RACE REPORT – Meet Maik, debuting as a FHAC runner at Comrades 2023 by Shani Hayward our first lady to claim her medal.
Comrades 2023 had many controversies. The start, the cut off, the lack of medals, the cheaters to name a few. One of the biggest on the day surprises to the folk back home was a German running in a Fish Hoek vest. We have 12 brave souls flying our flag!!!
Who was this guy? Why wasn’t he listed as a FHAC runner and more importantly, has he paid his club member fees? 😊
It all began in 2015 When Maik Kammerer came from Germany to run his first Two Oceans marathon. Something happened that day and Maik couldn’t help but come back year after year to run Oceans, Comrades, Winelands, Westcoast, Nelson Mandela, Soweto marathon and a Puffer or two.
But something was missing. He could not fill the void.
He tried to fill it by running Boston, New York, London, Tokyo, Berlin and a hundred other marathons but to no success. The void remained..
After drinking a couple (read many) of Jagermeisters at the end of Comrades 2022 with Beaumont and Keith, a lightbulb moment happened. What was missing was a club, but not just any club. It had to be Fish Hoek Athletics club! He paid his membership fees.
Maik met his fellow Club members in Pietermatritzburg. Robbie, Annelize, Zeta, Theresa, Renate, Beaumont, Johan, Sean, Trevor, Keith and Shani. On the 11 of June the start of Comrades was also his 45th Birthday and his 6th Comrades.
In his Fish Hoek vest the stars aligned, the void was filled with hundreds of supporters shouting GO FISH HOEK!!!
Needless to say, that with a steady pace of 6:06 per/km Maik finished in 8:53 earning himself a beautiful Bill Rowan medal and a PB. His comment afterwards was “Unbelievable!”
First Fish Hoeker home.
On the Monday the Fish Hoek team all gathered again for a much-anticipated war story party. The Jagermeisters flowed again.
One wise Fish Hoeker once told me that running is not an individual sport. It is a Team sport. Nothing could be truer than that! Comrades 2023. FHAC PROUD!
