11 "big win" lessons from David Gatebe, 2016 Comrades record breaker

The Comrades Marathon is a huge event on South Africa's calender. Thousands of South Africans and international athletes enter and compete; thousands stand by the roadside, support and cheer and thousands gather around the TV to watch the worlds largest and oldest ultra-marathon race. The Comrades Marathon is a 89 km (approx. 56 miles) race, annually run between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.  

In 2007 Russian Leonid Shvetsov set the record for completely the race in 5.24.05. This year, 29 May 2016, David Gatebe smashed the 9 year old record by nearly 2 minutes in a time of 5.18.12.  Claiming this BIG WIN, title and prize money. His journey to victory is astounding and marked by incredible focus and vision! 

Having a vision to win big

1. Find out from an early age what you love to do: David Gatebe remembers at 9 years old that he preferred running over soccer.

2. Set your vision: Because David new he was a good runner he started competing in running races in 2005 and a year later he began running seriously and professionally. He wanted to break records.

3. Practice winning: In 2008, David won the South Africa Marathon Championships. In 2013 he won the Two Ocean Marathon. He has also won various other road races.

4. Get a mentor: In 2012 working as a petrol attendant and struggling as an athlete, David met sports manager Blackie Swart, who worked at JSE-listed platinum producer Impala Platinum Mines (Implats) in Rustenburg. Backie Swart was impressed with David's wins,  hired him and started supporting David's career as a runner.

5. Test the waters: Before winning comrades David had to get acquainted with the race, the environment and the atmosphere of what comrades is. He ran his first comrades and in 2013, and finished 24th. In 2014 he finished 21st.  And in 2015 he finished 18th.

6. Get a Gold Winning Coach in your corner: David Gatebe started working with John Hamlett in 2005, the a world famous ultra-distance and Comrades Marathon coach. Hamlett has coached over 45 Comrades gold medals athletes and many other elite athletes in his career. They started small to create a strong foundation.

7. Stay Humble: David knew what to do with the prize money when he won. He really wanted his life to remain normal, he wanted to keep his job and keep his home. All prize money from the races, including the R 1 mil prize from Comrades, went straight into his savings bank account- towards his children's education. “This is where it all began for me. I have been here for nine years and am not about to leave this shack. Nor my job." David said after his Comrade win.

8. Run with Winners Run with Champions: David Gatebe understood that to be a champion you have to train with champions. So ran and trained with 2015 Comrades champion, Gift Kelehe. 

9. Train in tough conditions: Two months prior to the Comrades Marathon David Gatebe join John Hamlett's altitude training camp in Dullstroom, Mphumalanga. To be a great runner you need to know your capabilities in good conditions and have the ability to deliver the same performance in tough conditions. David knows his speed per kilometer in good condition and in tough conditions. 

10. Conquor the mental win: On the morning of the Comrades race with a slice of bread and jam David told himself, "This is my day to break the record." At 31 km's he picked up the pace. At 10 km, he got an encouraging word from his coach saying its time to break records. At 3 km's he was well within the record time, and all he needed to do was maintained his pace. With zero doubt in his mind David had over the months exercised his own encouraging self talk, constantly affirming his vision to win. 

11. Over Prepare: David Gatebe says he was mentally and physically prepared for the win for the race. After smashing the Comrades marathon, David drops to the floor and bashes out 6 push ups. In an interview, David said, he still had enough to go for another 10 km. Before the race, David said, "I told my teammate I was going to break the record!" This man was incredible prepared for the win.

"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others." Jonathon Swift