Blue Connections is proud to have supported one of our customer's (Downer RML Pty. Ltd.) employees, Justin Hansen, to fulfil his dream of competing in the Comrades Ultra-marathon. Arguably the greatest ultra marathon in the world, where athletes come from all over the world to combine muscle and sinew and mental strength to conquer the approximate 90 kilometres between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the event is staged as a living memorial to the spirit of the soldiers of the Great War.

The first Comrades Marathon took place on 24th May 1921, Empire Day, starting outside the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg with 34 runners. It has continued since then every year with the exception of the war years 1941-1945. The Comrades Marathon is a cherished national treasure and attracts thousands of runners, spectators and television viewers every year.

Below is Justin Hanson's inspiring testimonial as to how he achieved his dream of becoming a Comrade. For more information about the Comrades Marathon click here.

"It is with much pride that I can announce that I achieved my goal of running in and completing a Comrades Ultra-marathon on June 16th 2003 at 3:50pm.

To reach a goal that you only ever dreamt about is a surreal experience and even now, some 9 days later its hard to appreciate the achievement. Its become an awakening for me. I realize now with much clarity that there is nothing you cannot achieve in any aspect of life, if you want it bad enough and are prepared to work for it.

I started running 4km fun runs in about 1996, in and around my home in Melbourne. Little did I envisage that 7 years later I would start and finish the Worlds Ultimate 90km footrace in South Africa.

I remember vividly at the start of 2002 running in a 10km fun run in Warrnambool and watching a 10 year old girl and her dad power pass me half way through the run. I thought to myself well perhaps I am never bound for great things on the sporting arena and being on the wrong side of 30, things were unlikely to get better.

In the back of my mind I knew about Comrades, but I also knew the chasm between where I was, and where I needed to be. Over the next 18 months or so, I chipped away. Setting milestones, setting goals and slowly working my way through them. I know I am not a gifted athlete. I do not possess any major sporting attributes or skill. I am best described as a battler. And as I progressed towards this pinnacle, I came to realize that this wasn't purely a physical test. It was a test of who I am and how strong in mind and body I am. The race challenged you and what your hold dear. It tore away all false pretenses, and left you alone with only your beliefs and values to hold onto.

There is so much intrepidation associated with tackling such a feat. I have watched video's of elite athlete's experiencing muscle melt downs in marathons, staggering incoherently near the finish line, lurching from side to side. These are supremely fit athletes, with support staff, dieticians, coaches, physio's etc.
I knew I was going on my own, taking my wife with me to pick up the pieces, either emotional or physical. I had never run more the 42km in any one go, and even then I had only done that distance once. Yet I was going to Africa, and attempting to run double that and then some, with a stomach full of pasta and a kiss and hug from my wife.

Was I crazy, was I being selfish, what if I didn't finish, how would I face people. The seeds of doubt never left my mind in all the time I spent preparing for this race. The feeling of guilt, the thought of not being able to enjoy my two sons after the race, not being able to walk or kick the footy swirled around my head constantly.

The difference is and always will be, my hunger to reach my goal and achieve my dream. I wanted it so badly, I knew when the starters gun when off at 5:30am in Pietermaritzburg that nothing was going to stop me finishing. The pain, the exhaustion, the emotion would no doubt come and follow me every step of the way, but it wasn't going to stop me. Not when I was so close.

My wife knew that nothing was going to stop me. We both silently prayed that my body would stay together because it was going to cover 90km in under 11 hours, whether it wanted to or not. I crossed the finish line 10 hours and 20 minutes after the starters gun went off.

I had captured something I had only ever of dreamt about. I did it. I am a Comrade.

It was with your financial support that allowed me to get to the start line for which I am extremely grateful for. I hope you are able to take something from my experience and use it to achieve your own goals and dreams. If nothing else I hope you realise anything is possible if you want it bad enough and are prepared to work for it."