For many, the Comrades Marathon represents one of the greatest tests of human endurance. For Dr Neo Mokone, Lecturer at the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at Wits Business School, completing the 2026 race was more than a sporting achievement, it was a reflection on discipline, preparation, purpose, and the power of showing up consistently.
The Comrades Marathon, known as ‘The Ultimate Human Race,’ took place on Sunday, 14 June 2026, with the 85.77km ‘Up Run’ starting in Durban and finishing in Pietermaritzburg, challenging thousands of runners to navigate not only the physical distance but also the mental and emotional demands of long-distance endurance, and after pushing through all of that, Dr Mokone crossed the finish line in an impressive 10:37:03.
Dr Mokone’s second Comrades finish carried a different meaning from his first.
“My second Comrades finish meant something different. The first was a test; the second was understanding. I no longer arrive at the race with uncertainty, but with full awareness of what it asks, and I choose it anyway,” he reflects.
As a multi-disciplinary pracademic, Dr Mokone brings together academic knowledge and practical experience across public policy, governance, development studies, agricultural economics, and philanthropy. His work at CAPSI contributes to advancing African scholarship and practice in philanthropy and social investment, while his research explores the systems, institutions, and communities shaping development across the continent.
For him, endurance is not only about the finish line. It is built through the unseen moments of preparation.
“The ultimate human race strips everything down to its essentials: preparation, discipline, doubt, and the repeated decision not to stop. It is not only run on the road between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, but long before race day, in the unseen hours where commitment must outlast motivation.”
Dr Mokone’s reflection draws a parallel between endurance in sport and the demands of meaningful work, where impact requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to continue even when progress is not immediately visible.
“What stood out most this time was not the medal, but the invisible work that made it possible: early mornings when motivation was absent but discipline remained, long runs where doubt had to be negotiated, and moments where purpose had to be reasserted when fatigue spoke louder than ambition.”
His journey also highlights the importance of community and collective support.
“I am deeply grateful for the support of my family, friends, fellow runners, and colleagues at Wits Business School, particularly the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI). Their encouragement, messages, and belief carried me far beyond the race itself.”
For CAPSI, where Dr Mokone contributes to teaching, research, and knowledge production in African philanthropy and social investment, his story reflects values that extend beyond the marathon: resilience, collective action, and a commitment to long-term transformation.
“Endurance is never only individual; it is also held by community, even when running feels solitary.”
Reflecting on completing the race for a second time, Dr Mokone describes the experience as a lesson in humility and continued growth.
“If the first finish proved I could do it, the second taught me how to endure, and that endurance is ultimately the quiet art of showing up, again and again, when it would be easier not to.”
Dr Mokone is a lecturer at CAPSI, Wits Business School, where he contributes to the Master of Management in African Philanthropy and Postgraduate Diploma in Philanthropy and Resource Mobilisation programmes. He is a member of the Golden Key International Society and has published widely through peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters, including co-authoring Social Policy in Southern Africa: Prospects and Possibilities.
His work continues to bridge scholarship, practice, and community impact, on the road, in the classroom, and across the African philanthropy landscape.
