Mandla Zwane, a 31-year-old Kwa-Zulu Natal man, was born blind. His passion for running started at a very young age, when nothing would stop him from keeping up with his brothers who loved the sport.

As he was often teased but aided by his brothers, he did suspect his impairment but his mother only told Mandla he was blind at the age of five as he had to go to a special school. He felt ‘at home’ in his new environment, tough.

Soccer was played, but here in his safe domain, a plastic bag was tied around the ball so it could be heard. He would compete in 400m and 500m races and, as he grew older, he focused more on longer distances.

However, getting to know the routes was not easy. It took Zwane eight months to get accustomed to the course. He tripped many times, the gravel and stones on the road making it even harder.

Being an avid spectator of the Comrades 89km ‘Ultra marathon’, each year he would join the crowds along the road and cheer the runners on, only wishing he would participate one day.

After training for several months, he entered his first ‘Comrades’ race in 2005.

Last June, he marked his eighth consecutive run, completely unaided and clocking a personal best of seven hours and 53 minutes.

Zwane is well known in South Africa and hailed as a role model for children.

I heard about this amazing athlete in 2009 when, shortly after my return from Africa and my experience achieved through this event, I began to read about the history and the people that made this particular feat so famous.

Now, the information we receive on the psychology of blindness is very limited. The overall perception in the scientific and modern world is that of a mere disability, something to be cured and to control rather than that to study, learn from, or integrate.

“How can a blind person run? What does he feel and how does he find his way?” I wondered.

Curiosity got the better of me and in my limited way I felt the need to understand more.

Spontaneously, one day I ventured to the gym and with a trainer to guide me, and my eyes blindfolded I experienced my first session in complete darkness.

Initially, I felt awkward, lost and frustrated with no sense of control. However, as I progressed through my workout, darkness favoured other delights.

Soon, I started to let go of my inhibitions and in a world of no ‘light’ I felt that I was, for the first time, actually experiencing a complete all-out session, feeling every stretch in my muscles and sinew deeper.

Darkness helped quiet the chatter in my mind too, making me feel more present as I had to fully concentrate on what I was doing and where I was going. Eventually the more I practised, through other workouts, dance routines and even chores at home, the more comfortable and relaxed I felt.

I began to experience an enhanced state of awareness, and a sharpening state of my other senses, which gave me the ability to see better in total darkness. Through it all, and with no visual judgment, I also felt more connected to the earth and to people in general.

Training the mind is as crucial as training the body in an event like the marathon.

What I achieved overall was the ability to clear any thought process and focus simply on the goal at hand. I felt emotionally calmer yet more energised and motivated.

As I became more in touch with my body, I began to notice certain unbalances which were causing unwanted injuries.

Fear, anger and anxiety, to mention but a few, are all emotional blockages which lead to injuries and hinder physical pain. Addressing these emotions one by one, I had the ability to let go and endure the pain better.

Like Zwane, I stumbled a few times, bumped into people and hit walls, but I must admit the adventure was a reward and enrichment in itself.

M2S – full house

M2S participants must register and collect their race numbers from the Urban Sports outlet in Sliema (opposite the Marathon finish) from 10am to 6pm between December 18 and 22.

The race is full so no new applications can be accepted.