.”
The DUT sports office and management have wished the 30 runners a successful race and hopes to seeing them all at the finish line in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.
Colleen certainly espouses that and she plans to finish strongly on Sunday.
Pictured: Colleen Lotz at last year’s Comrades Marathon.
Waheeda Peters
