Deputy Commissioner Vishvas Mote conquers the ‘ultimate human race’ — the 89 km iconic Comrades Marathon in South Africa
Vishvas Mote with the India flag post-finish. Pic/Sonali Mote
Even as Vishvas Mote, deputy commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Zone 3, typed out an acknowledgement to a congratulatory message on his phone, yet another popped up on the screen. All those ‘super se bhi upar’ messages flooding his phone were because Mote finished the Comrades Marathon 2025 in South Africa on Sunday, June 8, running 89 km in a time of 11 hrs 53 minutes and 50 seconds or 11:53:50, like they say in running lingo.
The Comrades is an ultra-marathon and is labelled as the ‘ultimate human race’, held annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. An ultra-marathon, also known as an Ultra or Ultrathon, is any foot race which is above the traditional full marathon distance of 42.2km.
Terrain
The Comrades Marathon began in 1921 as a tribute to fallen World War I soldiers. It is now known as one of the toughest Ultras in the world, with more than 20,000 athletes from all over participating.
Mote strikes a pose. Pic/Naarad
Mote, whose running bib number was 55658, said from Durban before the event that it was “not just a race, but a pilgrimage of passion and purpose.” While the Comrades is a very daunting distance, the real test is its unforgiving terrain, with its alternating “up” and “down” runs each year.
Fitness
Fitness is a byword in Mote’s life. His mobile display picture (DP) on WhatsApp, which is often an arbiter for what people think or believe, states: ‘Why I Respect Fit People’. The DP goes on: ‘A well-built physique is a status symbol that reflects your hard work. Money cannot buy it, nor can you inherit it. You cannot steal it, nor can you borrow it. You cannot hold on to it without constant work.
The smile and tricolour say it all. Pic/Sonali Mote
It shows dedication, discipline, self-respect and dignity. It shows patience, work ethic and passion. Being fit is far more than just looks.’ Mote lives by that DP. The top BMC official completed the ‘Ironman Italy Emilia Romagna’ triathlon, which is a swim-cycle-run combination in a searing 15 hours, 25 minutes, and 4 seconds (15:25:4) in Cervia, Italy, in September last year. “Yet”, Mote explained, “This race, the Comrades, is more brutal than the Ironman. An event that truly fires up your spirit and feeds the soul as the promos say.”
Preparation
Mote, who is in Durban currently, explained, “I knew this Ultra comprised several segments of uphill running and I prepared accordingly. I did a 65-km hill run in Satara in April this year, this was after doing the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) in January. In February, I did a 50 km Tata Ultra in Lonavala and one more hill run in Nashik in April. One must do three to four runs uphill, which are from 50 km to 75 km, to prepare for an event like this. These long hill runs were done on the weekends. I would start at 12 am on a Sunday, finishing five to six hours later. My routine practice I did in South Mumbai at Peddar Road, Altamount Road, Malabar Hill — all inclines on weekday mornings.”
Determined
Of the Comrades race itself, Mote said, “During the course, at around 40km, I had cramps, I almost collapsed. I sat aside, took a massage and thought to myself that I should give up. Then, after a rest, I told myself, ‘Let me try to finish.’ I was back on my feet after 30 minutes. For an event like this, strategy is all-important; one needs to devise a run, walk, jog regimen to complete.” Mote thanked all his supporters, family, wife Sonali and accomplished Comrades finisher Satish Gujaran, for helping and cheering him on. When asked about striking a work-life balance, Mote said with a laugh, “That takes strategy too, meticulous planning, but it is achievable. I wake up very early to start training by 5 am on weekdays, getting in 2.5 hours, after which it is off and ready for work. Weekends are for longer runs. With discipline, one can find the right balance. Add to this a diet that is hygienic and healthy. Then, we have the right formula, and implementation is key,” said the senior BMC official.
Inspiring
While his work will begin once Mote is back in Mumbai in a couple of days, right now it is all about relishing and cherishing crossing that finish line. “Elation, celebration and some introspection,” is how Mote described the post-race roller coaster of emotions. Those on various life journeys can add one more to that — inspiration, for Mote is truly that. As the sun was getting ready to set in Durban, a lean, sinewy figure was running towards the finish line on the past Sunday, silhouetted against the sky, reminding us that the only limits are those that we put on ourselves.
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