100 miles in 40 hours: Keletso Nyathi completes ultramarathon
Physician and endurance runner Keletso Nyathi has completed a 100-mile (161km) run near Namibia’s capital – the first known 100-mile run in Windhoek’s history.
Nyathi finished the solo ultramarathon in 41 hours and 59 minutes. The route, on Moonraker Ridge east of the city, featured more than 7 000 metres of elevation gain, Moonraker reported.
According to a media release, the run took place during a new moon, leaving the mountainous Auasberge terrain in complete darkness. Without any official race infrastructure, support team, or spectators, Nyathi undertook the feat entirely alone, effectively creating his own personal ultramarathon.
“This wasn’t a race – it was a new beginning,” Nyathi said. “After my father’s death, further bereavements in the family, an injury, and the pressures of my job, I felt that something inside me would break if I didn’t run.”
Moonraker Lodge, located 25km east of Windhoek, served as the starting and turning point for several laps along the ridge. Nyathi set off at dusk and faced snakes, strong winds, insects, and wildlife. Rising temperatures posed the biggest challenge, leading to dehydration and heatstroke and forcing him to make a brief stop at the lodge.
Nyathi completed the course in 41 hours and 59 minutes, officially setting the first documented 100-mile record in Windhoek. “It’s not about medals or T-shirts,” he said. “We run to feel alive. Nature takes away all the noise.”
