The kwaito star and pastor says thoughts of disappointing his children kept him going during the gruelling 2026 race.
By Bulelwa Hoala

South African kwaito star and pastor Kabelo “Bouga Luv” Mabalane has completed his 14th Comrades Marathon.
Kabelo shared the achievement on social media following the 2026 edition of the iconic ultramarathon.
He revealed that he almost did not take part this year because of how challenging the race can be.
“I nearly bailed this year because, quite frankly, this race is a beast.
“Then I remembered my kids were there supporting me and suddenly the thought of the drive back to Joburg became even scarier than the race itself,” he wrote.
His children gave him the motivation to keep going
Kabelo said what fuelled him to keep going and ultimately cross the finish line was the thought of having to explain why he quit to his children.
“‘So Dad, when things get tough, we can just quit?’ Yeah… no thanks. I’d rather run the extra kilometres than have that conversation.
“So I dug deep, kept moving, and got it done.”
Watch the video below:
Already looking ahead to the 100th edition
While Kabelo is still recovering from this year’s race, he said he is already thinking about the 2027 Comrades Marathon, which will mark the event’s 100th edition.
“Now to recover, forget how painful it was, and start looking forward to the 100th edition in 2027. Because apparently I have a very short memory when it comes to these things.”
The 2026 Comrades Marathon, known as “The Ultimate Human Race”, took place on Sunday, 14 June, and was the 99th edition of the iconic ultramarathon.
South Africa’s George Kusche and Gerda Steyn won the men’s and women’s races respectively. Kusche won the marathon, an “up run” from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, in a record-breaking time of 5:15:56, while Steyn finished in 5:51:19 to claim her fourth title.
A lifelong love affair with running
Kabelo completed his first Comrades Marathon in 2006 and has openly spoken about how running transformed his life.
In his autobiography, I Ran For My Life, he reflected on his battle with drug addiction and how running helped him embrace a healthier lifestyle.
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