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Just outside Drummond on the
Durban side is the Comrades
Wall of Honour. This is a long wall covered with
green and yellow Comrades
plaques
containing the names and race numbers of numerous Comrades
runners. The first section of the wall contains the plaques of former Comrades
winners. For the rest, the plaques are those of
runners who have paid for the privilege of having their name on this
wall to commemorate their race achievements. Runners who have
earned their permanent
number have a green plaque
while those who have run less than 10, have a yellow plaque.
When driving the route,
this is always a good place to stop and stretch your legs and take some
time out to look at the various plaques
on the wall. This is something that I have done every year
that I have run Comrades.
I did have the opportunity to purchase a plaque after my
first run, I made the decision that I would wait until I had earned my permanent number
before I applied for one. In the meanwhile I stopped at the
wall every year while driving
the route, looking forward to the year that I would be
able to look for my own plaque
on the wall.
Well eventually (2007) I ran my
10th Comrades
and was awarded my permanent
number. Shortly after returning to Cape Town I
contacted the CMA office to purchase a green plaque for the
wall. Imagine my disappointment when I was informed that they
had run out of space! They were not taking any more purchase
applications for plaques.
DISAPPOINTMENT!
Anyway, I got over
it! We stopped and visited the wall again the following year on our
pre-race route drive.
Although it was disappointing I had
come up with a plan! The day after Comrades,
I visited a tattoo shop at Ushaka, Durban and had the Comrades logo
(Hermes) with the laurel and my number tattoo’d above my right
ankle. I figured I had the space and I had earned
it. It’s an honour thing. I’ve decided that when I
eventually get to completing my 20th run, I will add a second laurel to
my tattoo!

My tattoo in lieu of a wall of honour plaque
I
am pleased to let you know that the CMA have subsequently found more
space and are once again giving runners the opportunity to
purchase a plaque. Needless to say, when I heard the news I
jumped at the opportunity and ordered my own plaque. I took great
delight in searching for it this year when we stopped at the wall on
our pre-race route drive.
The
Wall of Honour memorial blocks cost R300 per block, this include the
block, plaque and engraving as well as maintenance and upkeep of the
block and site for posterity. For more information about the Wall of Honour or to order a plaque, go to http://www.comrades.com/predefined.aspx?Page=91
Key words: Comrades
marathon, wall of honour, plaques
Internal links:
driving the route,
Drummond, permanent/green number
External links: Official
Comrades
Marathon
website
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