Bruce Fordyce facts for kids
Bruce Fordyce at his 500th parkrun
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| Nationality | South African | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 3 December 1955 Hong Kong |
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| Alma mater | University of the Witwatersrand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Bruce Noel Stevenson Fordyce, born on December 3, 1955, in Hong Kong, is a famous South African runner. He is known for running very long distances, called marathons and ultramarathons. He also spoke out against apartheid, a system of unfair separation in South Africa.
Bruce Fordyce is most famous for winning the Comrades Marathon in South Africa a record nine times. Eight of these wins were in a row! He also won the London to Brighton Ultramarathon three times in a row. He used to hold world records for running 50 miles and 100 kilometers.
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Bruce Fordyce was born in Hong Kong. When he was 13, his family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa. He went to Woodmead High School. Later, he studied at the University of the Witwatersrand. He earned two degrees there, one in 1977 and another in 1979.
While at university, Bruce was part of the student council. This group worked against apartheid. He was also on the committee for the university's athletic club.
Comrades Marathon Achievements
The Comrades Marathon is a very long and challenging race in South Africa. Bruce Fordyce first ran it in 1977. He finished 43rd out of many runners. He kept improving each year. In 1978, he was 14th, then 3rd in 1979, and 2nd in 1980.
Then, Bruce made history! He won the Comrades Marathon for eight years in a row, from 1981 to 1988. He won it again in 1990. No other runner has ever won the race so many times in a row.
Bruce also held the fastest time for the "up" run, which goes from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. His record for the "down" run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, was 5 hours, 24 minutes, and 7 seconds. This record stood for 21 years, from 1986 until 2007.
| Year | Position | Time | Direction | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 43 | 06:45:00 | Up | Silver |
| 1978 | 14 | 06:11:00 | Down | Silver |
| 1979 | 3 | 05:51:15 | Up | Gold |
| 1980 | 2 | 05:40:31 | Down | Gold |
| 1981 | 1 | 05:37:28 | Up | Gold |
| 1982 | 1 | 05:34:22 | Down | Gold |
| 1983 | 1 | 05:30:12 | Up | Gold |
| 1984 | 1 | 05:27:18 | Down | Gold |
| 1985 | 1 | 05:37:01 | Up | Gold |
| 1986 | 1 | 05:24:07 | Down | Gold |
| 1987 | 1 | 05:37:01 | Up | Gold |
| 1988 | 1 | 05:27:42 | Up | Gold |
| 1990 | 1 | 05:40:25 | Up | Gold |
| 1991 | 328 | 06:57:02 | Down | Silver |
| 1994 | 19 | 06:01:54 | Up | Silver |
| 1995 | 2232 | 08:42:48 | Down | Bronze |
| 1996 | 329 | 06:59:30 | Up | Silver |
| 2000 | 2691 | 08:41:11 | Up | Bill Rowan |
| 2001 | 2790 | 08:50:52 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2002 | 4252 | 09:48:46 | Up | Bronze |
| 2003 | 2784 | 08:53:12 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2004 | 3088 | 09:26:02 | Up | Bronze |
| 2005 | 2311 | 08:45:20 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2006 | 3596 | 09:41:11 | Up | Bronze |
| 2007 | 3861 | 09:48:18 | Down | Bronze |
| 2008 | 3710 | 10:07:33 | Up | Bronze |
| 2009 | 3818 | 09:48:21 | Down | Bronze |
| 2010 | 965 | 07:55:03 | Down | Bill Rowan |
| 2011 | 488 | 07:30:31 | Up | Bill Rowan |
| 2012 | 1099 | 08:06:10 | Down | Bill Rowan |
Bruce has completed 30 Comrades Marathons in total. He even finished with the exact same time in 1985 and 1987! In 2011, he tried for a silver medal but missed it by just 32 seconds.
London to Brighton Ultramarathon
Bruce Fordyce also showed his amazing running skills in England. He won the London to Brighton ultramarathon three years in a row. This was from 1981 to 1983.
Setting World Records
Bruce Fordyce was once a world record holder for running 50 miles. He completed this distance in 4 hours, 50 minutes, and 21 seconds in 1984. This record was held for many years. He also held the 50-mile record for races in the United States.
Standing Up for What's Right
Bruce Fordyce was strongly against apartheid. This was a system in South Africa that unfairly separated people based on their race. In 1981, during his first Comrades Marathon victory, he wore a black armband. This was a way to protest against the government's celebrations. Some people booed him and even threw tomatoes. Bruce has said that this protest was "one of the proudest moments" of his life.
Author, Speaker, and Commentator
Beyond running, Bruce Fordyce has shared his knowledge in many ways.
- He wrote two books about the Comrades Marathon.
- He was a sports writer for different newspapers and magazines.
- He worked as a TV commentator for the Comrades Marathon in 2014.
- He is also a motivational speaker, inspiring others with his story.
- He is the chief executive officer of the South African Sports Trust.
Bringing Parkrun to South Africa
Bruce Fordyce helped bring parkrun to South Africa in November 2011. Parkrun is a series of free, weekly 5-kilometer (about 3.1 miles) running events. These events are open to everyone. As of October 2023, there were 210 parkrun events across South Africa. Bruce ran his 500th parkrun on October 14, 2023. He did this at Delta Park in Johannesburg, which was the very first parkrun location in South Africa.
Other Recognitions
Bruce Fordyce has received several honors for his achievements.
- In 2004, he was voted 64th in the list of the Top 100 Great South Africans.
- In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of the Witwatersrand. This is a special degree given to honor someone's important contributions.
