That's Fit recently had a chance to catch up with one of the runners, 42-year-old London-based Kenneth Donaldson from Team "Save the Rhino."
That's Fit: How did you get involved with this cause and this race?
Kenneth Donaldson: I have to blame this on my wife, Cathy Dean, who became Director of Save the Rhino International in 2001. She promptly signed up to run the London Marathon -- the charity is famous for running in rhino costume -- and then was so impressed that all her co-workers were running the Marathon des Sables (150 miles across the Sahara) in 2002 that she signed both of us up for the 2003 MdS. At that point, I hadn't done any running since school, so it was a bit of a shock, to say the least! Since then, running and rhinos have …show more content…
Running in rhino is difficult: there's poor ventilation and it gets very hot and sweaty inside, so keeping hydrated is difficult; the head bobs around a lot in front of you, meaning that you tend to end up running with your arms held stiffly in front of you to try to brace it; and there's poor visibility -- you can only see the road about 15 to 20 feet in front of you, so uneven surfaces are a nightmare. On the other hand, the crowd support is amazing, so you get an enormous lift.
TF: What inspired you to do this?
KD: Apart from the Marathon des Sables, the Comrades Marathon is the big race that ultra runners want to complete -- and get the medal. I've become pretty competitive over the years, and the idea of charging past a few people on the way to the finish line is very appealing. And we have the opportunity to go and visit Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Wildlife Park afterward -- the place where all rhino conservation began 100 years ago -- to see how the funds we have raised will be spent. It's a special place where one man managed single-handedly to save a whole species from certain extinction. Truly inspirational.
TF: What will be the most challenging part of this
That's Fit: How did you get involved with this cause and this race?
Kenneth Donaldson: I have to blame this on my wife, Cathy Dean, who became Director of Save the Rhino International in 2001. She promptly signed up to run the London Marathon -- the charity is famous for running in rhino costume -- and then was so impressed that all her co-workers were running the Marathon des Sables (150 miles across the Sahara) in 2002 that she signed both of us up for the 2003 MdS. At that point, I hadn't done any running since school, so it was a bit of a shock, to say the least! Since then, running and rhinos have …show more content…
Running in rhino is difficult: there's poor ventilation and it gets very hot and sweaty inside, so keeping hydrated is difficult; the head bobs around a lot in front of you, meaning that you tend to end up running with your arms held stiffly in front of you to try to brace it; and there's poor visibility -- you can only see the road about 15 to 20 feet in front of you, so uneven surfaces are a nightmare. On the other hand, the crowd support is amazing, so you get an enormous lift.
TF: What inspired you to do this?
KD: Apart from the Marathon des Sables, the Comrades Marathon is the big race that ultra runners want to complete -- and get the medal. I've become pretty competitive over the years, and the idea of charging past a few people on the way to the finish line is very appealing. And we have the opportunity to go and visit Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Wildlife Park afterward -- the place where all rhino conservation began 100 years ago -- to see how the funds we have raised will be spent. It's a special place where one man managed single-handedly to save a whole species from certain extinction. Truly inspirational.
TF: What will be the most challenging part of this