This weekend our very own Jim Panton will be one of 20,000 runners racing in the Comrades Race in South Africa. Jim has been training for this Marathon for the last two years, where he is hoping to beat his personal best last time!

The Comrades Marathon is the world’s largest and oldest Ultra Marathon race. Each year the direction of the race changes and alternates between the ‘Up Run’ of 87km starting from Durban and the ‘Down Run’ of 90km starting from Pietermaritzburg. This year it is the return of the ‘Down Run’, which will see Jim run past his old high school. The race will begin on Sunday 10th June at 5.30am and finish at 5.30pm.

On the 20th May 1998, Jim alongside Steve Cram CBE ran the Bosnia Comrades ultra marathon which led to the development of the COCO Charity back in 1999. COCO’s purpose is to provide education to give children the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty, working with communities in remote areas of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Good luck Jimmy!

If you want to follow Jim on his journey, make sure to download the FREE Ultimate Live app on IOS and Android!