Biokineticist embraces dark side during mammoth endurance feat

Madibaz biokineticist Brandon Gill is joined by children from the Hope4Kids charity in the final stages of his 27-hour endurance run at the Madibaz Stadium last Friday and Saturday.

Biokineticist Brandon Gill was forced to overcome some of the darkest moments of his life when he ran 27 consecutive hours for charity on his 27^th birthday this past weekend.

In a remarkable feat of endurance and compassion, the Mandela University science graduate put his feet where his mouth was to raise funds for the Hope4Kids organisation.

His effort was underscored by a BackaBuddy campaign, under the banner of Run4Soulz.

The raw statistics are impressive. Gill ran a total of 152km in raising R29 700 for his chosen cause.

He started his journey into the unknown at 9am on Friday, his birthday, and finished at noon on Saturday. He surpassed the combined distance of the Comrades and Two Oceans marathons (145km) during this time.

What the numbers do not show is the physical and emotional toll.

“This was easily the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Gill, who graduated in 2021 and currently works with the Madibaz Netball club, said.

“Everything in my body was hurting and I was constantly at war with myself.”

Two key moments, which tested his mental and physical limits, stood out.

“The first was around lunchtime on Friday,” he recalled.

“Temperatures rose above 30 degrees Celsius and there was no shade on the track. I started suffering from heat stroke.

“I couldn’t keep anything down. That was the moment I truly began to doubt whether I could finish.”

Gill, supported by his girlfriend Jana Relihan, eventually found an 80-metre stretch of track at the Madibaz Stadium that was shaded by trees.

Clinging to that reprieve, they walked back and forth for three hours until he felt ready to return to the main loop.

“Jana ran with me, motivated me and kept me going when I had nothing left to give,” he said. “She was incredible.”

The second defining stretch was the graveyard shift from midnight to 6am.

“It was cold, I was exhausted and I felt like I had nothing left,” he said.

“But the netball girls were incredible. Their encouragement through those hours kept me going. I’ll always be grateful for their support.”

During one of his lowest points, someone’s message of motivation struck a chord with him: “You aren’t a quitter, so get your head in the game and finish this thing.”

Those words, along with the efforts of his support team, helped him push on.

He also paid tribute to his parents, Graeme and Sunae, who remained by his side for the duration.

With the end in sight, the exhaustion was replaced by an overwhelming sense of purpose.

“The final two hours were the most enjoyable. About 60 children from Hope4Kids joined me on the track.

“To see the joy on their faces as they ran barefoot and smiling was absolutely priceless.”

They crossed the finish line alongside him for an emotional climax that brought Gill to tears.

“Hearing them clap and sing as we finished, I broke down. It meant the world to me.”

Though many have called him a hero, Gill describes himself as a regular guy who wanted to do something meaningful.

“Those kids, they are the real heroes. I’d do this all again.”

With a background of competing in endurance events, including several half Ironman races and one full one, Gill brainstormed ideas that never quite came together.

So he decided to “just make something happen myself”.

“I’m proud to have partnered with Madibaz Netball. It was a true team effort.”

Madibaz Sport netball manager Melinda Goosen played a key role in organising logistics while the players took on the toughest shift from 6pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday.

Friends, colleagues and biokinetics students also joined in support.

“To see everyone coming together, and what we were able to achieve, was amazing.”